Friday, April 8, 1966
The Daily Nebraskan
Vol. 81, No. 94
Local
'Is God Dead?9 Philosophy
By Randy Irey
Junior Staff Writer
This Easter season, an im
portant question has burst
forth before the eyes of many
bewildered Christians.
"Is God dead?" has become
the subject of much discus
sion and puzzlement.
Has God really forsaken
man and left him alone? Two
national magazines presently
have articles concerning this
topic of debate. The April 8
issue of Time devotes its cov
er story to this problem. The
article explains the various
points of view and reasoning
behind the "God is dead"
theory.
"Defense Of God"
In the April 19 issue of
Look, there is an article en
titled "In Defense of God",
by John C. Bennet. Bennet,
president of Union Theologi
cal Seminary, outlines the
CLASPED HANDS . . . show that at least one student
doesn't believe in the theory that "God Is Dead."
Faculty
Un
iversity seeking
EDITOR'S NOTE: This is
the forth and last story in a
series by Julie Morris, senior
staff writer, on why Univer
sity faculty members leave
Nebraska for jobs at other
universities.
"We are trying to find out
from faculty who have left the
University why they have
left," A.C. Breckenridge said.
"They'll never succeed," Dr.
Robert Manley rejoined.
Breckenridge Is vice chan
cellor and dean of faculites.
Manley, associate professor of
history, Is one of 20 perman
ent faculty who are resigning
this year.
Manley's statement about
the impossibility of discover
ing exactly why faculty leave
the school has been largely
borne out in interviews with
faculty who are resigning.
Myriad Of Reasons
There are a myriad reasons
for resigning, the teachers
said. Most offered more than
one reason for leaving and
many noted that the reasons
often are more complex than
anyone realizes.
Some of the reasons these
faculty gave for resigning in
cluded better opportunities for
advancement within the
school, better research facili
ties, more time for research,
better salaries and advances
in rank.
Faculty who were inter
viewed, however, generally
responded that they have also
enjoyed their time with the
school and had some positive
points to make concerning
their tenure here.
Second To None
Roberto Esquenazi - Mayo,
professor of Romance lan-
Theologians Consider
major points made by the
"death" theologians and then
offers his own suggestions in
opposition to the theory.
On the University campus,
the problem, as it has every
where, has found some theo
logians in su p p o r t- of this
theory and some opposed.
The Rev. Bill Phillips of
the United Campus Christian
Fellowship says that lie is in
favor of the idea that God is
dead.
He Was Alive
"To say that He is dead,"
explained Phillips, "is to say
He was alive. This, in itself,
is a statement of tremendous
faith. Most people are neu
tral on the subject of. H i m
ever being alive."
Phillips believes that this
shows a responsible attitude
to say that God is dead be
cause it places a tremendous
responsibility on man. This is
UXAXr
Resignations . . .
guages and chairman of that
department, said "I have
found the students at the Uni
versity second to none any
where, they come up to the
challenge of a good teacher."
Robert Dunn, instructor of
psychology, also praised stu
dents. "Students are not
aggressive," he said, "but, if
you can say nothing else
about them, they are very
likeable."
Dunn also noted that his
"relations with other mem
bers of the faculty here have
been extremely pleasant." He
gave credit to the Faculty
Newcomers Club, which, he
said, gave him the chance to
become a well-established
member of the faculty com
munity. Storm Cloud
"The only storm cloud in
my first year here," Dunn
said, "was the library, I
couldn't find the references I
needed."
Dunn is completing his sec
cond year at the University.
His new position is at Whit
man College in Walla Walla,
Wash.
The fact that faculty leave
the University only demon
strates the University's
"healthy condition," accord
ing to Robert Sakai, professor
of history and chairman of
the history department. Sakai
said the University's turnover
rate "has been high, but this
can be attributed to the fact
that our staff have acquired
national reputations."
Contribute Effectively
Dr. David Trask, associate
professor of history, re
sponded "I felt that I was able
to contribute effectively" dur-
because, with no God, man
would be alone in the uni
verse. "If man is indeed alone,
what happens to his ethical
practices and goals? It is up
to man to decide for him
self." Basic Confusion
"As I see it," stated Phil
lips, "the problem is where
has God gone, rather then He
is dead. The basic confusion
about the existence of God
comes about because the
word 'God' denotes so many
different conceptions. We no
longer have one meaning for
the word. The great concern
is over the meaning."
In the Time article, Soren
Kierkegaard, a nineteenth
century Danish philosopher
and theologian, is quoted as
saying that "the day when
Christianity and the world be
come friends, Christianity is
done away with."
Kierkegaard is, according
to Phillips, one of the leaders
in the theological current
which has culminated in the
present theory.
Nietzche Not Included
"Another contributing
source to this current is the
Old Testament of the Bible. I
do not include the philosopher
Nietzche in this because he
comes from outside the
church. I think it is impor
tant to note that this move
ment, in the area of God's
absence, comes from within
the church, not from the secu
lar world."
Phillips studied under Wil
liam Hamilton, an author of
a book on the death of God.
In the Look article, Hamilton
is said to believe that "t h e
death of God does not mean
the end of Christianity, but
actually points to a great
emphasis on Jesus as the Lord
and center of history."
In Hamilton's own words,
"I insist that the time of the
death of God is also the time
of obedience to Jesus. This
entails a claim that the New
Testament Jesus can in fact
be known, that a figure of
sufficient clarity is available
to us so that discipleship to
him to his life, his words
and his death is a possible
center for Christian faith and
life."
ing his tenure with the Uni
versity. He is leaving, he con
tinued "because I don't feel
1 can continue to be effective
any longer."
Robert Hiller, associate pro
fessor of Germanic languages,
commented on the "good rela
tions between faculty and stu
dents in my experience at the
University." He added that he
liked the school and felt he
has been "well treated" here.
"I have mixed reactions
about 1 e a v i n g," Edward
Grubb, instructor in business
organization and management
said. "I've enjoyed many of
the people here." Grubb has
been on the University staff
two years. He has accepted a
new position at Portland State
College in Portland, Oregon.
Good University
"Many people don't realize
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SOMETIMES ... one might think there are more cars on this campus than people, more parking lots
more traffic problems than scholastic problems, One way or another a university campus is a car
Phillips believes that these
statements by Hamilton are
especially- significant because
they come, again, from with
in the church and because in
the seminary, Hamilton took '
a very orthodox position on
such matters.
"We have to take the prob
lem of faith seriously,'' stat
ed Phillips. "We can't be
neutral. We must decide to
live with God or without Him.
It becomes, without Him, a
question of man's responsibil
ity to his fellow man."
Because of this there is a
great importance placed on
Christian witness. "Man's re
sponsibility becomes that of
being caretaker of the world.
If he is responsible, his re
sponsibility should be like that
of Christ's in other words,
he must live for others."
Display An Awareness
"This belief in the death of
God also entails the fact that
the church no longer has just
one aspect, that of preparing
for worship, but rather must
display an awareness of situa
tions in the world in which we
live."
Time states that this impor
tance of witnessing now is in
Cont. on Page 5, Col. 3
Angel
Flight
Is 'Top'
The University chapter of
Angel Flight was named top
flight in the nation at the na
tional conclave of Angel
Flight and Arnold Air Socie
ty in Dallas, Tex., this week.
The award is based on acti
vities completed during the
year. Approximately 120
groups were in competition.
Barb Atkinson was selected
as second runner-up in the
Little General competition.
According to Judy Mahar,
flight information officer, this
marks the fifth year that a
candidate from the University
has reached the finals in the
Little General competition.
Miss Atkinson, Marion Sic
klebower, Nan Binger and
Donnie Jones attended the an
nual meeting.
Answers
how good the University is,"
Rocco Vanasco commented.
Vanasco, instructor of
Romance languages, said he
will be "sorry to leave the
school."
"I've never adjusted to the
University," Manley said. He
said his new post as chairman
of the history department at
Hiram C. Scott College in
Scottsbluff will be much more
to his liking.
"The small liberal arts col
lege is the answer" to today's
giant "multiversity" estab
lishments, Manley said. Per
sonal contact between stu
dents and professors, he
stressed, is one of the most
i m p o rt a n t aspects of the
learning experience. Personal
contact in a multiversity, he
said, becomes virtually
impossible.
i S -
1 - :
1)K. BRILL
Scholarship Worries
Cause Student Ills
By Nancy Henrickson
junior Staff Writer
Worry is a predominant pat
tern at the University accord
ing to Dr. William Brill, Stu
dent Health Center psychia
trist. Worry over scholarship is
the major factor which
causes anxiety in college stu
dents. Transition
"In general," Brill said,
"college life is rough because
it is a perod of transition
away from home and scholas
tic and social competition is
more intense."
Scholastic pressures are un
remitting and uncertain. A
student never knows how he'll
do on a final exam, Brill con
tinued, and he never knows
if he has studied enough.
"When nervousness, anxie
ty and worry reach a certain
point, a student becomes over
whelmed and somewhat disor
ganized. He cannot cope,
makes unwise decisions, is un
able to concentrate and be
comes depressed, sleepless
and irritable."
Worry over scholarship,
may come indirectly from
boy-girl or husband-wife prob
lems. Scholarship suffers and
the student has the additional
worry of maintaining his
grades.
Situational stress may be
another unknown reason for
worry. Sometimes a student
doesn't like a course and is
restless and can't study, Brill
said.
Anxiety
Anxiety is real, a person's
mind becomes blocked and he
is unable to exercise his voli
tion. "Many on campus are
somewhat crippled," Brill
said, "and are unable to stu
dy very effectively."
Depression, feeling blue,
sad and futile, is related to
anxiety, but varies in the in
dividual! Isolation
Reasons for depression in
clude a student not having a
good image of himself, a defi
nite feeling of loneliness and
discusses student worries.
isolation and a lack of deep
relationships with people.
"If a student gets anxious
enough he has an anxiety re
action, an illness in itself."
Nervousness to the point
that a student is unable to con
centrate is very predominant
in maybe 20 per cent of the
student body. Brill said.
Solutions
Sometimes a simple action
such as taking a walk, talk
ing to someone, working and
not worrying, will solve anxie
ty. Some people just worry
and don't do any work.
Accident pronene.is on ex
exaininations is prevalent
among students Brill said.
Students who know the work
make errors unconsciously on
the exams. Accident prone
ness is most predominant
among self-defeating people
who have images of them
selves as losers and are un
consciously afraid to win, he
added.
In handling anxiety prob
lems of students, Brill said
that they try to find out what
the person is like and his life
situation in nsychot'iorapy.
Sometimes students are hos
pitalized for a lew da's for
a controlled environment.
"We are very particular in
using tranquilizers with the
young population. They are
used over a limited period of
time to get over a stressful
week or two."
Vacation Schedule
Spring vacation closing schedules for the Nebraska
Union, Love Library, and Student Housing have been an
nounced. The Student Union will be open every day during
vacation except Easter Sunday and Saturday. April 16.
On the days that it is open, the Union will observe
8-5:00 hours. Regular hours will be resumed on Sunday,
April 17. Following regular policy, the Crib will close thirty
minutes before the Union closes.
Love Library will be closed Easter Sunday, and April
16 and 17. On Saturday, April 9, the Library will be open
7:50-12:00. From April 11-15, the Library will be open
7:50-4:50.
University dormitories will close at 1 p.m. Saturday,
April 9, and will re-open Sunday, April 17, at 1:00 p.m.
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Vacation
Time Is
Problem
By Toni Victor
Junior Staff Writer
To some out-of-state Univer
sity students, where to 50
over spring vacation is more
of a problem than a pleasure.
All dormitories arc closing
their doors, and fraternity
and sorority houses "custom
arily close" during the period,
according to Dean of Wom
en, Helen Snyder.
Edward M. Bryan of the
University housing office,
stated that a temporary dwel
ling for left-over students is
usually set-up, but that there
were too few requests to war
rant it this year.
Residents of Florida .Ore
gon, New Jersey and Califor
nia have a problem of trans
portation at vacation t i m e.
Most admit that they are
forced to stay in Lincoln be
cause the price of jet-fare
home is prohibitive.
"I couldn't afford to go
home by the regular lines of
transportation, and my par
ents wouldn't lot me hitch
hike." said Sally Russell, of
Boston.
Alan Vrccn, whose home is
In Los Angeles. solod h i s
problem. "I put up a notice on
the Riders Wanted map in
the Nebraska Union and I fin
ally got a ride with a bunch
of guvs that were going to
San Diego." Vreen stated.
Whore do these students
stay if they cannot afford to
go home, or if they do not
want to go home during vaca
tion? "I'm being pawned off on
my grandmother who lives
here in town." stated Carl
Noberg.
Another student admitted
that she had "recehed an in
flation to go home with her
room mate."
Kate Okamoto, noting how
far it was to go home to St.
Louis, said she was instead
traveling to Denver with some
friends.
Lengthy course assign
ments over vacation add to
the necessity of getting home
quickly and staying there
long enough to open the text
books.
"I lie in Washington and
it's too far to go home. Be
sides. F have assigned work
that has to he done." stated
Se Himgerford.
A coed reported that she
has three projects that have
to be finished during t h e
eight-day vacation, and that
she needed peace and quiet
away from her family in
Ohio.
than buildings and
dealer's paradise.
. JF
