
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: TUESDAY, May 9, 1995                   TAG: 9505090103
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: C-4   EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY 
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: CHARLOTTESVILLE                                LENGTH: Short

UVA RELIGIOUS MAGAZINE RESTARTED

While the U.S. Supreme Court considers their discrimination lawsuit, University of Virginia students have resumed publishing a religious magazine and made no attempt to tone down the evangelism.

``We weren't trying to keep it low profile to trick people into thinking it wasn't a Christian magazine, when it was,'' said Heather Brown, a UVa sophomore from Alexandria who helped publish Wide Awake. ``We were gung-ho about it.''

The 21-page spring edition of Wide Awake is the first issue since the editor sued the university in 1992 for rejecting a funding request.

It contains articles on the biblical principles behind America's founding, and Jews who believe Jesus was the Messiah. On the cover is a detail from Michelangelo's depiction of God giving life to Adam.

``People have given their lives for this across the centuries,'' said Erick Sierra, the magazine's editor in chief. ``We wanted to make a strong statement.''

``We Christians can't, upon the denial of an appropriations check, cower back into our closets of anonymity, quiet and defeated, to rot forever,'' says a letter from the editor.

Founded in 1990 by former UVa student Ronald W. Rosenberger, Wide Awake applied for a university subsidy in 1991 and was denied on the grounds the magazine constituted a religious activity.

by CNB