Jesus Christ Shanty Town

As usual, on my way into work yesterday morning I picked up a copy of the Daily Texan, and from the front page I learned that Christians were gathering on campus at the University of Texas for the 13th annual Resurrection or Rez week in front of the Gregory Gym. That afternoon I sat across the street for a while, on the steps of the McCombs School of Business building, and took some pictures. A few students chuckled to themselves as they passed by the ridiculous scene on their way to do more than just pray for good grades.

"This is a week to see all the Christian groups come together and create a dialogue about Christianity on campus," said Justin Christopher, one of Campus Renewal Ministries' campus directors and a founder of the event.

Rez Week made its first appearance on campus in 1995 through sponsorship of the Campus Renewal Ministries and the ideals of Christopher and Campus Renewal President Jeremy Story, Christopher said.

"You hear a lot about how much the church is broken up, but this is a testament of the opposite. We're all coming together to celebrate the resurrection of Christ," said Abigail Tseng, a Plan II and accounting senior who attended Rez Week for her fourth year this year.

If a shared belief in the resurrection of Christ is all that Christians have left, then the church must really be in trouble.

Upon closer inspection, students were mostly standing around, not exactly in awe of the spectacle. I don't blame them. Just have a look at this week's itinerary.

While I took pictures my accomplice was trying to make sense of Spoken Groove, bastard child of acoustic rock and the spoken word. At one point the front man of this duo thanked students, who sat congregated in front of the stage, for welcoming them to the University of Texas, but lamented that Christians like himself couldn't speak out so publicly elsewhere in Austin.

I don't see what's stopping them. In fact, Christians can scream and shout all they want on the Capitol steps, and often do. But like anyone else, Spoken Groove would need a permit if they want to electronically amplify their divinely inspired musical stylings. Surely they can find at least one legislator willing to sponsor their lame attempt at grassroots activism.

"This year the theme is 'grassroots Christianity,'" said Jill Baggerman, a religious studies freshman who helped organize the event.

The theme is expressed mostly through live music and student art, which decorates a prayer house where students can pray 24 hours a day this week. Much of the art depicts religion through nature, said Kimberly Chung, media director of Campus Renewal Ministries.

"People can worship God through whatever they are most creative in," Chung said.

The goal, Baggerman said, is to make Christianity more of an organism instead of an institution.

"Grassroots Christianity is the opposite of our view of Christianity today, which is the mega-institution," Tseng said.

The writing is on the wall.

One feature of the event, which never changes, despite theme variations, is a free speech board, where students are allowed to freely answer questions such as, "What would you change about church?" Answers ranging from "nothing" to "everything" to "hypocrisy and discrimination" already fill the board.

"We just wanted to get people talking and hear what they have to say and think," Baggerman said.

"What is worth dying for?"

"Life."

"What has your experience been with Christians and the church?"

"Delusional people who never question anything."

"What is the purpose of relationships?"

"Imagine all the people..."

"What would you change about church?"

"Stop being so evangelical."

"Everything."

"I would destroy it."

"What are your...dreams, hopes, desires, aspirations, goals?"

"I AM THE DEVIL."

So much for dialogue.