Letter from the Editors
Dear Reader,
Today, Christmas Eve, marks the end of the Advent season. These four short weeks in the church calendar are rich with the hope of the Savior’s coming and a longing for his return. Advent reminds us to adopt a posture of hopeful waiting as we balance between the already and the not yet. In this series, our writers have beautifully captured the many dimensions of that waiting – the restlessness and unsettledness, the longed-for peace and reclamation of harmony, the grace abundant in Jesus’ coming, the symbols of light that pave the way to complete restoration, the historical beginnings of this anticipated celebration, the unexpected nature of the virgin birth, and more. These writings remain available on our websites.
We hope that this series has helped you glimpse more fully a small part of this anticipation that Advent awakens within us. Thank you to all of our writers, editors, and designers who made this series possible. We are so grateful for the time you devoted to thoughtfully sharing your ideas. And, thank you, reader, for joining us on this journey.
Even in this season of comfort and joy, we can’t escape the brokenness of the world. Political unrest, disease, and catastrophe define our world and in many cases, our lives. This Christmas, let Jesus’ coming be more than a quaint tale to warm your heart. Born on Christmas is a baby sent to die and save us from our sin. The chord of Christmas rings unresolved, as we await Jesus’ return in Glory. He will not destroy the world but purge from it all evil and restore it to new Life in Him. May we wait expectantly in this “already, but not yet” season and “ring in the Christ that is to be” [1].
Grace and Peace,
Aaron Petty, Editor-in-Chief, Duke Crux
Annika Reynolds, Editor-in-Chief, UVA Bearings
“And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.” John 1:14, ESV
[1] Tennyson, Alfred. “Ring Out Wild Bells.”
Photo courtesy of Julia Stewart, UVA ‘20
