This fall, ACU will once again offer a poetry workshop class open to all majors. Al Haley, professor of English and writer in residence, will be the instructor for the course and looks forward to having students from all majors in his class. "It is not just for English majors. I had some remarkable poets last year, including biochemistry and ... [Read More…]
Graduates start spoken-word Chapel
A couple of former students have begun a new small group Chapel during which students are encouraged to listen, engage in discussions and perform spoken-word poetry. Darren and Gloria Hagood, who graduated in fall 2014 with degrees in biblical text, said they started the Chapel option to be new, unique and different from other opportunities ... [Read More…]
Poet Rebecca Balcarcel to visit campus
In honor of National Poetry Month, the Department of Language and Literature invited Rebecca Balcarcel to campus Wednesday. A nationally recognized poet, Balcarcel had open readings of her poetry and discussed her writing techniques. Rebecca Balcarcel is an associate professor of English at Tarrant County College, Fort Worth. She primarily ... [Read More…]
Reading the Bible as poetry
I haven't read my Bible in almost a year. It glares at me, mocking me from its dusty spot on my nightstand, but no matter how many Church services I attend or how large my internal conviction grows, I cannot bring myself to open it. An intrinsic cynicism, years of my own questioning and two years of intense Bible classes have left me disillusioned ... [Read More…]
Poetry expands beyond the classroom
When many people think of poetry, dull sonnets and incomprehensible free verse spring to mind. This art form, however, has found exciting new ways to live on. Last Tuesday the ACU English department's Writer in Residence, Al Haley conducted his yearly Poetry Slam. Featuring performances by his ENGL 323/523 Poetry Workshop class and guitar ... [Read More…]
Justice Week to host authors, slam poets
Social justice organizations across campus are partnering together in creating the seventh annual week-long event, Justice Week, which will take place April 1-6. International Justice Mission, Wishing Well, Red Thread Movement, Locavores and the Students' Association have pooled their resources to bring in prominent speakers and host events they ... [Read More…]
The apologetics of CORE poetry
I was a second-semester freshman, sitting in CORE 120, worried about our in-class assignment. Dr. Steven Moore had just told me and the other 70 students in the class we had 10 minutes to write a poem. The only other guideline: we had use the phrase "blue sweater". The 10 minutes expired all too quickly. I'd barely written poetry before, and had ... [Read More…]
Students slam, jam for nonprofit
Wishing Well hosted Slam and Jam on Tuesday evening in Edward's Lobby. The event consisted of poetry, live music and beverages. Wishing Well is a student organization at ACU that raises money to help build wells in various locations around the world. Wishing Well Chaplain Mitchell East, sophomore Biblical text major from Austin, said he was ... [Read More…]
Poetry slam and hip-hop concert to express creativity
Summit is an annual event that encourages creative Christian thought and ministry, making it the perfect setting for a poetry slam and hip-hop concert. Matt Preston, junior ministry major from Abilene, more commonly known as Christian hip hop artist M.A. Double, is excited about the addition of a hip hop concert to this year's Summit ... [Read More…]
Wishing Well welcomes slam poet
Christian slam poet David Bowden visited campus Thursday as part of an event organized by Wishing Well. Bowden, a graduate of Oklahoma Christian University, has been performing for three years. He is married and currently lives in Oklahoma City. Bowden said he was been writing slam poems for the past five years and really enjoys it. "I enjoy ... [Read More…]