Volume 22 Issue 6: Retrospection

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MAR S’ H I L L

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RETROSPECTION VO LUME 2 2

ISSUE 6

DE C. 6 / 17 DEC.

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MARS’ H I L L MARS’ HILL

Mars’ Hill is a student publication of Trinity Western University, floated with funds raised by the Student Association. Mars’ Hill seeks to be a professional and relevant student publication, reflecting and challenging the TWU community, while intentionally addressing local, national and international issues.

FROM THE EDITOR

MISSION TO MARS The mission of Mars’ Hill, as the official student newspaper of Trinity Western University, is to inform and entertain its readers, cultivate awareness of issues concerning the TWU community and provide a forum for purposeful, constructive discussion among its members in accordance with the Community Covenant, Statement of Faith, and Core Values of the University.

EDITORIAL POLICY Mars’ Hill encourages submissions and letters to the Editor. Mars’ Hill reserves the right to edit submissions for style, brevity and compatibility with the Mission, Statement of Faith, the Community Community Covenant, and the Core Values of the University.

Anonymous authorship of any material may be granted at the discretion of the Editor-in-Chief.

Opinions expressed in Mars’ Hill belong to the individual authors and do not necessarily reflect those of the editorial board, Trinity Western University, its officials or its Student Association.

CONTRIBUTORS Matthew Etherington Sylvia Brynjolfson Arnold Sikkema Cam Thiessen Arend Strikwerda Caylie Elunds Emilio Rodriguez Katie Maryschuk Tiara Kerr Dirk de Waal Alex Gust Eric Stein Kirsten McAllister Kate Nundal Andrew Kimball Andrew Brookes Victoria Ahrendt Corinna Scholing Trevor McMahan

7600 Glover Rd, Langley, BC, V2Y 1Y1 604-513-2109 marshill@gmail.com www.marshill.ca

STUDENT MEDIA ADVISOR Loranne Brown

Call me old-fashioned, but I love Irving Berlin’s movie White Christmas. In my first year of university, I had my friend rent out TWUSA for a group of us to watch the movie on the projector for my birthday.

That’s right. I made a group of 17 year olds sit through two hours of the 1954-made film about a snowless love story in Vermont. Maybe it’s Rosemary Clooney and Vera-Ellen dancing ever so elegantly in the first few minutes of the movie, but I fall in love with the plot, cast and characters more everytime I watch it. After all, I do have a sister, and we do in fact sing the song “Sisters.” And yes, we probably will sing it to you if you ask.

Maybe it’s the awkward frankness of Danny Kaye as he slyly engages himself to Vera-Ellen that makes me think of my own awkward tendencies. Or the General’s humbleness as he accepts the love of his former division. Whatever it is specifically, I leave with an overwhelming sense of nostalgia and admiration for the craft of time-transcending movies and a cast and characters with incredible talent. I mean, come on, who these days can sing like Bing Crosby?

Hindsight is always 20/20, right?

I’d like to think so. What on earth was little Katie doing watching a movie about crooners and 50’s esque tales as a child? The obvious answer is that my parents appreciated the movie, thus playing it at this time of year, thus me eventually coming to love it as well. The not-so-obvious answer is that the movie became a simple constant through the years, and after sitting there long enough staring at the screen, it “clicked” and I realized the value and importance of a simple 120 minute show.

little did you know that you would grow to actually love that thing that you detested, nor did you realize that you were in the “in-between” of dislike and like. It has value and technically makes up what we feel and experience in life: the day to day routine, blurring of days and planned dates, homework, and every single other moment that is within our days and nights. If I were to say that it didn’t have value, that would be like me saying that the human life is of no inherent value at all, which is simply not true.

Let me explain more. I didn’t love this movie as a child. It was always paired in the same DVD set with It’s A Wonderful Life, which, to this day still scares the living daylights out of me. The crackly film was pale in comparison to the movies I regularly tuned into on Saturday mornings: Cinderella, Lion King and probably something with the Olsen twins. I remember the songs being weirdly out of date for my growing and interested ears and one year, I got so sick on Christmas Day that I was banished to the living room couch and forced to watch “Choreography” and “Count Your Blessings (Instead of Sheep)”...all the while thinking How on earth is Vera-Ellen actually THAT skinny and Rosemary Clooney has got to be the MOST boring older sister in the world... she actually speaks the truth! Ugh. I was not a fan, but still, my mom pulled the Christmas DVDs from the box every December 1st and we would watch it at least twice before the season was over.

I love looking back and thinking of the mistakes, moments and nuggets of time well spent, and of course, poorly spent. I love the evolution of our beings; living breathing things that come to life by His image. Traditions form the base of these memories, and as we approach the Christmas season, I can only imagine that our minds flood with highs and lows from Decembers past. Re-examining them can make us laugh, cry, and sometimes cringe (maybe more often than not).

Despite everything around us, it’s hard to deny that there have been constants, in a multitude of forms.

A lot of things in life are like watching White Christmas. Heck, think about eating vegetables at the kitchen table (I would “pretend” to go to the washroom, only to flush freshly sauteed mushrooms and onions down the toilet). We hated it for whatever inherent reason, and now, we see the value in consuming leafy greens. At the same time, vegetables were a constant...and technically still are (to my dismay).

Hindsight is always 20/20.

There’s something to be said for the confusion, frustration, dislike and angst of the “growing-up” and the “in-between.” While you most likely knew you were growing up,

Think of your own constants throughout the years. Was it a place to call home? Maybe that wasn’t even in the question for you. Perhaps then, it was someone you could rely on. If not a person, then a token. If a token was absent, then a plan, a word, something that helped you to hold on. For many, it was and still is God. For others, perhaps something else.

Now, think of how that constant has evolved over time, and how your own life has moulded and shaped around that constant. Consider the growth from the dislike to the like, the frustration to the joy, the confusion to the understanding.

Heading into this Advent season, sit, recognize and appreciate the moment of the “in-between” and the “growing up.” And, if you’re like me, go and watch White Christmas.

Until the New Year, Katie

This issue brought to you by Alex the Peanut Katie’s New Warmup Song Not Chicken Tori the Strong Russian Alexcula Gritsy Bitsy Teeny Weeny Yellow Anti-Slip Machiney

THE TEAM BROOKE PATTYN Layout Editor

ALEX GUST

Managing Editor

TORI AHRENDT Visual Editor

HANNAH DEVRIES

NIKI MARA

JOEL REDEKOP

JAMISON DERKSEN

SABINE HENDERSON MAYA JUSMAN

Academy Editor

Sports Editor

Arts & Culture Editor

Humour Editor

Weirdest Christmas tradition?

Chief Copy Editor

Illustration Editor

MADISON POWERS Photo Editor

BAILEY MARTENS Web Editor

CHRISALEEN CIRO News Editor

RYAN SCHAFFRICK Advertising and Finance Manager

COMMUNITY CORNER

DE-CLASSIFIEDS

Instead of breaking hearts, I’m breaking the bank.

Also, it’s hard to break the bank when it’s already broken.

Evita Mora, the desert rose among us all Once more the Sith will rule the galaxy... and we shall have peace.

If you wanna be impressed and inspired on the daily, hang out with Bailey Martens. She is a legend.

But is Ben Peloso oblivious to them, or just humble about how many girls are in love with him? Seriously though, man.

Someone got a video of me dancing in the Fraser Room.

Can you either delete it or put it on social media? I can’t deal with the unknown. #SickOfTheBlackmail

In an old attic in Northwest that was covered in plastic Lived two little ghosts in style most fantastic At an old oak table they wrote their papers with ease And swept the floors with christmas trees They left their apartment to eat their bread Before safely returning home to bed.

One day a security guard found the unknown And gaping a little, he rushed to the phone and dialed: DANton-ten-six“Student Life,” he said, “we’re in a fix!”

When the ghosts returned the next afternoon Upon their table were summons of gloom Someone had discovered their little room!

The Little Ghosts of NW attic

If we had wanted recognition we would have screamed and stomped a little on Halloween - the little ghosts of NW attic high school student: Hell is probably school, but with less sympathy teacher: no, that’s university

whenever I see “declassifieds” I picture a man with a thick German accent trying to say “the classes fight” dear self on dec 6, congratulations on surviving the last day of classes. love, i wish i were you challenge of the semester: how many times can i press “remind me tomorrow” before my laptop turns against me and updates itself I’m so tired from my papers that I fell asleep on the toilet for an hour yesterday between 4:30 and 5:30am.

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SUBMIT YOUR DECLASSIFIEDS AT: WWW.MARSHILL.CA

Sodexo, Where’s the chocolate milk at? #BringItBack What’s with Pillar and TWUSA taking forever to post photos this year??

Roses are red, I really like pie, Finals are here, WHO’S READY TO DIE? I don’t want a relationship.

I just want to go on a date where they pay for the food! the dolphin killers Gentle reminder that telling LGBTQ+ students that they can just go to another university is akin to telling Rosa Park that there are plenty of seats at the back of the bus.

when marie janolino can lift more than you but is smaller than you and shorter than you... where does she get the strength Popcorn is a nice way to spend time It’s fascinatingly beautiful, tantalizingly delicious, and ferociously saliva inducing Contrary to popular belief, popcorn is not a vegetable.

There are several ways to skin a cat. Way one: grab it by the tail, then skin the cat. Way two: skin it with your friends.

“I wonder what Socrates would think about the vulgar many evaluating... wisdom.”

Cal Townsend

December be like WE WILL WE WILL ROCK-ing around the christmas tree

Mars’ Hill editors reserve the right to edit or reject submissions based on content and/or length. A printed submission does not necessarily reflect an endorsement of any kind, nor does it necessarily reflect the opinions of Mars’ Hill staff, the student association, or that of the University. In fact, probably not.

In issue five, published on November 22nd, 2017 we made a few mistakes. Here are our corrections: In “Behind the Wheel in Such High Heels” by Niki Mara, this paragraph was accidentally omitted after the sentence, “Nothing is being done to actually advocate for women’s rights as individuals”: Next to nothing is being done to actually advocate for women’s rights as individuals, not just as future trophy wives and mothers. Women are often discouraged from learning to drive, and I was so scared of becoming yet another terrible female driver on the road that it took me almost 20 years to get behind the wheel for the first time.

Misogyny on social media is much worse. The Russian youth have no respect for women, and more than half of the memes I see on my Russian feed are about men getting pissed that their girlfriend dared to voice her opinion.

In “Mi Globe Es Tu Casa” by Chrisaleen Ciro, the last sentence was cut off. It should read: “I believe that’s what community is for.”

In “Cost of Living” by Bailey Martens, the actor Jimmy Fallon is meant to be Jimmy Kimmel, host of Jimmy Kimmel Live!

LOOKING TO CONTRIBUTE? Go to marshill.ca

In this issue ...

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THE HELP WE NEED Academy FINDING TRUE CHRISTMAS JOY IN THE SCRIPTURES Feature I USED TO BE A SPARTAN Sports BREAKING NEWS Humour “Watching Street Santa’s Betrayal” – Matt Hayashi

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NEWS

TRINITY’S LAW SCHOOL REVIEW

CHRISALEEN CIRO

PUBLIC RELATIONS—AN OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE

OUTCOMES AND NEW WAYS FORWARD

Through the past several weeks, Trinity worked to cultivate a positive narrative.

They reached out to several publications, ranging from the Gospel Coalition to Convivium to the National Post. Media outlets also reached out to several students to gain perspective on the community.

In the wake of the hearing, the Trinity community has adopted a posture of “expectant waiting.” The hearing left our community without closure. According to our university’s President, Bob Kuhn, it is nearly impossible to quantify the exact number of potential outcomes:

• Near the beginning of the semester, Trinity asked several students to share their experience as students. They produced videos depicting the stories of students: Jared Barkman, Ariana Grimm, Angel Mukunzi Bazubagira, and Jordan Koslowsky. These stories portrayed Trinity as a welcoming institution and accessible to students of diverse backgrounds. The stories also portrayed how Trinity students engage positively in the public sphere.

• Students were also invited to participate in 48 hours of prayer. Students gathered on campus to pray continuously from midnight on November 30th, through to midnight of December 2nd. The Facebook group bid students to participate by saying, “Please join us in prayer during these two days to pray for our school, those representing our school, the outcome, for religious freedom, and ultimately for God’s love to be shared through this challenging time.”

• Students of Trinity’s Laurentian Leadership Program of Ottawa, who were able to attend the hearing, handed out hot chocolate and coffee to those going in and out of the courthouse. Trinity captioned a video depicting the students serving coffee with the phrase: “TWU students hope they can continue serving others!”

NATURE OF THE INSTITUTION This case has profound implications on how Canadian law, and by extension, Canadians, interpret the relationship between the institution and the community. In order for the Justices to determine the legal implications of the Covenant, they needed to determine the role the Covenant plays in the relationship between the institution and the student body. In order to make a legal evaluation of Trinity’s practices the Justices needed to define the language of our code of conduct.

This is further complicated by the fact that while some parts of the Community Covenant function as a code of conduct, other function as a suggested standard of morality.

• Justice Abella finally asked the question that the Trinity community has been asking itself for the last 5 years: “Does a law school have religious freedom…

Your argument rests on the idea that a law school can have a religion.” She goes on to say, “Is this a new kind of entity?” Essentially, what kind of access does the institution have to rights and freedoms? Whose religious freedom is at stake here, the members of Trinity’s student body, or the religious freedom of Trinity’s administration?

• On the second day of the hearing, intervenor West Coast Women’s Legal Education and Action Fund, alleged that Trinity is not only guilty of oppressing members of the LGBTQ2+ community, but also of restricting the reproductive rights of women. The representative argued that Trinity’s oppression of women, who make up a significant majority of Trinity’s student body, should deny them the right to educate lawyers.

• Questions were also raised about the enforcement of the Covenant. Is it possible that the accountability policy—meaning students “informing” on each other—violates privacy rights?

• Prefacing her question with the words, “This is going to get spicy,” Justice Abella asked, “How does your institution define sexual intimacy?” Trinity’s representation declined to answer. She goes on, “Is this kissing? Holding hands?”

• We win. Canada’s supreme court finds that none of Trinity’s policies, including the Community Covenant and admissions’ policy, are discriminatory. Similarly, they find no evidence that Trinity would allow unqualified lawyers into the legal system.

• We are granted a conditional win. The Supreme Court may mandate the proposed school of law’s accreditation on the condition that we change the Community Covenant.

• One of the intervenors argued that an alternative path to the bar should be applied to graduates of Trinity’s proposed school of law. This additional step would be designed to assess the graduate’s ability to contribute positively and conduct themselves positively in Canada’s legal system. However, Justice Abella raised the question, “Would applying such an additional step,” to ensure Trinity graduates conduct themselves in a non-discriminatory manner, “actually be discriminatory?”

Why this matters: Your anticipated outcome depends on your perception of the issue in contention here. Do you believe, as the law societies do, that Trinity should not have a law school because they will educate lawyers who are unqualified to uphold rational justice in the secular world? If you believe, like Trinity, that this case is about religious freedom, you anticipate an outright victory. If you believe that the problem lies with Trinity’s admissions policy, you are likely to anticipate a conditional win.

CHIEF JUSTICE ANNOUNCES RETIREMENT Chief Justice Beverly McLachlin has announced her intention to retire on December 15th, 2016. Ms. Machlin was born September 7, 1943, and she went on to study philosophy and law at the University of Alberta. She joined the Supreme Court in 1989 and is distinguished as Canada’s longest serving Chief Justice.

Why this matters: The Justices are able to contribute to a decision up to six months after their retirement. Therefore, Trinity can anticipate that the decision will be prepared by June 15th.

ADMISSIONS POLICY In order to come to a decision, the Justices need to assess the relationship between the Covenant and TWU’s admissions policy. Trinity’s lawyers argue that the Charter does not relate to Trinity because we are a “private, sectarian entity.” The school receives no public support—therefore, students attend Trinity and choose to adhere to Trinity’s norms of behaviour of their own volition. However, what are the implications when a private institution pursues a relationship with the public sphere: accreditation from the Law Societies.

• What distinguishes this case from the the previous times Trinity Western’s professional programs have faced barriers to entry into the public sphere is the the fact that the Charter has since been amended to protect against discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation.

• Justice Abella immediately sought to define the jurisdiction of the Law Societies.

Do they retain the right to evaluate institutions based on their admissions’ policy, or does their authority begin when students seek membership in the bar?

• Justice Karakatsanis asserted that this is not a case of a class of graduated lawyers seeking admission to the bar and being denied. Instead, it is a question of the law society’s right to accredit. This assertion has significant implications on the assessment of harm in this case.

“Sticking my hand up a turkey’s butt” – Kyle Hingtgen

S U PREME CO U RT A N D O U R COM MUN I T Y AREND STRIKWERDA DEFINING CHRISTIAN COMMUNITIES

I graduated from Trinity in 2011 with a B.Sc. in Biology and Chemistry. Within a year of graduating at Trinity, I started my coming out process, which included coming out to many members of the Trinity community (alumni, current students, and staff). I was amazed at the love and support I felt from all of these people. Because of this positive experience, I wrote an affidavit describing my time at Trinity as a (closeted) gay man and the generosity and love that members of the Trinity community showed me.

When Trinity says that its intention is to graduate lawyers and teachers who are not prejudiced against LGBTQ+ students and clients, I believe them. When

CAYLIE ELUNDS A COVENANT AFTER YAHWEH'S The law school: a hot topic from the moment each freshman steps on campus. Most first years heard about it before they even got here, but the issue becomes real when they become a part of the institution itself. Daily social media provides new thoughts regarding Trinity and the various issues surrounding the law school, especially concerning the LGBTQ+ dilemma.

Here I am, brand new to Trinity. I love the people here and the unique perspectives on current issues. The question arises: are you on the side of Jesus or the world? At a Christian university, most will answer that the Lord should have the final word.

But, is the Lord fighting for the final word? Or is Trinity? I see an issue, here.

Trinity says that a law school on its campus would be unique, and have a positive role in Canadian society, I believe them. In my work and training, I’ve seen the injustice and evil that those on the margins can suffer at the hands of the more powerful and resourceful. There is great potential for a Christian legal education and academics to do some powerful redemptive work in this avenue.

Trinity’s community is defined by staff, students/alumni, and administration. In retrospect, I have recognized that my positive experience in coming out to the Trinity community has been greatly due to staff and students/alumni at Trinity. However, being closeted while a student, my path never led me into interactions with the administration. So while I have publicly stated that my time at Trinity was one free from discrimination and that my coming out was positive, my story cannot be indicative of Trinity administration’s attitude. This is

Maybe Trinity has a problem, or perhaps the world needs to respect our religious freedom.

However, people must see the covenant as it is, human made. People prize this instruction because we are convinced of its power and are conditioned to conflate our covenant with Yahweh’s. If Yahweh in Heaven Himself, forms and moulds His covenant with humanity over time, then should His people do the same?

Could the humans in God’s image, mould our covenant to meet humanity on our journey? This is not so Christians conform to the pattern of this world, but so we extend grace as far as the east and west reaches. Jesus includes sinning and broken human beings into his family, and you and I are some of them.

Our diverse brothers and sisters (or non-binary folks) are no different.

Being inclusive reflects the character of Christ, and our words, policies and conduct should continue to emulate that.

CHRISALEEN CIRO LAW SCHOOL LAMENTATIONS I used to be afraid of my apathy about this case. I struggled to find it within myself to let this case affect my concern. I did not feel the urgency about this issue of “religious freedom.” It wasn’t an issue that I wanted to align myself with. The Bible does not discuss religious freedom. Religious freedom is a modern, rational construct created by Enlightenment thinkers who believed policy should be based on what was rational and self-evident, versus on a subjective morality. Religious freedom is integral

not meant to be a negative review, only neutral - I cannot comment, based on my experience as a student, on the administration.

Unfortunately, I fear that my affidavit has legitimized the administration’s “everything is fine” approach to their LGBTQ+ students. Since signing it, I have met many other LGBTQ+ alumni and students with stories different from my own who truly suffered while at Trinity, and were met with either ambivalence from administration or hostility. The administration has hid behind the fact that LGBTQ+ students have attended the university, as though this means that they were not discriminated against.

The willful ignorance on the complex issues at play here is painful to see in an institution of higher education.

I maintain much love for the Trinity community, and a belief that the university is filled with people who understand the

MONIQUE BOUCHARD NOTHING BUT LOVE FOR OTHERS Despite my personal connection to the Trinity Law school being a Trinity student, this law case is crucial for all people of faith and institutions across Canada. The idea that a Christian school founded on a document exalting “Jesus Christ” is somehow surprising or offensive to people, is bewildering.

Clearly we have many religious institutions in Canada and they are all founded on their specific religious beliefs. Even Trinity, the institution, holds to certain tenets that not all Christians believe, or all members of the Trinity community hold; this is part of religious freedom. Thus, this case is about so much more than a law school. It’s about people of faith being free to exercise their religious rights. If Trinity can’t have a law school, other religious schools won’t have the freedom to act either, Christian or not.

This case will set a precedent for all future questions of religious freedom, and if lost, may subject Canadians to a future of secularism that cannot be reversed.

to the structure of a rational democracy.

Religious freedom is a part of the “separation of church and state.” The purpose of the separation of church and state is not to oppress the church, nor religious freedom. Instead, it is mutually beneficial. The separation of church and state protects the church from state interference and the church from the government’s interference.

My purpose for these responses is for us to evaluate our spiritual, personal and professional formation in context of current global and local events. We have been told that this case has made us advocates for religious freedom. We have been made complicit in a system which oppresses a community who is beloved

love of Christ. I truly hope that Trinity will drastically improve its practical response to LGBTQ members of their community in the coming years, and will be able to re-examine the community covenant to define our community using inclusive instead of exclusive terminology.

Although I have only been asked to comment on how my story has been represented, I would appeal to administration and to the broader community to accept that there is a diversity of opinion on this topic within honest and earnest Christian communities. Please understand that it is possible (and necessary for Christian community!) to worship and study alongside those with whom you disagree on this or any topic. Let’s define Christian communities by who we accept instead of who we exclude.

I am also perplexed by the assumption that someone who has signed Trinity’s Community Covenant would act differently under the law, than an individual who has not, and therefore, Trinity should disseminate these lawyers into the public sphere. Lawyers accept and uphold the boundaries of the law and seek universal justice, regardless of their personal beliefs. For people to assume that Christian lawyers will discriminate against others, they must also assume that Christian psychologists or businesspeople will also have the same bias, yet we do not see pushback against educating Christians in those areas. Lawyers, no matter their religion, must adhere to the same standard, so why discriminate? Is it not hypocritical that Trinity’s proposed school of law is facing discrimination because people fear that Trinity Law graduates will discriminate?

Trinity has taught me how to love others, and the community here fosters an attitude of service and respect. Empowering Trinity students to become lawyers is a catalyst for change that will positively impact our nation, but on a larger scale, will promote the religious freedoms of all Canadians, no matter what god they worship.

by God. Either way, we must come to terms with the fact this story has made us agents in the public sphere. Every time you pay your tuition, or you dedicate effort to a Trinity class, you use a spiritual rubric, including the covenant, to evaluate your behaviour. You are making a political statement.

I lament the fact that we are having this conversation in the public sphere.

I lament the fact that our community is being defined in the language of rational, tolerant democracy. I lament the fact that the public sphere needed to take action for us to recognize the pain and dehumanization felt by members of our community.

“Watching Confessions of a Shopaholic on the Women’s Network” – Aaron Boehmer

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I lament the fact that we are not initiating the reconciliation process internally.

This is not a battle against flesh and blood. This is a battle against the spiritual forces of evil in this world.

The outcome of this case is not indicative of God’s sovereignty. I believe I have seen evidence of evil attempting to create division which erodes the calling and purpose of students of Trinity Western. In sum, our challenge going forward, here in the private sphere--regardless of the outcome in the public sphere--is to address the divisions which inhibit our true purpose.

6 WE TEACH ENGLISH;

OUR FRIENDS TEACH US ABOUT LIFE.

TWU ALUMNI ASSOCIATION L AUNCHES MENTORSHIP PROGRAM KATIE MARYSCHUK

EMILIO RODRIGUEZ

The immigrants and refugees who you see stuttering as they pronounce words in English have a whole life story that we may be completely unaware of. Let that sink in.

We can only see the tip of the iceberg and what lies over the surface. But, beneath there is a complete world of experiences, culture, and knowledge that might be beyond our current understanding. Back home, they were doctors, lawyers, engineers, owners of small businesses, political activists and so on. For a variety of reasons, they are forced to leave the place they call home and attempt to start over in a culture that is completely different than their previous experiences.

For part of this year, the TRAC Ministry brought a team of volunteers to give English Second Language classes at the Middle Eastern Friendship Center (MEFC) located in Surrey, to a group of adult newcomers from Syria, Egypt, Iraq, Ethiopia, Sierra Leone, and more. The MEFC is a non-profit organization dedicated to facilitating the settlement of newcomers, mostly Arab refugees. More importantly, it is a place that fosters community, friendship and connections rooted in sharing the love of Christ. Such an uplifting environment has definitely been manifested in the dynamics of our class.

It is a humbling experience. Here we have a room filled with adults -- fathers, mothers, and professionals.

They know ten times more about life than I or any of the volunteers do.

They have a complex journey, likely influenced by indescribable hardship and painful goodbyes, that has taken them here, to sit in a classroom with us. We, the volunteers, are young and inexperienced. Yet, we are the ones writing the words on the board and teaching. And they, with such graciousness and humility, respond with attentiveness and gratitude to our hard work.

This is what we hold at the MEFC: we are here to learn from them as well, since they have so much to offer. We do not approach our service with a hero complex, or treat our friends there as a charity. It’s quite the opposite. We are amazed by their courage to start over, and we have a deep respect and admiration for them. Often, we ask them to teach us words in Arabic, or to share more about their origins and the things that make them who they are. Since the size of our class matches almost exactly the number of volunteers, we are able to work with them one-on-one, going through the exercises together and establishing more personal connections.

This ministry fills my heart with so much joy and admiration. In one of our classes, we were explaining the meaning of a “support group,” and when we asked for examples, one of the ladies in our class said, “This class. We are a support group because we support and care for each other.” Although our class would not fall under the official definition of “support group,” it was heart-warming how she associated the word “support” with our experience in the class. This is what we want, to be a support system for one another and in this case, being supportive to the people that are going through the complex process of adapting and settling into a different culture.

Every single volunteer has a deep respect and love for the students in our classroom. We wholeheartedly believe that the foreigner is our neighbor, and that our duty is to love them as we love ourselves. It is my sincere hope that the class is valuable and useful for the students. But the impact that their stories have had on the lives of the volunteers, is immeasurable. Through the common bridge of the English language and the physical space of Canada, we are able to experience how truly beautiful diversity is.

Katie recaps the brand new alumni association mentorship program, launched in mid-October and aimed at connecting current students with alum.

Currently in its pilot stage, the brand new Trinity Western Alumni Association mentorship program pairs students with alumni mentors, giving them the opportunity to connect, be known and gain confidence in their field. The program was created by Brady Schlecker, Alumni Association Executive Director and Scot Sustad, alum and CEO of Digital Hot Sauce, a boutique digital growth agency based in Vancouver. Further, the connection also provides an opportunity for alumni to re-engage with the Trinity community.

Officially starting on October 16th, the program consists of 25 personally selected pairs from diverse disciplines, including human kinetics to arts and everything in between. The process for pairing was simple: figure out what mentors and mentees wanted through a series of surveys throughout the summer, combine it with research on other mentorship programs and best practices, then, make recommendations based on applications, career, experience, and a host of other qualifications.

“Our desire was to create a program that fit the needs and desires of the students rather than just prescribing what we think they wanted," Sustad says.

“We then created curriculums and used frameworks that encourage cohesion but provide a lot of freedom and personalization in order to balance both the organic yet organized structure we were aiming for.”

In particular, they felt there needed to be a level of expectation and accountability in order to see real growth and connection. In their empirical research, Schlecker and Sustad found that if there was no bar to aspire to, or guidance in terms of materials and interaction, the odds of students losing interest was often greater.

As well, “one of the things that we heard again and again from mentors from past programs was a frustration with students not taking it as seriously as they could be,” Schlecker says. “When there are higher stakes in something, people are forced to take it more seriously.”

Pairs are encouraged to meet bi-weekly, and are given access to resources that

“Exchanging a large, extremely phallic wooden mushroom.” – our president, Jared Barkman

show tips and tools for dialogue, goal setting and personal growth. While career advice and suggestions are the immediate grab for any student in this program, Schlecker and Sustad didn’t want to create any run of the mill program where students were simply left to seek out career advice.

The four specific goals of the program, that can be found on the Alumni Association website, depict a framework that is not solely determined to give students a step ahead in their career.

The first goal doesn’t even touch on career advice, but instead states that the program seeks to help students in “[operating] from a greater level of confidence because they are seen, heard, challenged and encouraged.”

The fourth goal is perhaps what truly sets the program apart. “Experience living examples of how faith and career can be integrated,” it reads. Schlecker reveals that mentees are meant to ask tough questions, and ask their mentors, “What would faith and vocation truly look like if you mixed them together?”

Due to the very nature of Trinity being a place where students learn and find vocation within a Christian context, the program encourages a Christian perspective once students graduate and leave campus. It helps students understand what faith looks like in the workplace once they reach that stage, regardless of a workplace’s secular or religious nature. Learning in this context gives a mentee the chance to learn from a real-life ambassador, while at the same time encouraging them wherever they might be in their faith journey.

Down the road, the Alumni Association hopes to see the program become something that can be easily transferred to all the faculties on campus. With new software algorithms readily available, they hope to utilize an easily facilitated system of pairing mentees and mentors so the program can grow and take away administrative burdens that might come alongside traditional programs.

“We kept it small so we could build some structure but still leaving some leeway and flexibility for the pairs to adapt it as need be,” Schlecker adds.

On top of an immense amount of interest from alum (over 400 noted interest), Sustad notes that they’ve seen an increase in alum wanting to reconnect to the university by way of this program.

Interesting in finding out more? Head to: www.twumentorship.org for more details and answers to FAQ.

ACADEMY

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O N LY T H E B EG I N N I N G TWU professors share stories of how their careers started, and what has kept them going all these years.

Matthew Etherington, PhD, Faculty of Education I remember my first week as a university professor — I survived, and that was enough. Although I had come from a teaching background, I soon realized that I was not just starting a new job, I was starting a new life. Because of nerves and inexperience, I always over-prepared for my classes and yet I still felt like I wasn’t doing enough.

Over the years, it has been challenging at times, especially when my wonderful mother left to be with the Lord in 2007, the exact year I received my PhD. If I could rewind the videotape and start again, I would not choose to do anything else. I would never have predicted that one day I would be a professor, but God brings us all to places that we wouldn’t have chosen for ourselves.

When passing through the Canadian/US border a few months ago, the guard asked me what I did for work. I said, “I am a professor,” to which he replied, “And what do you profess?” I said, “Well I profess that I work alongside the best young people in the world and they turn up every day too.”

Don’t ever give up, make sure you have a role model to direct you during the tough times, and most importantly, know that you are

here for a higher reason — in fact, we all are!

Sylvia Brynjolfson, PhD, Professor of Spanish, PhD in Modern Languages In 2001, I received a phone call from a stranger that altered my career. The individual on the line asked, “Are you Silvia, the Spanish teacher?” The question was unexpected and I did not know how to respond. Until this point, my life had been devoted to Christian service around the world and in Canada; I trained missionaries, was a pastor’s wife and raised my three children. I also happened to be teaching one intro-level night course at Kwantlen.

The friendly voice that had called me that day was Professor Ruth Anaya. She explained that Trinity was looking for a part-time Spanish instructor and one of my former students had recommended me.

Excited, I went to the interview.

After Trinity offered me the position, I felt overwhelmed by different emotions. As I looked for God’s guidance, I had a strong sense that I had to sacrifice the opportunity; I declined. This was the only time in my life where I had ever felt the need to make such a sacrifice at God’s altar. However, I negotiated with God, and determined that if Trinity called me a second time, I would accept. A few months later, I received another phone call. I accepted with a strong conviction that this was God’s plan. I have now been at Trinity for seventeen years.

My first year was overwhelming. I had to prepare classes and exercises, and my biggest challenge: I had to learn the intricacies of Spanish grammar rules at such a depth that I could teach them to others.

However, this did not impede my newfound love of the classroom.

Teaching is fun and it energizes me. I love building relationships with my students, especially since I get to teach the same students for several consecutive years. I feel blessed to be a part of their lives and it excites me to see how their language improves by doing the minor program.

Arnold Sikkema, PhD, Professor of Physics, Chair of Mathematical Sciences The first college class I taught was the second course in a threecourse sequence of calculus-based physics, for engineering majors. I, my wife, and our three children, aged two weeks to five years, had been rescued from Gator City (University of Florida, where it is always too hot), and plunked down into small town in the US midwest.

Fresh out of my PhD and postdoctoral fellowship, I wanted to impress the second-year students with my intellectual prowess. Explaining simple harmonic motion, they were pretty quiet as I derived the mathematical relationship between spring constant k, mass m, and angular frequency ω (omega, the lowercase last letter of the Greek alphabet). Glancing at them from time to time while cranking out second-order linear ordinary differential equations, I saw a few

“Doing everything with Bing Crosby in the background. This includes pooping.” – Sam Rosenau

gaping mouths. “Good, it’s working!” I thought.

Later that day, one student came to my office and explained two things: We engineers don’t need to know how equations are derived (which was not true, after I consulted with actual engineers), and we thought you couldn’t be much of a Christian professor, since you were saying “Oh, my God!” all the time — until we figured out that was supposed to be “omega” you were saying. I had been pronouncing it OH-meh-gah and promptly switched to oh-MAY-gah henceforth, and carefully introduced each Greek character upon its first appearance on the board.

Besides learning a Christian-friendly pronunciation of omega, I found that being a professor wasn’t about showing how smart I was, but about how much I could learn about how my students learn and don’t learn. I also hadn’t expected how wonderful it would be to know and interact with deeply-committed Christian scholars from all geographic origins and in all academic disciplines. I hadn’t expected to form lifelong relationships with my students. I began pretty afraid of making any mathematical slip-ups in front of my students, but eventually worked more on modeling curiosity and enthusiasm than perfection. One of my ongoing disappointments is that students don’t come by for help nearly as much as they need to. We’re here for you… stop by anytime!

T H E WA L K

8 TIARA KERR

It was four o’clock pm this past Saturday when I finally looked up from my UBC dorm desk after a full day of trying to focus on my frustrating assignments. I realized that the sun was about to set. (Not that there had been much sun all day - it was Vancouver in November, after all.)

Even so, it struck me as shockingly sad that yet another day had slipped me by and all I had done was a trivial amount of my never-ending schoolwork. I needed to go for a walk.

I put on my shoes and grabbed my keys.

As I wandered down Northwest Marine Drive, overlooking the moody waves and twinkling lights of the intimidatingly large cargo ships floating nearby, I reflected on my life as a student. Though only a few days into being 22 years old, it dawned on me just how many years of academia I have under my belt: a year of business at TWU, three years of economics at the University of Calgary,

and now a few months of grad school at UBC. I have been a post-secondary student for a long time. You would think I would be better at handling academic life by now.

This semester, like so many semesters before it, had been marked with all-consuming highs and lows. Fleeting moments of feeling on top of everything, dashed suddenly by stretches of doubt and despair. Time spent questioning my abilities, desires, and merit to be in my program. We’ve all seen that triangle diagram with corners labeled “sleep,” “a social life,” and “good grades,” with “choose two” written slyly at the top. Sadly, the more time I’ve spent in grad school, the less like a triangle and the more like an aggressive KAPOW comic strip bubble my diagram has become. My bizarre unnamed shape has countless corners. They protrude randomly with labels like “family relationships” and “spiritual development” and “self-discovery” and “exercise” and “be a good TA” and “complete homework on time” and “apply for jobs” and so on and so on...

As I walked, I thought about the neglected corners in my life. I had tried to draw a portrait a few weeks earlier, a hobby that used to come easily and bring me much joy. My

THE HELP WE NEED

out-of-practice hands caused me more embarrassment than pleasure. I hadn’t really studied my Bible in over a month, either. Academia, I realized, was becoming a life of complete sacrifice. I didn’t like it.

As a student, life has been so easily compartmentalized into distinct seasons defined by the bookends of the academic calendar. Each semester of each year marks a season of life and a continuous train of thought. The places I frequent, the faces I see, and even what time I wake and eat are determined by the courses on my time table. It dawned on me that this semester, I have allowed my daily routine of schoolwork to rule my life. Suddenly, the whole three months have turned into a vague blur of the same assignments, conversations, and habits. With the blinders up on the going-ons of the rest of world, it has been easy to lose a sense of perspective, a sense of purpose, and a sense of myself.

As I walked, I thought more about the ways in which I have chosen better in the past. My undergrad years were packed to the brim, not just with academic challenges but also with valuable friendships, Bible studies, personal developments, and opportunities. Somehow in the past couple months I had lost sight of things I had known for years about how to thrive

It was a long time coming. I’m not sure why it took me two and a half years to finally drag my feet to the Wellness Centre. It might have been the fear of being judged – well, if you’re seeking the help of a counsellor, there must be something seriously wrong with you. Maybe it was the cost – I figured there are more thrifty ways to spend $30 than on my mental wellbeing.

Maybe it was the fear that my problems are “all in my head.” I dreaded finding out that my anxiety is not real, and here comes another stressed adolescent with an identity crisis and a bad habit of overthinking. I wanted the chaos in my head to have a name, the name I had given it. My mental issues that were once my burdens became my comfort zone.

I finally broke down and went to my first counselling session once I realized the only person that can calm the storm in my head is a professional, someone who has seen the tears of the depressed and the rage of the anxious. I was not expecting an immediate change in my life after a single 50-minute session, and I was definitely not expecting a miracle.

And I didn’t get one.

Instead, I got complete freedom from judgment.

NIKI MARA

“Filling the hot tub with eggnog” – Zachary Friesen

rather than just survive academia. I remembered that God had called me into academia, not into sacrificing all other forms of my personal growth. If I hadn’t taken time as an undergrad to develop my skills outside the classroom, there was no way I would have been able to handle the demands of my graduate program, or even life as a 22 year old.

And so, as I climbed back up the nowdark hill, in the hopeful glow of Christmas lights strung on the mansions beside me, I was filled with a renewed clarity and wisdom. Yes, while being a graduate student, certain things - like my art skills - will wane. Yes, I will have moments of sacrifice in order to succeed academically. Yet, being a good academic means knowing how to be more than good grades. If I don’t stop locking myself into the confines of my ivory tower, my grad degree will pass me by. I need to branch out and experience and contribute to the things around me. I need to not feel guilty for spending an evening watching a movie with friends or going for a walk before having spent eight hours straight staring at the same problem set.

Most importantly, I need to remember that even if I take a break to go for a walk I will, like I have countless times before, make it to the end of this stupid semester. Five percent more in each class is not worth giving up every other part of my development as a thinker, a friend, and a follower of Christ. Being a good academic requires me to take time to write creative ideas, draw pictures, connect with new people, pray, and, perhaps, most importantly, go for more retrospective walks.

My counsellor not only listened, but laughed at my terrible self-hate jokes and added, where applicable, comical stories from their own life.

When I had nothing to say, they talked, or followed my littlest sigh with another “what are you thinking about?” It helped. It was not advice I needed who day; it was a listening ear, someone that could coax the raging river of thoughts out of my head and onto a sheet of paper. After just one session, I felt understood and cared for, but most importantly, I was sure that all my fears and preconceived notions about counselling were shattered. The needs I had been carrying around for two and a half years were finally met. I am now on my slow and difficult way to recovery.

The four or more years we spend at university are arguably the most confusing and demanding years of our lives. It seems to me as though seeking emotional support from a professional would be a given, and yet, the stigma around psychotherapy prevents so many people from getting help. It stopped me, and now that I have forced myself, against all odds, to get help, I can safely say that counselling is the help we all need. No matter how we are dealing with stress and how big or small our problems may be, I strongly believe that we all could use professional guidance to set our thoughts straight and calm our inner storms.

REMEMBERING PROFESSOR PETER FLINT: ONE YEAR LATER CAM THIESSEN

On November 14, Dr. Andrew Perrin, Dr. Kyung Baek, and Dr. Daniel Falk, along with TWU’s Dead Sea Scrolls Institute, presented to the Flint family a large volume of peer-reviewed essays dedicated to the late Professor Peter Flint, who passed away last year. The book will be available at TWU’s library and is sure to be an incredible resource to Biblical Studies students. The presentation was accompanied by a keynote presentation by one of the three editors mentioned above, Dr. Daniel Falk, Professor of Classics and Ancient Mediterranean Studies and Chaiken Family Chair in Jewish Studies at Penn State College of the Liberal Arts.

serving “more excitement than a Britney Spears concert,” a comment which garnered a collective giggle of approval from those in the room who had worked closely with Professor Flint. Dr. Andrew Perrin, who had worked with Professor Flint during his MA program at TWU, would later come to work next door to him.

couraging. In my own time working with him, he was always sure to remind me of the high standards that the Dead Sea Scrolls Institute had become known for, with him and his former colleague, Dr. Martin Abegg, at the helm for so many years, and still now, with the torch being passed to Dr. Andrew Perrin. Because of this reputation, Peter took on a nurturing role in his relationships with this Research Assistants, of which Daniel Hawkins and I were the last. There was always excitement in Peter’s face when we would discuss my hopes for the future, and my dreams of also becoming a professor someday.

I quickly felt connected to this brilliant scholar, only to see him leave us a few months later.

Dr. Perrin described Professor Flint’s commitment to academic publishing as a “craft,” expressing his indebtedness to Professor Flint not only as a professor, but as a mentor and colleague. Professor Flint’s legacy still resides in the Sealkap House, where there now sits his empty office. His former colleagues fondly remember their friend and colleague, Peter, doing his rounds of the office in his casually socked feet, encour- My story is only one of many examples of the impact that Profesaging them as he went. sor Flint had on those he interactDr. Falk described Professor Flint with sincere affection, at one For those who knew him and ed with. As Dr. Perrin pointed out point saying that he saw the Dead worked with him, Professor Flint at the memorial event, few scholSea Scrolls and their study as de- was inspirational and always en- ars will ever have made such an

“My grandma speaking to me” – Joey Schweitzer

9

impact so as to have such a large volume published in their honor, with the contributions of current and former students, as well as friends, colleagues, and some scholars who were never able to meet Professor Flint but had admired his work from afar for many years.

Looking back one year later, we reflect on such a positive reputation, and as members of TWU and its community, aim to emulate the character of a man who so humbly excelled. A man who thought that knowledge of the Dead Sea Scrolls was for everyone, who excitedly and lovingly shared his research with so many, as often as he could.

Professor Peter Flint passed away on November 3rd, 2016, at the age of 65, leaving behind fond memories to his wife Amanda and their six children. May he rest in peace.

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F I N D I N G T R U E C H R I ST M A S D i r k d e Wa a l

If you’re anything like me, you may find the common approach to celebrating Christmas in our world to be a bit odd. Our secular society seems to perpetuate the idea that Christmas is a time to forget all problems and difficulties, and to celebrate with a sort of blind optimism. A common tendency in this time is to look toward gifts, family, friends, turkey, stuffing, chocolates, and cheery music for consolation; however, this just seems like a feeble attempt to medicate the reality that persists in the world. Our media, and societal norms ceaselessly perpetuate a superficial and consumerist remedy. However, it is evident that this mask holds no prospect for true, lasting joy.

There is no benefit to being idealistic or unreasonably optimistic, when considering the evil in the world and the struggles of humanity. I would argue that it is better to be informed about a difficult reality, and to see it with clarity, than to live in a cloud of blissful ignorance. If reality is clearly perceived, there is joy-giving, life-altering Good News available in the Christmas story. However, it will require some introspection of our own hearts, and retrospection back to the first Christmas in Bethlehem, for us to appreciate and understand the Gospel. It is in everyone’s best interest to contemplate what makes the events in the world, including suffering and hardship, meaningful this Christmas season.

acknowledging the overwhelming evidence for God, humans should be able – even if only faintly – to realize that they need help.

In the Christmas season we look in retrospect to a night in Bethlehem two thousand years ago, when Herod and the powers of darkness were trying, as always, to thwart God’s glorious plan. In a

spotless One into this world through the Virgin birth. God the Father sent the Son – fully man and fully God – condescending from the highest point imaginable, to feel human pain, share in our grief, face similar temptation, conquer death, and pay for sin. The Son is the Man of Sorrows, acquainted with grief (Is. 52:3), conqueror of evil (Heb. 2:14, 1 Jn. 3:8), and the perfect sacrificial Lamb of God (1

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Looking introspectively, it is hard to deny that there is something dark and deceitful inside each human heart that screams for attention. This truth is evidenced in the macro-scale reality of things like man-induced suffering, hardship, and war. It is also shown with the internal reality that no human is innocent of evil, selfish, detrimental thoughts and actions (Rom. 3:1018, Rom. 3:23, 2 Chron. 6:36, Gen. 6:5).

Whether someone is a Christian, an atheist, a biblical literalist, an evolutionist or a pantheist, it takes some serious delusional and blind thinking to ignore the disturbing bent that exists within the rationally self-conscious, human mind. This crookedness always leads toward greed, destruction, lust, anger, pride, covetousness, and it is impossible to find a person who has not partaken. Christians refer to these things as sin. Given the pervasiveness of sin, the sheer magnitude of its influence, and its intensely convicting personal ramifications, it seems to be an insurmountable foe. It appears this way, because God is trying to tell us that it is insurmountable! The whole of creation, apart from a right relationship and knowledge of God, knows only of counterfeit hope and broken promises. People take the freedoms and lives that they were given, and use them to generate contempt for their Creator (Rom. 1:23-25). Scripture puts it best, in that, Creation groans and suffers the pains of childbirth (Rom. 8:22 relating to Gen. 3:16). By realizing the world’s darkness and

Your Friend wants to s

humble, lowly dwelling, there was born a perfect Savior in the fullest expression of glorious grace and generosity that has ever occurred. God, who

by His nature cannot act without glorifying Himself (Jn. 12:27-28, Is. 42:8, Is. 48:9-11, Jn. 17:15, Jn. 11:4, Ps. 106:8, Ex. 9:16), sent a perfect,

Pet. 1:19). This Lamb felt all of the same difficulties that we face on a daily basis – except sin. This act of God was so powerful, that it would leave the Earth forever changed.

“My Colombian relatives forgetting I’m nineteen and sending me Strawberry Shortcake swag” – Chrisaleen Ciro

J OY I N T H E S C R I P T U R E S You may be wondering, if the Earth is forever changed… then why is it still the mess that we described earlier? The answer is FAITH! God desires, cultivates and gives faith. The way to get faith is to ask the Author and Perfector for more of it, and to watch as the Holy Spirit moves through our life circumstances to form trust and obedience in our hearts. This faith is formed in the presence of pain,

labor, sinful missteps, pain, and tragedy, points us – like the shepherds and wise men – toward the worship and adoration of the Holy Redeemer, and the Father who sent Him. This Child’s worthiness, payment and substitution for our iniquities finally grants eternal hope and eventual reprieve from the realities of this lost world. Not only does He grant hope, but He also is the only hope. The only

CHRISTMAS SALE BUY NOW

He has made. Faith is grounded in a steadfast hope that what God says will actually come to fruition, because He is the only being who cannot lie.

God’s promises are legitimate and when He makes a covenant, He cannot break it, thus anchoring believers securely (Heb. 6:13-20). He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together and He is always preeminent (Col. 1:17-18). It is also in Him that people live and move and have their being (Acts. 17:28). He is the pearl of great price (Matt. 13:45-46) worth giving up everything for. His success on the cross is the only success or achievement that a person could ever need for fulfillment.

Jesus Christ successfully accomplished a specific redemptive task, and once someone tastes of His goodness, they can finally be satisfied (Jn. 4:14, Jn. 6:35, Ps. 107:9, Is. 55:1-5). His glory, life, death and resurrection are what allow His children to walk in freedom, to mortify the flesh to which they are bound, and to experience fullness of joy, wonder and amazement.

God seeks justice and desires to make everything new (Rev. 21:5), so amidst the pain of existence, humans can be encouraged that God will one day wipe every tear from their eyes: there will be no more death, sorrow, crying and no more pain (Rev. 21:4). Through the trials and difficulties in this world, He draws us near to himself and increases faith (Jas 1:2-4). Through faith, His children can have fullness of joy in his presence (Ps. 16:11). His power over death in His RESURRECTION is the same power that resurrects those who love and place their trust in Him (Col. 2:12-13). People no longer have to act as if they are gods of their own destiny – but as unworthy recipients of the precious Lamb’s reward – they are able to see past the apparent hopelessness in this existence. They can finally walk in right relationship with the Father and see Him for the all-surpassing, wonderfully beautiful Savior that He is (1 Pet. 3:18).

SALE! SALE! SALE! SALE! YAY!!

This is the Good News of Christmas. Do not be distracted by festive trivialities this Christmas season, but instead, stand in awe of His holiness, goodness, mercy and grace. The ultimate gift remains available to those who feel the Spirit drawing them to Jesus. Come adore Jesus all you who are weary and heavy-laden, broken, worn out, empty and dejected. Stop fighting, repent, and He WILL grant rest and salvation (Matt. 11:28-30, Rom. 10:13, Is 55:1-5).

NAH

share the good news with you!

trial and difficulty (Jas. 1:2-4, Heb. 12:2, Rom. 12:3). Faith is obviously something that not everyone comes to realize and experience. However, there is a plea, a cry deep within our bones and amplified in our pain that points us to this Christ Child in the manger and reveals His glory (Rom. 8:18-20). Every day in this world, filled with futile

hope for sinners, is knowing who was bruised on the tree (Is. 53:5, 2 Cor. 5:21, Gal. 3:13-14).

Faith does not merely believe in God’s existence, or comprise an optimistic sort of ‘wishing for the best.’ Having faith actually means believing God! Believing Him in every one of the promises that

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Keep in mind, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace, who bring glad tidings of good things!”

(Rom. 10:15, Is. 52:7). Go forth sharing this eternal gift with everyone you love this Christmas season, because “how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard?” and how will they hear if no one tells them? (Rom. 10:14).

“Encouraging our children to sit on a strange man’s lap” – Corinna Scholing

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ARTS & CULTURE

A RETROSPECTIVE INTERPRETATION OF NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD CAM THIESSEN In response to Joel Redekop’s fantastic piece defending horror films earlier this month, I was inspired to write on a horror film that, in my opinion, is the perfect earliest example of how horror can tap into intangible sources of fear in the human experience. That film is George A. Romero’s Night of the Living Dead (1968). NLD shares with successful modern horror classics an eerie closeness with the social concerns of its time.

It began with the casting of Duane L. Jones, an African-American stage actor and university professor, as the lead role of Ben. This was the first time a black actor had been cast as the lead of a horror film, and is rumored to be the first time in Hollywood history that a black actor was cast in a role that did not explicitly call for a black actor. But the significance of Jones’ casting goes beyond the milestones. Jones changed the character, which was initially scripted

as a trucker-type with low-English southern vernacular, into an eloquent and resourceful hero.

“The story was an allegory written to draw a parallel between what people are becoming and the idea that people are operating on many levels of insanity that are only clear to themselves,” Romero said in an interview (1972).

Cryptic as it seems, this quote remains the most insightful explanation of the film’s meaning. Robin Wood (“An Introduction to the American Horror Film”) did not have access to the 1972 interview (which wasn’t released until after Romero’s death in 2017), when he suggested that the subject of the allegory was bourgeoisie capitalism. Given Romero’s quote, I believe the suggestion is strengthened.

What are people becoming? In the late 60’s, America was in the middle of the controversial Vietnam War, a different type of war than the World Wars. This was a war fought with the spoils of imperialism, a war which saw America

abusing its power for the sake of eliminating communism, a war fought by the working class, but did not benefit the working class in the least. In the same way, NLD’s ghoul problem has nothing to do with any of the main characters.

They are simply thrown into the fray; the fray which we later learn was essentially caused by secretive government funded space research. The Vietnam War showed how America’s tiered society saw innocent lives shed for the desires of the elite capitalist classes of the time.

NLD portrayed the government’s inability to protect regular, everyday people, despite being the ultimate reason for their demise.

I interpret Romero’s “levels of insanity” as a comment on social intersections.

Each character in NLD fights their own personal hurdles in order to overcome the ongoing attack of the ghouls. These hurdles manifest themselves in the racism, sexism, and belligerence of the other characters. The failure to escape the house represents the characters’ failure to understand one another and ap-

proach their interactions with empathy.

“Levels of insanity,” in the context of the film, essentially means “subjective experiences,” which are ever at play and relevant, but only occasionally become apparent to the other.

Ultimately (without giving away too much), NLD’s conclusion is tragic. This is what Romero believed people were becoming: a working class in turmoil, fighting the wars of the wealthy and powerful. And while we may never see real zombies in our world, perhaps we must wonder if that’s what most of us have become. Perhaps most of us are just products of the tyranny and corruption of those who exert power over us, things which are completely out of the control of the individual. The horror of NLD is that it sees no hope for the ghouls or the everyman in its narrative. But we must assume that those responsible for the problems that plague us get to carry on living as they always have, tucked away from the rest of society, free to do what they will at the expense of those fighting down here in the trenches.

SHUFFLE ALEX GUST We’ve all been there; that place of emotional turmoil that, seemingly, nothing can fix. You woke up late, your hair looks awful, you didn’t get to eat breakfast, and everything’s just pissing you off. Homework’s late. Failed the midterm. Your crush ignores your wave “hello.” You and your boyfriend aren’t talking again. Your family’s fighting.

On the outside, you have to appear okay, or else your friends will ask you what’s wrong. And you can’t imagine anything worse than having to talk about your feelings right now. So you’re fake smiling, but really you just want to cry.

You debate just skipping class, lying in bed all day, and drowning your sorrows in Netflix, or alcohol. Or both.

But you’re robotically packing your laptop, textbook, and starting the walk to class. You’ve got five minutes while you walk, so you put in your earbuds. You just need to listen to something. Anything to drown out your own thoughts. They’re too full. Full of frustration, fear, anger, sadness.

You hit shuffle, and the perfect song comes on. I don’t know what song it is.

It’s never the same one twice, never the same for every person. Maybe you need to hear a sad song. Something acoustic, slow, soft, folding you into its arms like a loving parent greeting a child. Maybe it’s a hard-hitting, fast-paced rock song, guitars roaring like scraping sheet metal, drum track drowning your feelings in overwhelming wave of sound. Maybe you need to hear something sappy and romantic, or maybe you really don’t want to think about romance right now. Maybe what you need is just some good music.

Like Kendrick. Or the Paper Kites.

Maybe it’s Taylor Swift. Sometimes that’s what you need.

No matter what it is, your shuffle finds it somewhere in your vast library. You hear the opening chords, and your heart jumps into your throat. You know this song, of course. You know that this was the song you needed to hear, somehow. You max the volume. Your eyes close. You’re walking under the bright red trees by Robson, or the steps up to Northwest, while the rain is just so, or the first snowflakes of the year start to fall from the sky. Your shoulders ease, there’s a little less edge in your steps. Your frown fades.

You feel a little more invincible. Life’s just life.

You walk into class, and a friend calls you over to sit with them. You smile.

It’s a real smile.

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S I G H T L E S S N E S S A N D S TA R T R E K : D I S C O V E R Y 13

ERIC STEIN From the physiological to the cultural to the cosmological level, human experience is oriented by the sense of sight. And yet, there is a profound ambiguity to this sense, an ambiguity that structures through our everyday being in the world. So, when CBS started airing Star Trek: Discovery this Fall (which just wrapped its first half-season of nine episodes in November), I was fascinated to see it so consistently deploying vision as a cinematic device. Star Trek: Discovery takes up issues of race and friendship, war and justice, trauma and redemption, but, peculiarly, these issues appear as structured through vision. What is it to say that something is structured by vision? What is it really to be oriented by sight?

Early in the first episode, an entire sequence of shots plays with vision, constructing its action through shifts in perspective. Series protagonist, Michael Burnham (Sonequa Martin-Green), must venture out from the U.S.S Shenzhou (her initial posting), in a spacesuit to investigate an unknown object. As she launches away, the camera focuses in on her eyes, then switches to her vantage from within her helmet. As she flies forward, we fly with her, continuously cycling between these perspectives: looking at her looking, looking with her looking. From her point-of-view, our own vision is blurred at the edges, distorted by the curvature of her helmet; the flattening of the camera is invested with an illusion of depth.

We move to the Shenzhou where the crew, too, are fixated on Burnham, looking at her through sensors and data. We see her helmet point-of-view overlaid on the bridge display; the camera zooms in on the display, and then the frame disappears entirely and we’re with Burnham again; camera and instruments are interchangeable, oscillating between each other. The viewer’s sight plays within the scene. Just before she arrives at the object, we get an extreme close-up of one of Burnham’s eyes in profile, and we see her surroundings reflected on her cornea, the world slipping by as she slips by the world. And then, when she reaches her target, all of this is vocalized: “Do you even see this?” she asks.

The drama that follows results from the fact that the crew no longer can see; their sensors lose connection; their vision is severed from its instrumental symbiosis with Burnham’s. Indeed, the reason for her mission is precisely this sightlessness; the Shenzhou cannot “see” the object, and so “real” eyes are required. Burnham must pass into the zone of sightlessness in order to see.

In later episodes, once Burnham finds herself on the U.S.S Discovery, the viewer is introduced to Captain Gabriel Lorca (Jason Isaacs), whose eyes were damaged by looking at the explosion of his old ship, and for whom sudden changes in light causes intense pain. He has not had his eyes repaired so as to remind him of his lost crew; his wounded perception is the embodiment of his war, his peculiar sightlessness a different kind of seeing, the physical concretion of his situation.

We go on to learn that the Discovery is a science vessel—thus its name—but that its remarkable future-tech drive, which allows for near instantaneous travel across interstellar space, makes it a vital asset in the war. The chief engineer, Lieutenant Paul Stamets (Anthony Rapp), accuses Lorca of being a warmonger, and resents him for militarizing his experiments. This tension between vision-as-discovery and vision-as-power only intensifies as the season progresses. When Stamets is given implants allowing him to interface with the Discovery’s drive in order to be its navigator, his eyes, like Lorca’s, become manifestations of his situated vision. In the final moments of episode nine (the mid-season finale), his eyes completely cloud over following a period of intense activity, becoming milky-white and “sightless.”

His “real” eyes are replaced, or rather, extended beyond themselves, concretizing vision-as-discovery and reflecting the ambiguity of the lens as something that both magnifies and obscures. Stamets, like Burnham and Lorca, enters into sightlessness in order to see.

Don Ihde argues in Technology and the Lifeworld that modern physical science was developed in close connection with vision technologies—namely, the lens—and that, consequently, this instrumental change brought about a cultural change as well. The same capacity for magnification and reduction that brings galaxies within reach is at play in our social relations; we think through lenses, our experience structured through focalization and oscillation. Perception is shown herein to be relativistic, which is to say, not absolute but situated.

Michel Foucault is similarly concerned with vision in his The Order of Things. Analyzing the painting Las Meninas, he remarks that the painter and the observer of the painting, both typically invisible, are manifested in the artwork, brought each into the other’s “place” in “an unstable superimposition.” The object is troubled, made murky, situated. The gaze oscillates, circulates, and we see our own shifting focality realized. The gaze is not permitted to continue in its illusion of weightlessness; its haunting is made effective. This is not just a painting, but a thematization of painting, a thematization of all images as more than mere copies or representations of the real, but real in themselves, objects perceived, non-neutral significations structured by a vision which hides itself.

Maurice Merleau-Ponty, in Phenomenology of Perception, takes this inherent ambiguity of vision and describes it in its physiological constitution. Unmediated, untechnical sight is invisible to itself. It does not appear to consciousness but is that which makes appear; by this invisibility of sense to itself an idea of sense as impression or representation becomes possible. “Mind” is theorized as a storehouse and a theatre wherein the world replays like a film without resistance.

But, as Merleau-Ponty demonstrates, this entirely misses the thickness of experience, the shifting and sliding of sense through the folds and fissures of being. The blur of vision, optical illusions, instabilities of perception—these are resistances and mediations covered over by sense as a self-effacing instrument, and yet they are entirely real phenomena. Perception is always situated, and situation is never clear.

Only the reified image is clear; only the reified image can presume to be an “objective representation.” Thus, we see in Foucault and Ihde this original constitution of vision released from obfuscation, made explicit in our arts and technologies. And it is this release of vision that has so profoundly influenced Star Trek: Discovery.

We are oriented by sight and find ourselves ensnared by vision. There is no perception without situation, Merleau-Ponty tells us, and as we see in Ihde and Foucault, this situatedness ties us into our arts and technologies, and the systems of production and power that they inhabit. Inasmuch as sight allows us to draw near to that which is seen, it also allows us to grasp, to possess, to strike: discovery and power are inseparable capacities. Really, they are but two aspects of our situated capacity for action, a capacity which depends on the concrete, bodily integration of sense.

This ambiguous structure of experience has found dramatic expression in Star Trek: Discovery, but the show does not ask us to resign ourselves to the problematic figured therein. Star Trek: Discovery is no power fantasy; it does not accept violence and conflict as given or necessary. Rather, it presents the potential for power as always requiring a choice. It acknowledges the unseeable at the heart of sight, the invisible face of the visible, the imperceptible within perception—we see that, in every discovery, there is something that escapes us, and so too that, in every act of war, there is something that escapes our power.

Star Trek: Discovery beckons us into the limits of our capacities so that we might embrace a vision that is never simple, never neutral, never unproblematic. It is a show that requires us to think about what it means to watch, to think about the complicity of our gaze, to think about the choice dwelling within every action. And above all, it is a show that welcomes us into that sightlessness by which we might learn to see anew.

“capitalism” – Sabine Henderson

14

LOOKING INTO THE COSMOS As an examination of the light itself, Roden Crater’s scientific inquiry is extremely abstract. He is not interested in looking at anything, but in understanding how we see. C.S. Lewis provides a useful analogy for the distinction between this kind of looking – that of the psychologist and the anthropologist – and looking at something in particular. Lewis describes the experience of seeing a beam of light shining through a hole in the wall of a dark shed, which can either be seen as an object penetrating the darkness, or looked “along” unto its source on the outside of the shed.

Both are useful ways of looking, but generally in the age of science and technology, we are better at doing the objective kind of seeing which analyzes the qualities of light without always thinking to look outside of our tool sheds.

KIRSTEN MCALLISTER Right now, in the middle of the Arizona desert, there is a naked eye observatory being created in the center of a 400 000 year old volcano. For the past forty years, American artist, James Turrell, has been scooping out Roden Crater and constructing inside of it a piece of architecture that is somewhere in between the interior of a telescope and an Inca pyramid. A place between the earth and the sky, catching humans in-between this cosmological dance, Turrell’s observatory points us towards the heavens – or it will when it opens to the public within the next few years. On the inside, there are twenty-one viewing spaces and six tunnels, all functioning in different ways to align the viewer with various celestial events. Circular domes at the top of its many chambers are positioned for the observation of lunar and solar movements and other skyscapes.

As a project which dips its toes into both science and religion, Roden Crater is influenced by ancient pagan temple worship, where architecture echoes the celestial events with divine implications, as well as Turrell’s upbringing as a Quaker Christian.

Turrell is only one figure in the larger light and space movement which has left us in awe at the theatre and galleries alike. Other artists such as Michael Heizer and Charles Ross have constructed similar buildings in the American midwest that resemble the temples of the past and map the stars. While it is without a doubt that space is extremely cool, Roden Crater’s connotations as a place of astronomically-informed worship cause us to wonder whether our spirituality has become disembodied as of late.

For Turrell, light is not just an illuminating force, but an object. With Roden Crater, as with all of his work, he invites us to partake in the basic act of seeing and asks, what is light? “I don’t know if I believe in art, but I do believe in light,” he says of the philosophy behind this project, echoing the Quakerian emphasis of God as “the Light.”

Although Roden Crater will be stunning, it is ultimately iconoclastic. For Turrell, art and world are distractions to the real thing, which is the Light (or God). But in the Christian tradition, God put on a body. And when He did, he gave us a way to look not only at the Light, but by it too. Eastern Orthodox theologian, Daniel Munteanu, says of Christ’s embodiment that this event not only raised for us what it means to be human beings, but also made possible the transfiguration of the whole world – dirt, trees and birds not exempt. While the cosmos is a part of this transfiguration, it is good to know why we want to look at it. As Turrell draws us back towards the sacredness of the light, will there be anything for the light to shine on?

Turrell’s metaphysical question is a good one, and the attention he has received from both secular and religious communities in anticipation of Roden Crater speaks of our culture’s craving to experience the cosmos in a mystical way. The momentous effort that Turrell spends to turn his viewer towards the fleeting moments of the celestial bodies is a statement about their sacredness. But in order to gaze upwards at the light, we must turn away from the earth – perhaps to a fault.

CREATING ART FOR A NOSTALGIC CULTURE KATE NUNDAL These days, a browse through Netflix is enough to reveal that we live in a time of reboots, remakes, and resurrection of names and brands from pop culture of days gone by. The best among these are brilliant reinventions of a familiar theme, in which the writers take a concept from a recognized trademark or franchise and create something new with it. The Marvel and DC universes are being retold through cinema for modern audiences, and both Star Wars and Star Trek have been resurrected in recent years. Even Indiana Jones has one failed attempt at a decades-later sequel under its belt, with another one slated for 2020. TV shows

like Westworld and Fargo bring back famous movies from decades past in a brand new way. And Stranger Things, while on its own a new property, looks back to the pop culture of the 1980s for inspiration.

There are a few recent “original” films that have made it big. Two that stand out are Jordan Peele’s debut feature Get Out ($254 million in the box office) and Edgar Wright’s Baby Driver ($226 million). However, the wider trend appears to be the utilization of nostalgia to create a “new” product. The general spirit of pop culture today, especially in the world of film, seems to be looking back on what we have accomplished and attempting, with varying degrees of success, to recreate and expound upon past successes.

Examining this trend, however, brings up a curious question for young writers and artists starting out in their work. Every student of the arts knows the one fact – making art doesn’t make money. To a certain extent it depends upon discovery by the right person at the right time – even in the ancient days of individual patronage, this was the case. Now, most of the artists making a comfortable salary are those working in film and TV, or other fields that fall under the blanket of pop culture, such as fashion.

As artists, we don’t say, “make art to be popular.”

We say, “make art to send a message, to communicate with others in a way beyond words, or to create something beautiful.” The truth is that at the back of the artistic mind there is a desire for one’s work to be discovered, to be recognized, and to make enough money from making the art that one loves to be able to live comfortably. To do that often requires the support of the general populace – one must be able to create something “popular.” But as the current trend of popular art relies on past pop culture, which falls under copyright law, artists attempting to survive on their art find themselves in an ironic predicament. What has been deemed successful already exists…and it’s out of reach.

The concept of intellectual property, while created to provide artists with a means of living, may prevent them from being able to create art that generates income. In this climate, artists attempting to catch public attention must find a way to capture this powerful nostalgia when creating new works of art.

“Watching Dylan DeVries drink a whole container of eggnog without sharing” – Hannah DeVries

STORIES FROM THE NATIONS

15

This issue’s topic is: Retrospection

THE NETHERLANDS SABINE HENDERSON I look back, and forward, and right down at my feet; and I know that I was, and will be, and am. It doesn’t feel real, sometimes, the way time works, or the way we change in response to it and what it presents. Two cultures and languages were gifted to me at my first breath, and I accepted it, living a life intertwining the words of both my father and mother tongue, sorting them out in public.

With time, the separation increased, and each language found its place— each pulling along with it a part of myself. They felt like two different planets to me, the United States and the Netherlands, and I two different people, entering a different state of being in each place, a wave of culture shock hitting and residing time and time again. People of one culture relate to one another in ways quite unlike those of another, each language lending itself to distinct forms of expression and interaction.

I look back and see my past self: past because of time, past because of place, past because of culture and the way it shapes my being. It’s been four years now since I last lived in the Netherlands and rode my bicycle through the rain every day, four years since ridiculously long composite words and blunt statements were my sense of normal. This other side of self fades from view with time, and I begin to miss, and even forget, my other me.

I find it hard to describe who this other is, and why it is other, and how; it simply is, and can only really be known by those who can relate in both languages, traveling with me—not trying to bridge the gap—between both cultures. Truth comes with the realization that I will find myself forever at sea, drifting with the tides from one place to the other, one language to the other, one self to the other; bridgeless, but perfectly alive.

SAIPAN

ANDREW KIMBALL That February afternoon, I decided to be a man as I saw home slip out of sight. To me, that meant to have no emotions, and to certainly not cry. My normal farewell was, “Bye, Saipan.” This time, I said it for the very last time.

I had literally watched my world come crashing down. My world revolved around the radio station, and the work my parents did. First, I saw radio tower one fall; they loosened the bolts, cut the guy-wires, and it crumbled to the ground. Then, tower two fell to the ground shortly after. Again, they loosened the bolts, cut the guywires, and yet again, I heard it crash to the ground. This time I noticed there was a crater left in its wake.

We lived on a cliff, so when the towers fell, it was like we were putting on a performance for everyone below. I thought there was no way that they could have missed what was happening to us. It was like they were in on our façade. My parents were missionaries and I was the unfortunate casualty of an evangelical organization who cared more about its self-image than its own employees. Tower three went down, and finally my best friend asked what was happening.

“Nothing,” I told him, because it was the only thing I was allowed to say.

Eventually, when the façade was shattered, we convinced ourselves it was all okay – because we were moving to Indonesia! My parents transitioned their family from one posting to another. We moved to a different country, with a different language, different culture, and different opportunities. We packed up our life, leaving with a two cubic metre crate to follow us and one suitcase and a personal item apiece. My personal item, my backpack, weighed twenty-seven kilograms.

“Lighting up the menorah” – Andrew Richmond

We arrived in Indonesia when I was in the fourth quarter of grade nine and my sister was in grade eleven. Six months after arriving in Java for language school, we moved to the province of Papua. I had three years until university and my sister had one. One year to make memories and learn about a new culture with my sister before she left, and somehow, that one year is all that I can really remember with my sister. Even at her wedding I struggled to think of comical, intimate or mischievous stories to recount. I became aware that my mind was blank. The only explanation I can think of is that my younger self subconsciously chose to suppress all of my memories of Saipan in the interest of pushing aside the traumatic elements of the move.

My younger self believed that real men don’t cry, and he chose to be a “real man” that day. Still, I have not truly wept for what I lost. To be honest I can’t remember what I lost. It’s all a blur. Nine years of my life—a blur. I’ve recently decided that I need to seek outside help, and as I finally begin to process, I am beginning to remember things. It has been a slow process but now I recall driving up the hill and seeing the radio towers for the first time, getting my first stopwatch, and walking down the road picking hibiscus flowers.

I can only wonder how my life would be different if I had decided not to bottle up my emotions. If I had decided that it was okay to cry as Saipan disappeared into the horizon, I don’t know where I would be, but I know for a fact that the memories I would have would be more than worth the embarrassment to my grade nine self.

While I had a grasp of these specific, innocuous details, I struggled to recount broader, happier memories.

SPORTS

16

I USED TO BE A SPARTAN ANDREW BROOKES

“When athletes retire its tradition to throw their shoes on the wire.”

Coming into university as a men’s soccer redshirt (a player that practices with the team, but does not play in games to not use up eligibility) athlete has had its advantages and challenges. Most people do not get the opportunity to be a part of Spartan Athletics, so when I got the chance, I jumped at it. Despite learning a lot and enjoying the experience, I decided to quit at the end of my second season and pursue other things.

I hope to be able to give some insight into what it is like to be a Spartan and why I decided to stop pursuing it.

Although I would not have considered myself to be the typical Spartan athlete by any means, my experience is likely similar to that of many athletes.

Most student athletes’ team activities take up a large portion of their week.

Personally, I found the most time-consuming aspect of this schedule to be the transition from one activity to the other.

Going from a 7:30 am training session, to eating breakfast on the fly before a 9:25 RELS class, and then heading to a team meeting during chapel, tends to consume an entire morning. On top of training and meetings, there are additives, such as weight lifting and physiotherapy, that most athletes must attend.

If we were to average out a day, between the activities and the transition time between them, I would say athletics probably takes approximately four hours of an athlete’s day, depending on the sport. To put this into perspective, an average university course is

NFL Quarterback, Colin Kaepernick, opts out of his contract with the San Francisco 49ers to become a free agent. He has still not been signed by a team after causing national uproar by kneeling during the playing of the “Star Spangled Banner” to protest racial inequality in the United States.

three hours a week, plus maybe four hours of homework depending on the course. In an average week, an athlete would spend around 24 hours on athletics, while taking four courses. You can see that participating in athletics and taking four courses is much more of a time commitment than doing a full 15-credit hour semester. Most athletes consequently tend to be quite good at managing their time; I was not one of those people.

A lot of the athletes that attend Trinity actually do have interests outside sports, believe it or not. So, it becomes a balancing act between interests and time. For me, however, I found it difficult to find time for the things I enjoyed outside of soccer.

There were a lot of things that I struggled with that made me question whether I wanted to continue playing soccer at the university level. One of those, was the pressure to perform at a high level.

I distinctly remember one pre-season game in Oregon against Corban University, where the coach decided to insert me into the starting lineup. I do not think I have ever had a more embarrassing moment in a soccer game. The only thing I remember was awkwardly deciding to use the old thunder thigh to play a back pass that resulted in a goal. Then around five minutes later, I gave away a penalty. The guys still look back at the video and have a good laugh, and now at least I can laugh about it too.

The women’s volleyball team also win a USports bronze medal, defeating Montreal.

MAR 19th

MAR 3

The New England Patriots win the Superbowl, overcoming a 28-3 deficit against the Atlanta Falcons.

MAR 13th LaVar Ball, father of future Los Angeles Laker Lonzo Ball, grabs headlines by claiming he could have beat Michael Jordan one-on-one back in his prime.

This was not long after Ball had claimed that his then-NCAA playing son Lonzo was better than Steph Curry.

MAR 19th The Spartan men’s volleyball team wins its second straight USports national championship, defeating Alberta in the final. Spartan Adam Schriemer wins MVP of the tournament.

I realized another aspect of being a Spartan athlete was that it had become somewhat of an identity for me. I wanted to be able to build relationships with people out of the identity of my underlying personality, rather than being on the soccer team. I’m not saying that is the only way people relate or identify with Spartan athletes, I just felt in my case that it was time to build a fundamental identity without the social security of being a “Spartan.”

The decision to move on from playing for the soccer team was very tough for me. I love the guys on the team, the coaches and the experience of playing at a competitive level. I felt like the time was right to move on and experience all the rest of the amazing things this school has to offer.

So, the next time you see a Spartan athlete, appreciate the commitment they put into their respective sport – and try to see their identity as something more than what they do on the ice, pitch, track or court.

Sergio García wins the Masters Golf Tournament, his first major victory.

MAR 20th

rd

FEB 5th

The Spartan hockey team goes through a heartbreaking loss to UVic in the BCIHL finals.

The time commitment of being a Spartan athlete potentially hinders being a part of campus life and a lot of student athletes struggle with the balance and commitment. A thought on a lot of Spartans’ minds is, “Is the time commitment worth not starting a league game until your third or fourth year?” I don’t want to sound negative, because I loved my time as a Spartan athlete, but it’s an important reality to consider.

APR 9th

JUN 3rd

APR 6th Former Heisman Trophy winner and NFL quarterback, Tim Tebow, hits a home run in his first at-bat after signing a pro

“Asking TWUSA for too much money for your Christmas party” – Rhys Fowler

Real Madrid wins its second consecutive Champions League title, defeating Juventus 4-1.

The Pittsburgh Penguins win their second consecutive Stanley Cup, defeating the Nashville Predators in six games.

JUN 11th

JUN 12th The Golden State Warriors defeat the Cleveland Cavaliers to win the NBA Championship, finishing with a 16-1 record in the postseason.

17

G A M E S TAT S WOMEN’S BASKETBALL Recent

MEN’S BASKETBALL

The Spartans are 8-2 so far in the season, and are currently tied for 4th in the Canada West standings.

82-69 W vs Brandon (Dec. 2) Upcoming

Recent 95-86 L vs Brandon (Dec. 2)

The Spartans are 0-10 so far in the season, and are currently at the bottom of the Canada West standings.

at Thompson Rivers (5:00PM, Dec. 29) and (11:00AM, Dec. 30)

Upcoming

MEN’S AND WOMEN’S CROSS COUNTRY

vs UFV (8:00PM, Jan. 4) and at UFV (8:00PM, Jan. 5)

Recent

MEN’S VOLLEYBALL

WOMEN Jouen Chang finished 16th and Bailey Haugan finished 38th in the Junior Women's 6km.

Canadian Championships (Nov. 25)

MEN

Recent 3-0 W vs MacEwan (Dec. 2) Upcoming

Declan White finished 46th in the Senior Men’s 10km.

vs Winnipeg (8:00PM, Jan. 5) and (7:00PM, Jan. 6)

WOMEN’S VOLLEYBALL Recent 3-1 W vs MacEwan (Dec. 2)

The Spartans are 11-1 so far in the regular season, and are currently 1st in the Canada West standings.

MEN’S HOCKEY

The Spartans are 9-3 so far in the regular season, and are currently tied for 3rd in the Canada West standings.

Recent 3-2 W vs Simon Fraser (Dec. 2)

Upcoming

Upcoming

vs Winnipeg (6:00PM, Jan 5) and (5:00PM, Jan. 6)

at Eastern Washington (7:30PM Jan. 5) and (7:00PM, Jan. 6)

The Spartans are 10-3 so far in the season, and are currently 2nd in the BCIHL.

2017 IN THE WORLD OF SPORT JAMISON DERKSEN

Floyd Mayweather Jr. defeats Conor McGregor in “The Money Fight” after months of public feuding between the two.

AUG 26th

JUL 8th Spartan Alumni, Nathan George, wins a silver medal at the Canadian Track & Field Championships.

The Vegas Golden Knights win their inaugural home opener, nine days after the city was crippled by a shooting on The Strip.

OCT 10th

SEPT First year goalkeeper, Sebastian Colyn, wins USports Male Athlete of the Month, finishing the month with four shutouts.

The 2018 FIFA World Cup qualification process ends, with surprising teams such as Italy, The Netherlands, Ivory Coast, Chile, and Wales missing the cut.

The Spartan women’s soccer team wins a USports bronze medal, defeating Western.

NOV 15th

NOV 12th

NOV Nineteen Russian Winter Olympic Athletes are suspended from the Olympics for life following a massive doping scandal in the nation.

NOV 1st The Houston Astros win the World Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers, weeks after Hurricane Harvey caused major flooding across the city.

NOV 12th Spartan Cross-Country stars Regan Yee (first team) and Declan White (second team) are named All-Canadian AllStars after the conclusion of the USports Championships.

“Going around the neighborhood giving bibles to heathens” – Trevor McMahan

HUMOUR DEAR FIFTH YEAR

Dear Fifth Year,

My brain is fried from writing research papers and my fingers are still trembling from the coffee overdose… What is the secret to surviving final exams?!

Sincerely, I can’t even remember my own name

Dear Fried, That 1500-word research paper really did you in, huh? Don’t fret, you’ll probably survive! But only if you follow these tips.

1) Pretend - Imagine yourself sitting back at home, wearing socks and binge watching Arrested Development. Take heart—that will be you, soon enough!

Breathe.

Now that you’ve had your moment to bask in fantasy, raise the stakes. Pretend that your parents will never love you again if you fail your RELS class.

2) Sleep - Every time you go to bed, you’re gonna feel like an untalented, uneducated wimp who is behind on everything, and that’s ok. Sleep anyways.

Alternatively, avoid this by taking accidental naps throughout the day—in the library, in the Atrium, or in RNT. (Note: Alternative method not recommended for commuters.)

3) Quizlet - Quizlet is your new best friend. Say goodbye to your old friends.

They won’t help you remember obscure dates and names any time, anywhere. It is time to CRAM. 4) Caffeinate Wisely - The wisest way to consume caffeine is in excess—it’s the only drug that promotes memory growth (ADD SOURCE HERE LATER).

Make sure to drink at least eight cups at Denny’s. What kind of wuss says “no” to free refills? You should be shaking. That just means you’re more powerful than you’ve ever been.

5) Read everything you willfully didn’t read throughout the semester - Five hours until your ENGL 103 exam? You can probably read the whole course pack and two novels in that time.

Honestly, do your best when preparing for finals, and once they’re over, forgive yourself. You’ll do fine.

Also, if you can’t remember your own name, I have bad news: that’s the first question on every exam.

Sincerely, Abe Trevor McMahan A Fifth Year (Thanks for skimming my letters this semester!)

HOW TO BE RETRO: AN 8 STEP GUIDE TO CULTIVATING YOUR INNER GRANDPARENT lovely cursive handwriting. Or your sketchbooks, if you’re Tori.

SABINE HENDERSON 1. Only shop at thrift stores.

Welcome to your new home. Trade in those Blunds and flannels for some good ol’ stripes, denim overalls, turtlenecks, round glasses, odd patterns, mom jeans, cardigans, and anything your grandma might wear. Alternatively, as noted

by DeVries, dig through your parents’ closets and steal all the clothing items you used to hate.

2. Get yourself a record player.

Because who cares about portability? Start a vinyl collection as expansive as Joel’s by rummaging through any antique store (or maybe even your grandparents’ attic).

3. Learn how to knit or crochet.

It’s a soothing, healing, and portable experience that can result in a collection of cozy blankets. For a quiet Friday night with Brooke, it’s all you truly needle to be happy!

4. Carry a vintage leather messenger bag.

It’s the only right way to transport your film camera and those classic black-and-white speckled composition notebooks filled with your

CORINNA SCHOLING NEWS HEADLINES 1. Man Accidentally Gives Girlfriend Rabies Through His Christmas Gifts 2. Family Thinks Their Daughter Has Been Abducted After Missing Curfew 3. Child’s Identity Still Unknown 4. Grandfather Struggles: Is He Experiencing Dementia or Did His Wife Actually Die in this Shocking Way? 5. Woman Questioned: Did She Know Her Son’s Future Before It Happened?

6. Father Breaks into Zoo to Get His Daughter the Only Gift She Wants 7. Mother Breaks into Dentist Office to Get Her Daughter the Only Gift She Wants 8. Woman Slaps Boyfriend When He Does Not Give Her a Present 9. Two-Year-Old Percussion Prodigy 10. Woman Gets Cochlear Implant and Questions its Validity

5. Invest in a real alarm clock.

If you’re committed to being retro, you’d better do so from the very start of your day. There’s nothing quite like the shrill ringing of bells to get you sprinting out of bed in the morning (Gust, 2017).

6. Replace your laptop with a typewriter.

Not only will you draw attention by carrying it around, you’ll get jacked too! I mean, just look at Bailey’s biceps!

7. Join a bowling team.

Brightly-colored shoes, wood paneling, funky music—what more could a person ask for?! If you need tips on how to bowl multiple strikes consecutively, just ask Ryan, he’s basically a pro.

8. Write for the school newspaper, because PRINT’S NOT DEAD. We want your voice to be heard.

Submit a letter (emails are so not cool) under the door of the elusive Mars’ Hill office and share your ideas!

MATCH THE NEWS HEADLINES WITH THE CHRISTMAS CAROL What oh what is happening in the world this Christmas season?!

Draw lines connecting the headlines with the carols to find out!

BREAKING NEWS: LOCAL GIRL IS AUTHENTIC VICTORIA AHRENDT NEWSFLASH - Local female student attending Trinity Western University was caught being intentional and authentic in the cafeteria. This young woman was reported to have been hanging out in the caf, being intentional with her friendships, when her friend blindsided her, asking how her heart was doing. The young student told us that she usually finds it difficult to share what God has placed upon her heart, as being vulnerable is not one of her faith strengths. However, the “chibes” in the caf were “just so good” that she felt led to speak.

“What was placed upon my heart was a very edgy subject, but I felt just so loved by the close knit community here and so supported, I just felt okay to be authentic, ya know?” she says. The young student told us as she twirled her hammock bag over her shoulder and posed comfortably in her Blundstones.

Our inside sources and the young woman’s public Instagram story confirm that her friend has noted the event down in her prayer journal so she can, quote, “love on her.” We were also informed that this student and her friend are committed to “doing life together” and have started their journey as “future bridesmaids.” We will update this story as further news breaks.

CHRISTMAS CAROLS A. All I Want for Christmas is my Two Front Teeth B. Baby It’s Cold Outside C. Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer D. Do You Hear What I Hear?

E. All I Want for Christmas is You F. I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas G. Mary Did You Know?

H. Twelve Days of Christmas I. What Child is This?

J. Little Drummer Boy

“sleeping” – Cheyanne Makelki

Answers: 1H, 2B, 3I, 4C, 5G, 6F, 7A, 8E, 9J, 10D

18

Spring 2018

SECTIONS OF TWU COURSES AT CATHOLIC PACIFIC COLLEGE

ART 215 CP Beauty & the Sacred Arts Dr. Brook Herbert Mon. & Wed., 2:35 to 3:50 pm

PHIL 304 CP, Philosophy of St. Thomas Aquinas Fr. David Bellusci, O.P. Mondays, 6 pm to 9 pm

ENGL 104 CP Intro to Poetry and Drama Vic Cavalli Tues. & Thurs., 9:25 am to 10:40 am

HIST 302 CP, Greece and Rome: Leadership in the Ancient World Dr. Andrew Klager Fridays, 11:40 am to 2:25 pm

RELS 102 CP Intro to New Testament Studies Sr. Gabriella Yi, O.P. Tues. & Thurs., 1:10 pm to 2:25 pm

PHIL 333 CP Philosophy of Literature Dr. Andrew Kaethler Tues. & Thurs., 4 pm to 5:15 pm

RELS 101 CP Intro to Old Testament Studies Sr. Gabriella Yi, O.P. Tues. & Thurs., 11:40 am to 1 pm

Catholic Pacific College’s motto: Omnia proba, quod bonum est tene.

Sift everything, hold on to what is good.

RELS 160 CP Intro to Theology David Baird Mon. & Wed., 1:10 pm to 2:25 pm

RELS 224 CP New Testament Theology David Baird Wednesdays, 6 pm to 9 pm

RELS 366 CP Theology of the Body Dr. Brook Herbert Mon. & Wed., 4 pm to 5:15 pm

RELS 365 CP Christian Moral Theology Dr. Germain McKenzie Mon. & Wed., 9:25 am to 10:40 am

RELS 382 CP The Catholic Church: Theology & Practice Dr. Germain McKenzie Mon. & Wed., 11:40 am to 1 pm

RELS 465 CP Influential Thinkers in Western Christian Tradition Dr. Andrew Kaethler Tues. & Thurs.

2:35 pm to 3:50 pm

MCOM 172 CP Intro to Interpersonal Communication Loranne Brown Tuesdays, 6 pm to 9 pm

CatholicPacific.ca “Getting the whole family together to celebrate the release of the latest Star Wars movie.” – Nathan Stein

19

ALEX’S ANNEX THE SHEVANGELIST

Bella Gagnon Year: Second

Age: 21

Height: 5’4’’

CHOOSE YOUR OWN ADVENTURE: THE FINAL CHAPTER

Hometown: Chilliwack, BC

Major: Nursing Favourite Christian (non-worship) song?

Anything by NEEDTOBREATHE Idea of a perfect date?

May 24 seems like a pretty good date.

How long before you propose?

That’s for you to decide.

Best pick-up line?

The Bible says to give drink to those who are are thirsty, and to feed the hungry; so how about dinner tonight?

How do you know if it’s love?

You can tell it’s love by the way that it is.

Skill that makes you ‘the one?’

I can make a mean cuppa joe.

How would you make up after your first fight?

Why make up when you can make out?

Good age to get married?

It’s like my girl Esther says, “For such a time as this.” AMIRITE? Your favourite band?

Band-aids What is your signature dish?

Any dish that doesn’t remind me of Sodexo.

Top quality in a future mate?

Willing to go on spontaneous adventures.

Favorite Bible verse Job 3:2 What is your love language?

Coffee.

How many kids do you want?

Well the average is 2.5 kids, so maybe that many?

Dream honeymoon destination?

Well kiwis are my favourite fruit, so I’m gonna have to go with New Zealand.

What store would you have a wedding registry at?

Patagonia… Is that weird?

You press the button on the remote. The ground around you illuminates with a dim glow. Spotlights, hidden under the earth, lost to the sands of time. The dim light isn’t quite bright enough to see the beast with.

The service elevator shudders to life with a grinding screech, rocking the earth around you. The beast reacts. The red eyes narrow, and you hear the panting of its breath as it moves toward you hungrily. You reach for the gun. Popping the chamber from the main body, you hurriedly remove bullets from the small bag, popping them into the chamber one by one. Too slowly. The beast moves in slowly shrinking circles. You slide the chamber back into place and pull back the hammer, hands shaking. The beast growls, the sound chilling your soul.

You shift onto your heels and widen your stance. The gun comes up to the ready position. You grimace and squeeze the trigger. The impact pushes your arms into your shoulders, wrists bucking upward with the sheer force.

Though you believed your aim to be steady, the beast does not so much as react to the sound or the bullet. Confused, you re-adjust your aim and fire again. The beast again has no reaction, and almost seems to be circling faster, even.

Forget this.

You turn, scrambling for the elevator. The beast takes this as a sign of weakness. It roars with anger. You know it’s running right at you, now.

You look behind you and see the form of the beast crossing the dimly lit spotlights – scales, forming out of the darkness, colored black as midnight itself. You’re almost there, though, just a few more steps – The pain is immediate and blinding. You feel like your shoulder’s been pierced with a white-hot knife. Your mouth opens in a soundless scream. You are torn from your sprint and tossed to one side, spinning through the dirt. When you come to a stop, you’re dazed.

Your shoulder throbs with unimaginable pain, but you’ve somehow kept your hold on the gun and supply kit.

The beast turns. It’s still coming at you. You roll over, take aim. All you see is eyes. Why are you trying? It didn’t work last time. The beast crosses another of the illuminated spots and becomes visible again.

It was the light. The light makes the beast visible.

You remember, and reach into the supply kit. Hands shaking, head burning from the pain of the massive hole in your shoulder, you slide batteries into the flashlight. The beast growls again and breaks into a run. You slide the last battery home, and flick it on. The white light feels as bright as the sun. You swap the flashlight to the hand that isn’t affected by your shoulder, and grasp the gun firmly in your working hand.

You slice the beam of the flashlight across the form of the beast.

In the process, you finally get your first good look at it. Scaly muzzle, tentacles, hair. It recoils from the light, momentarily stumbling in its sprint toward you. You fire. Once, twice. The massive bullets strike home this time. The beast screams, an unearthly, bone-chilling sound. The sound pierces the night, and fades to nothing.

What kind of Christmas tree do you prefer?

Real, because nobody likes a fake

You lay in the drifting black sand, listening to the utter silence.

What Christmas tradition do you want to implement?

Setting out cookies for “Santa,” AKA Me

You hear the unmistakable sound of the elevator beginning to move again. Someone was coming up.

Your shoulder throbs, and you realize that the ground around you is soaked in blood.

You sleep. “using student loan money to pay for presents for your family” – Nyssa Morgan