Search Our Writing:
Crucifix Pareidolia
August 18, 2025 | By Isaac Oberman DC ‘26
There are probably many ways to explain away the occasions of spontaneous crosses. Perhaps my mind is bored. Most likely, I surround myself with so much religious content in my daily life that my mind actively seeks it out and creates it. But these explanations are boring and surface-level. Let’s get mystical. What if the crucifix is supposed to be there?
On Losers
March 29, 2025 | By Sharla Moody BK ‘22, YDS ‘25
It’s easy—perhaps even unconscious—to imagine everyone existing in a shifting hierarchy one constantly strives to wind up on top of. Even if I genuinely want to resist the winners-losers mindset, I find myself in constant comparison with others, tallying the score of a game that I say doesn’t matter but in fact does matter in some way to me. The cardinal sin of the winners-losers binary is that it accepts the terms of the game without question.
Faith, Poetry and the University: An Interview with Rowan Williams
October 22, 2024 | By Zeki Tan MY ‘25
Rowan Williams is the 104th Archbishop of Canterbury. He taught theology at Oxford and Cambridge and served as the Master of Magdalene College, Cambridge, from 2013 to 2020. Dr. Williams is also a poet and translator of poetry; he published his most recent edition of Collected Poems in 2022. In February 2024 he delivered the Taylor Lectures at the Yale Divinity School. I interviewed Dr. Williams while he was in New Haven to discuss his reflections on writing poetry, intellectual life, and how both enrich and are enriched by religious belief. This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
Fan Behavior
October 16, 2023 | Hannah Turner BK ‘23+1
The rise of social media has broken the monopoly of cable television. With just a cheap smartphone and a stable Internet connection, we create our own show. We put ourselves in a dome where we are the main character and our life is consumed by people across the world. We strive to be like Truman, forgetting that he was trapped.
Life After Violence in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever
February 18, 2023 | By Karis Ryu YDS’23
Like many superhero fans, I bounded over to the nearest movie theater within a week of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’s release in November. A film of pain, hope, and power, I appreciated its muted volume, both auditory and visual, and how Ryan Coogler’s vision clearly included space for grief, both on and off screen. Grief and rage are integral to the story’s central message of healing and renewal: for Shuri, Wakanda, and the world they live in.
Love and the Falling Fifth
March 7, 2022 | By Daniel Yen TD ‘22
While the sighs in Schumann’s music help us to understand what human love feels like, I believe the gospel accounts of Jesus’s crucifixion suggest that the experience of exhalation also helps us to better appreciate the love of God.
Upcoming Events:
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Writing Voice Workshop
THURSDAY, JAN 22ND, 6:15-7:50 PM,
Elm Institute
This week, we will hone our writing voice in different styles.
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Editing for Writing with Voice Workshop
THURSDAY, JAN 29TH, 6:15-7:15 PM, Location TBD
Based on the previous week’s workshop, we will edit our pieces to hone our writing voice.
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Veritas Weekend
FEB 6-8TH, Boston
Save the date for Veritas Weekend in Boston! More information below!
Signup Date Passed
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Theme Introduction Meeting
THURSDAY, FEB 12ND, 6:15-7:15 PM,
Location TBD
Our theme this semester is… mirrors! We will be exploring the literary tradition and potential topics for mirrors.
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Theme Introduction at Elm
THURSDAY, FEB 19ND, 6:15-7:50 PM,
Elm Institute
We will be continuing our exploration of the theme of mirrors at the Elm Institute, with a session led by Peter Wicks.
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Writing Retreat
SATURDAY, MARCH 28TH
We will be adjourning to the countryside to spend a day dedicated to making progress on our drafts.