Mars Hill Newspaper Vol 20 Issue 8

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February 10, 2016

THE

TEAM

TREVOR MCMAHAN managing editor

LUCAS KOEHN visual editor

A tree to call home While some people may recall certain memories by a particular scent, sound, or sensation, I oftentimes recall specific memories with an associated tree.

The maple tree in the park next to my childhood home lives in my earliest memories. This was the first tree I can remember climbing. The first tree out of which I remember falling. It was also my safe haven when running away from home with a knapsack full of gum, water bottles, and Archie comics.

The mighty oak is the king of my grandparent’s acreage. This tree anchors my grandparent’s sprawling garden, which my cousins and I used to play in for hours on end. We imagined ourselves new worlds and new people, all centered upon that mighty oak.

The arbutus tree is the first tree to which I felt a peculiar emotional attachment. The way this tree leans over cliff-faces towards the sea has been a constant curiosity and interest of mine. I wrote an essay on the arbutus tree in Grade

12 which further enforced my love of writing.

We planted the stewartia tree in memory of my uncle. This is the first tree I remember associating with a specific individual.

Whenever I look out our front windows, I see the tree’s richly coloured branches and remember the rich memories I have of my uncle.

Cherry blossom trees belong to the university. The frothy pink billows pull me back to springtime on campus when the cherry blossom trees are in bloom.

For those two short weeks, the air is rich with the fragrance of the blossoms. They shower the ground and make walking to class that much sweeter.

Few natural species have been the focus of more metaphors than the tree. Perhaps it is their universalism, but their existence has served as a reminder of remembrance and growth made incarnate for centuries past, and hopefully for centuries to come.

They share a similar life journey with human beings: brought up from the earth, rooted in the soil of their upbringing, and driven towards constant pursuit for the sky above.

Infant trees share the same vulnerability as we do as children.

There is a susceptibility to the

EDITORIAL POLICY

CONTRIBUTORS

I

DAVID PUNNAMMANNIL

DARBY ARENS

LARISSA TENORIO

HEIDI RENNERT

photo editor

web editor

MATT RUBULIAK

advertising & finance manager

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.

layout editor

chief copy editor

SIDSEL RICHMOND illustration 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.

STUDENT MEDIA ADVISOR Loranne Brown

SPECIAL THANKS

mackenzie

cameron

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.

Sarrah Rempel Ariana Hurt Ellen Graham Bob + Bev Bygate Rachel Gingell Hannah Stover Kirsten McAllister Jordan Klaasen Lauren Kozol Brad Dornian Nicholas Elbers Sebastian Weingfield Abby Guthrie Bailey Broadbent Stephen Dejong

elements and the need for sheltering and nurture. As a Psychology major, I am interested in attachment theory, which is the study of how our earliest attachments have an effect on the way we form attachments later in life. In my practicum I am currently working with a youth who is living in residential care in the midst of a heavy addiction.

Her early upbringing has largely influenced who she has become today. There are days when I work with her and I am discouraged at the sight of her frail branches and shallow roots; it is difficult to see an end to an addiction in the midst of the storm and some days it feels as if the work we do is fruitless.

There is an interesting phenomenon in the tree kingdom called inosculation. This is the process whereby two trees fuse themselves together for stability.

When I am working with this youth, I find it helps to think of inosculation. My hope for her is that one day she would have a tree to call home, an inosculation of branches allowing her to stay upright in the midst of whatever elements cross her path. And maybe one day, when I spot an inosculated tree, I will think of her and remember what it means to overcome.

7600 Glover Rd, Langley, BC, V2Y 1Y1 604-513-2109 marshill@gmail.com www.marshillonline.com This issue brought to you by Kazoo Kid - Trap Remix.

Kat Grabowski for the team photos

If you were lost in the woods who would you hug? “A Douglas fir, after determining which side the moss grew on” - Madeline Gallard

February 10, 2016

MADELINE

At the core

I

madeline

gallard

Though many students may not be aware, the Core Curriculum— which influences students’ entire academic career at TWU—has been under review for almost three years. At Trinity Western, the Core functions as a way of supporting academic excellence, encouraging students to engage in the learning community, and developing a well-rounded view of the world from a Christian perspective. Provost Bob Wood explained the process leading up to the review, noting, “The undergraduate core curriculum that we currently have hasn’t changed significantly since it was first established in 1980 as part of Trinity Western becoming a fouryear institution. Based on input provided by current students and alumni, the existing core does many things well. However, the feedback from multiple sources, together with the thorough research conducted by a Senate task force, led to a proposal for a revised core model.”

Therefore, proposed changes to the Core have the potential to alter how the entire university community functions.

Dr. Robynne Healey, professor of History and Chair of the University Senate throughout the entire Core Curriculum Review Process, has become intimately familiar and involved with the Core Curriculum throughout its entire review and implementation process. She explains that the need for review became apparent when there was a “provincewide move to articulate Student Learning Outcomes,” of which Trinity has adopted seven, and which students may have noticed now appear in their syllabi. Wood further notes, “The identification of Student Learning Outcomes has a long tradition in the United States (as part of their more formalized accreditation system), and is increasingly being incorporated into Canadian Higher Education through provincial quality assurance boards. The

identification of Student Learning Outcomes brings clarity to what a university aspires its students to realize through their educational experiences.”

As a response to Student Learning Outcomes, Healey explains, “The question we had to ask was how well the Core curriculum met the requirements to fulfill the Student Learning O utcomes.

In the spring of 2013, the University Senate approved the creation of a task force—the

C o r e Curriculum Review Task Force (CCRTF.)” The purpose of the task force was to “[become] thoroughly familiar with best practice as it relates to Core Review, taking an open and inquisitive stance, listening carefully, and consulting broadly,” with the ultimate goal of providing a recommendation to University Senate on how to best move forward with the Core, in relation to Student Learni n g O utcomes.

Following the creation of the task force, the CCRTF—with Dr. Holly Nelson as its Chair, and four other professors* who applied and were interviewed by Senate for appointment—worked through a two year “collaborative and consultative process” with the intent of providing a final report to Senate in March of 2015. Healey explains, “They did an immense amount of work, consulting stakeholders, including students, faculty, and alumni.

They also did research, looking at other universities with Cores and other Christian universities.”

Wood affirms, “It should be noted that a revision of the core curriculum at a liberal arts institution like TWU is the most complex and substantial project the institution can undertake because it affects so many different facets of the enterprise. It encompasses a change to the graduation requirements for students and, in some cases, what the faculty teach.”

During this process, the CCRTF presented three different suggested models for the revised Core, which were then brought to students (including TWUSA) and faculty for feedback. The three proposed

m o d e l s were as follows:

-The Hybrid model, similar to the current Core; -Thematic clusters, which were discipline focused; -Inquiry, which focuses on inquiry based learning.

Senate determined the final model through a vote, but Healey notes that the Inquiry model—which was democratically selected—had the “broadest student support.” The CCRTF then presented their final report to Senate in J a n u a r y of 2015, based on the Inquiry model. As a testament to this monumental amount of work, the final report presented to Senate represented 240 pages.

The new Core will be comprised of 28 semester hours in Foundations and 18 in the Ways of Knowing, which, as is currently comprised of six categories with 3 semester hours in each. The categories will be Aesthetic and Performance Inquiry, Quantitative and Computational Inquiry, Historical and Archival Inquiry, Experiential and Embodied Inquiry, Cultural and Linguistic Inquiry, and Social and

Global Inquiry.

Further, the Foundations section will include three new required courses, Foundations 1-3, which will be taken in a student’s first three semesters, respectively. Healey explains, “Foundations 1 is a revised course, and it will include elements of transitions plus an introduction to Christian liberal arts. What we want is students who come to Trinity to understand what a Christian liberal arts education really is.” Foundations 2 will be a multidisciplinary course, dealing with spiritual, mental, and physical wellness, and Foundations 3 will be an “interdisciplinary examination of big questions.”

The question that has been approved for the first 5 years is “The good life?”

Far from being an immediate change, however, Healey observed that “For a period of 4 or 5 years, we’re going to be running parallel cores. The class in 2018 will be in the new Core, and the class coming in in 2017 will be in the old Core.” Wood notes that “one factor that will be helpful in the transition from the current to the new core is that the transition will take place over several years as new students are admitted under the new core (starting in Fall 2017) while current students continue under the existing core.

We will be assessing the new core as we go, with the hope that it will be evident that it truly does better support the SLOs once it is fully in effect.” Students, in the meantime, should rest assured that the Core Review has been an intensive and focused project.

Healey affirmed that, “There’s been an immense amount of dialogue and conversation that has gone on. Between the task force and Senate, there was a lot of consultation.” * Dr. David Clements, Biology; Dr. Kelsey Haskett, World Languages and Cultures; Dr. Kent Clarke, Religious Studies; Melinda Dewsbury, Assistant Professor of Writing; Coordinator of GLC First Year Academic Programs; Faculty Mentor for Visiting Scholars

If you were lost in the woods who would you hug? “The first skunk I see. They just get zero love” - Tunji Taylor-Lewis

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February 10, 2016

From darkness into light

I

brad

dornian

On February 12th, Dave Punnamannil and his team of fellow students will officially launch the much anticipated non-profit organization, Lighthouse Voyage.

Punnamannil’s vision for this organization is shaped by his desire to see people experience freedom and joy, despite the unthinkable circumstances many find themselves in.

Unbeknownst to him at the time, one trip in particular would alter the direction of his entire life.

In the spring of 2014, Punnamannil travelled to North India to

work alongside Believers Active Mission and Mercy Ministries in rescuing women and children from life in the brothels. Part of the ministry was spending time with prostitutes, secretly gathering information about the day to day operations in the small village brothels. Punnamannil was part of a team that purchased the freedom of four women. Their ages were sixteen, eighteen, twenty-six, and fifty-two and all had spent the majority of their lives abused, drugged, and sexually exploited in a brothel. After rescuing these four women, the team brought them to a rehab centre for treatment.

Punnamannil was asked to assist Sunitha, a twenty-sixyear-old woman, as she underwent the painful process of detox.

All the girls at the rehab centre

were on twenty-four hour watch due to the unpredictability of their conditions. During the day, the nurses and other support staff would take care of them, teaching them basic life skills such as reading, writing, cooking, and sewing.

After dinner, it was Punnamannil’s time to have one-on-one with Sunitha. After spending her entire life being mistreated by men, she could barely even look Punnamannil in the eye. For two and a half weeks, Punnamannil sat in silence with Sunitha, occasionally drawing simple pictures with her, passing them back and forth. The first thing Sunitha told Punnamannil was the heartbreaking story about how her father had sold her to the brothel when she was only four years old.

Punnamannil sat there absolutely heartbroken. As the weeks passed, Sunitha’s detox symptoms began subsiding and she began opening up to Punnamannil more. She told him that before her rescue, she had completely given up hope

of ever having a normal life. One evening, as she and Punnamannil were sitting together in silence, she looked up at him with tears in her eyes and said, “Without darkness we cannot see the light.”

Punnamannil sat in shock.

That was the moment that changed his life, he said. On his return to Canada, Punnamannil knew that this experience was just the beginning of a long journey towards fighting the mistreatment of women and children caught in human-trafficking. Punnamannil has dedicated his life to bringing freedom, hope, and joy to women and children who are trapped in sexual exploitation in India and Nepal.

As Lighthouse Voyage moves forward, its goal is to allocate resources in the hands of those on the ground working to create pre-

ventative measures for vulnerable women and to build the rehab centres to rescue currently victimized women. On February 12 at 6 PM in the Atrium, all are in-

for the new campus. Initially, the campus will offer a two-year liberal arts program which will be completely transferable to universities in the Lower Mainland, as well as to the wider educational world. The campus will both provide a vibrant Catholic community for students and remain open to all who are interested, regardless of their faith background.

Throughout the program, students will come into contact with some of the most im-

portant works of literature and philosophy throughout history.

Antiquity is represented by Plato, Aristotle, Augustine, Boethius, as well as many important religious texts such as The Bhagavada Gita, and biblical classics such as Job; Aquinas, Hildegard of Bingen, and The Letters of Abelard and Heloise mark the Medieval period; and Kant, Nietzsche, and Marx are drawn from the modern world. This list is far from exhaustive, but the implication is that students will be exposed to a wide variety of ideas which form the basis for any liberal arts education.

In this way, the goal of the pro-

gram is to provide students with an education with a broad scope.

Art, literature, history, ancient and modern languages, as well as religion, ecology, and even astronomy are included in the list of courses currently offered in the program. A cursory glance at the course syllabi reveals the holistic foundation of the program and course offerings. Classical mythology and ancient philosophy are taught alongside introductions to arts and architecture.

These in turn lead into courses on religion in general, which further develop into a discussion on the reality of the Church itself. The ways that the pieces fit together illustrate the way in which we build our understanding in general: upwards from a foundation.

The college will welcome its first students to this program in the Fall semester of 2016.

vited to celebrate the launch of this amazing organization, as well as learn more about Dave Punnamannil and his team as they push to see lives changed around the world.

Sift all things

And hold onto what is good

I

nicholas

elbers

Catholic Pacific College is preparing to open a new campus in Walnut Grove. This will mark the beginning of a new chapter in the life of the college, which has offered Catholic educational alternatives to Trinity Western students since its humble beginnings in 1999. At CPC, Catholic students are given the opportunity to take a diverse number of classes from a Catholic perspective which count towards their core TWU graduation requirements. Additionally, the college has sought to provide students with an environment which gives them easy access to the sacraments. Mass is held four days a week, confessions are regularly available, and the eucharist is

placed for adoration at least once a week. It is in the Sacramental life of the Church where we find the essence of Catholic living, and by extension the center of Catholic education. This reality is facilitated by the regular presence and availability of a chaplain who can be sought for spiritual direction or lunch. While continuing to offer these services to TWU students at its Glover Road campus, the college is also focused on opening its new campus.

Thus, the understanding that Christ and the Sacraments are essential to the construction of a full education is the center of the vision

If you were lost in the woods who would you hug? “The nearest forest fairy” - Conner Thiessen

February 10, 2016

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My fellow americans...

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topic, here is what I have found out:

sebastian

wingfield

In case you haven’t heard, it’s voting season. We Americans will be electing our 45th President of the United States on November 8, 2016. The winner of the 2016 presidential election will be sworn into office on January 20, 2017, which doesn’t give you much time to decide on who you should vote for. I’m speaking as someone who has read—and briefly scrolled past—the titles of an innumerable amount of articles shared on Facebook by my high school friends, many of whom have wisely never left their hometowns. I trust that this gives you confidence in my credibility. From my dedicated research into this important

stance on making college tuition “free and debt free,” getting big money out of politics to restore democracy, and his plan to reform Wall Street. He currently sits at 36% of the Democratic vote.

“ENOUGH is ENOUGH—Oh, sorry the bathroom is over there.”

ability to levitate and use telepathy. He is most notable for his stance on a uniform 15% flat tax rate, his pro-life stance, and his plan to reform government itself.

He currently sits at 8.2% of the Republican vote.

“What is the Pacific Ocean? Is it Godzilla’s bath? We’ll never know?”

(D) Bernie Sanders Former host of the Larry King Show, Bernie interviewed many celebrities and notable politicians, from Donald Trump to Snoop Dogg.

He is most notable for his dance/ song routine (see “Movin’ Like Bernie”),

(R) Ben Carson Former neurosurgeon and UFC announcer, Ben Carson currently holds 67 honorary doctorate degrees and has the

( D ) Hillary Clinton Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is running to be the first ever elected woman as Commander in Chief. This has caused a majority of Democratic voters to get behind her, saying, “Oh, come on, guys… women deserve this!” (statement from “Progressive” Americans, 2016).

She is most notable for her extraordinary ability to use coverup (see Benghazi), her health care plan, and her plans to reform immigration policy. Incredibly, she sits at 52% of the Democratic vote.

“I’m just chilling in Cedar Rapids.”

(R) Donald Trump Billionaire and former television personality, Trump is planning on “Making America Great Again.” Life has not been easy for him, as he grew up in Brooklyn and started off with a small loan of a million dollars. His favorite word is “China” and claims to be very good friends with major minority groups, specifically, “The Blacks, The Mexicans and The Muslims.” He is most notable for his stance on the right to bear arms, his views on immigration, and his plan to reform trade agreements with China. He is currently sitting in his mansion on a large throne made of human leather with 34% of the Republican vote.

“I’ve said if Ivanka weren’t my daughter, perhaps I’d be dating her.”

*This is a piece of satire. Mars’ Hill does not endorse or promote particular political views or candidates.

Where arts and mission meet

I

sebastian

lonneberg

Friday January 29th saw the kickoff of Missions Fest 2016 at the Vancouver Convention Centre in downtown Vancouver. The annual event aims to raise awareness for various Christian mission organizations at both a corporate and personal level. On the same day, the Trinity Western University Jazz Combo participated in the Arts Café at Missions Fest. The combo played a diverse repertoire, ranging from jazz standards to upbeat jazz-fusion, for a small audience in one of the Missions Fest meeting rooms. The combo was well received and provided several conference participants a much needed opportunity to unwind after a busy day of seminars.

The Arts Café was intended to introduce attendees to a wider definition of Christian missions.

Often, the arts in contemporary Christian culture, aside from worship music, are undervalued as a mission field or even as a way to glorify God. The organizers of the Arts Café believe that the arts are

integral to Christian missions, thereby providing the artist with an outlet to share a God-given gift with their wider community.

The intention for the Arts Café was that it would not be a hyperspiritualized event, but rather a place where Christian artists and musicians could share their art with those interested and begin conversations about where the arts fit into the wider sphere of missions. On Friday night, several conversations centred on the role of jazz music in the Church, eventually concluding that because God is a creative God, he is also the God of jazz music. Thus, jazz is as equally valid a way of glorifying Him as singing praise music.

Providing this opportunity to unwind was integral to Mission Fest’s organizers in their vision

for the Arts Café. Over the course of the three day event, roughly 35, 000 people attended Missions Fest, taking part in one or more of the 120 different seminars offered. With this much activity in one place, many conference goers find themselves feeling overwhelmed and in need of a way to relax after a busy day. This is exactly what the Arts Café was supposed to accomplish. At the end of Missions Fest, the Arts Café was deemed a success and the organizers expressed interest in continuing it next year.

If you were lost in the woods who would you hug? “Definitely not Slenderman. He doesn’t exist.. Right..?” - Brian Boom Yoon

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February 10, 2016

Comfortable, complacent, christians

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sarrah

remple

Dear Trinity Western Community, I feel like I need to address something I’ve noticed about the nature of Christianity today, specifically the nature of Christians in our materialistic North American culture, and something that we need to be aware of as a modern Christian university.

I was struck when a friend pointed out that a comic in the humour section of Mars’ Hill (issue no. 5 vol. 20) illustrated how being a Christian has become a chore. I found it spoke quite profoundly to the state of how Christians today are living their daily lives. Reading the Bible, going to church, having inspired conversations with others, praying diligently—there is a list that we feel compelled to check off on a daily basis in order to be a “good Christian.” Our relationship with Christ is not about completing a checklist, but about a friendship with the One who loves us more than any of us could ever know.

With today’s perspective on how a Christian should live (via the

checklist), it’s so much easier to give up and “go with the flow” than it is to continue fighting against the overwhelming current.

Today’s culture makes it easy to fall into a steady rhythm of ignorant bliss and conformist behaviour. As a society, we have become absorbed with ourselves, with our social media, and with the desire to get the next-bestthing. I think this is partially due to the “A m e r i c a n Dream” (if we are really honest with ourselves, it has become the adopted “Canadian Dream”) inherent in the minds of North Americans: the desire to build our lives the way we want to and prove that we are self-sufficient. Self-sufficiency means that we don’t really need anyone else, so do we need God? (Of course we do, but subconsciously, we have ignored Him in order to prove ourselves… to whom, and

for what benefit?) This comfortable North American lifestyle is an inherited reality for many of us; as a society, we are afraid of the unknown and stay in the material-based comfort zones that are labeled as “safe” and

“normal. ” We place God on the back burner while we try and build our ideal lives without His help, ignoring the people

CAM THIESSEN

He loves and not grounding our faith in Him. As a community we are allowing our faiths to become light switches; we turn them “on” to ask God for help when we think we need Him and, not always intentionally, turn them “off ” to ignore Him when we want to do things on our own. Living in this way leads to disillusionment with our faiths, which leads to discontentment in ourselves, to the self-centered ways we are living, and, ultimately, to discouragement in the ways that we have failed to truly live the lives God has given and planned for us.

As a society of modern believers, we lie to ourselves about how much we do or do not depend on Him to lead our lives. We ignore what His plans actually are for us.

North American culture has allowed us as Christians to sit and enjoy the consumerist life it provides. We are no longer set-

ting out on the adventure God has planned for us. This culture has taught us to be selfish and self-absorbed, which is in strong contrast to Christ’s teaching of selflessness and humility. Look at Matthew in Matthew 9:9. He was a tax collector, who was often seen as greedy and selfish (sound familiar?), until Jesus came and called him to discipleship. Matthew left everything immediately and followed Jesus in humble service as one of the Twelve Disciples. The adventure God calls us to might not be what North American culture deems as glamorous, but it is a call to serve His people in a way that brings glory to His name and His Kingdom.

Friends, it is crucial that we change how we live, that we resist the urge to be just another selfcentered, half-in half-out Christian. We need to find a way to create a dynamic, rather than static, faith in God our loving Father and to serve and love His people the way He serves and loves us.

Sex - just screw it

I

anonymous

We care way too much about sex.

Through the Christian grapevine, I have heard time and time again that sex outside marriage is a terrible, terrible sin, and that we should do whatever we can to avoid it. But why? Where does this idea come from? The Old Testament has a lot to say about sexual laws, but it also says we should not eat pork or shellfish.

Many Christians regularly eat bacon and shrimp and, presumably, still avoid eternal damnation.

As Christians, we should look to Christ. As far as I can tell, Jesus does not say anything specific about premarital sex. He warns against adultery and lust. Jesus came to Earth to preach about the most important thing—the Kingdom of God—a Kingdom where we are called to love God and love each other. There is no part of the Sermon on the Mount that says, “Blessed is he who does not fornicate before the wedding night, and cursed is he who touches himself for pleasure.” So why do we pretend like there is?

Time and time again, I have seen young Christians obsess over something which seems trivial.

This obsession with sex causes kids to hate themselves because

they have same sex attraction, or they masturbate, or they have committed the cardinal sin of premarital sex. Some people even feel tainted, that no one will ever love them because they have had sex. Their attention is so focused on worrying about this that they forget to care about the sins that could be hurting others simultaneously. In my opinion, sin is anything that harms other people or turns one’s heart away from God; as far as I can tell, sex in and of itself does neither. Sex matters; however, it doesn’t matter nearly as much as we’ve made it to matter. Sex has too much power over us when we make an obsession out of it.

Sexual morality is murky and

uneasy waters; in truth, I just do not know what the right answer is. You might have an excellent reason to not want to engage in sexual activity before marriage, and I commend you for that. I am not trying to condemn sexual abstinence, nor am I saying that we all need to loosen up and drop our pants given any opportunity.

What I am asking is for you to reexamine your views on sex. I want you to ask yourself why you believe what you believe, and I want you to come to your own opinion. Let’s not worry so much about sex and get on with our lives.

If you were lost in the woods who would you hug? “Kreg Lonneberg” - David Punnamannil

February 10, 2016

I

ariana

hurt

“Why?” This word basically sums up the human experience. Life is often shaped more by questions than by answers. Why is life the way it is? Why are we humans the way we are? Why do bad things happen? Why does God allow it, if He even exists?

Perhaps the simplest answers to these questions are found in Christianity. We can posit that God is behind it all, that He created us, that He made us the way we are. The (so-called) problem of evil has been addressed numerous times, and the existence of God has been grappled with by countless philosophers. If God—or even any other ultimate being—is removed from the equation, then the questions become more difficult to answer. How could we consider the answers to the “whys” if there were not a cause?

Moreover, if all that we know came into existence haphazardly, then how could we even posit a consistent nature intrinsic to humanity?

This article, however, is not the place to argue for the existence of God. What follows will be an exposition of free will as a part of human nature.

In the

b e g i n n i n g, God created the heavens and the earth. He created man and woman in His own image. He created us with a good nature. He created us out of love and gave us the choice to love Him in return.

Initially, man lived in a state of union with God, a mode which Aquinas, in the Compendium of Theology, calls “original justice.”

In this state, man perfectly followed God’s will, and, because God is good and His will is for our good, man lived in perfect happiness. But man, having a

choice, chose finally to disobey when tempted by the serpent.

This act of disobedience—the first sin—ruptured man’s union with God, the consequences of which left a lasting scar upon man’s nature: original sin. Aquinas explains that original sin is now part of human nature, passing on to all people born after Adam and Eve. Moreover, man’s way of life is now marked by sin; thus, man has to fight this tainted nature to remain close to God.

Original sin does not carry sin in itself, but the propensity towards sin. This inward pull away from God is called concupiscence. We all struggle with this conflict of wanting to be close to God while also desiring things contrary to the goodness in our nature. We are essentially struggling between the nature that God intended for us and the way of life that we chose. In a sense, fate leaves us in this state, since none of us alive today were in the garden.

But while there is much in life that we cannot control, it does not mean that everything in our lives is predetermined. We still have the good that God imbued into our nature, which includes the ability to choose God’s will.

Indeed, it can be difficult to balance the notions of God’s sovereignty, suffering, and our own ability to choose. God, being the ultimate Being, must necessarily be in control of all things.

Yet to say that we are being controlled by God, or by fate, is to fail to take responsibility for our own actions. God cannot cause anyone to sin, for He cannot move anyone to be removed from Him—it is we who chose to be apart. On the contrary, God wills for us to be close to Himself, but He does not force us to choose His will.

Nevertheless, He gives us the grace to fight concupiscence—the inward pull towards sin—so that in the end, we may do what is most natural. This, ultimately, is human nature: to choose God’s will, which is only for our good.

If you were lost in the woods who would you hug? “David Punnamannil” - Kreg Lonneberg

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8

February 10, 2016

The persecution complex

I

ellen

graham

A few months ago, I sat in a classroom full of Christian students from all across North America. It had been a long day, and we were anxious to get this mandatory lecture over with. Our expectations for the session were low, but the speaker caught our attention when he wrote two words on the board: “secular” and “sacred.”

Under each he had us list words that we associated with them.

As might be expected, students listed under “sacred” words like “holy,” “blessed,” “divine,” and, under “secular,” words like “materialistic,” “nonbelieving,” and “anti-Christian.” One word that particularly stuck with me was “hostile.” The black and white line was drawn; it was almost as straightforward as if the speaker had written “good” and “evil.”

The speaker’s exercise illustrates something important: to Christians, “secular” is a scary word.

It denotes temptations that will lead off the straight and narrow and into a dark, twisting abyss of sin. Or maybe it makes us think of those heated internet debates you get in with some 45-yearold atheist who lives in his mom’s basement. Although “secular” is seen as a negative word, it simply means “non-religious.” In this definition, the word is neutral. When we call our culture secular, this means that it does not adhere to a specific religion; it does not mean that in stepping out into the world, Christians face attacks at every front. Yet this is

often the misconception to which Christians adhere. I think this misunderstanding arises from the Christian persecution complex.

For a long time, Christianity was at the center of Western culture. Today, we live in a pluralistic society. Because of the associations with the word secular, and the fear that goes with those associations, we have adopted the idea that every non-Christian person we meet is looking to persecute us. We even attach a little glamour with the idea of being persecuted and standing strong for our faith. But this kind of thinking is incredibly damaging. Fear of the secular is an isolating and individualistic mindset; fear forces us into a defensive stance which makes us want to curl up into the fetal position or stick our head in the sand. This sort of reaction perpetuates the idea that Christians are sheltered, naïve, and hypocritical.

It also goes against what Jesus intends for Christians. In Matthew 4:19, Jesus tells the disciples, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” Later on, in Matthew 5:13-16, Jesus calls his followers “the light of the world,” saying, “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father.” Jesus commands us to interact with the world, not stand aloofly off to the side.

The secular world has so much to offer. Just because you are not a Christian does not mean you are a puppy-kicking-dream-hatingfaith-crusher or that you abhor Christian values. You can encounter God in the secular just as much (if not more) as in the religious. And often, in an unfortunate twist of irony, the secu-

lar world embodies the understanding, open-mindedness, and compassion that Jesus advocates.

An environment like Trinity Western, which provides a safe bubble of Evangelicalism, may make it easier for us to fear the outside world. But we are actually hurting ourselves when we are too scared of the secular world to step outside our comfortable little communities.

Further, the Christian persecution complex detracts from the real suffering that daily occurs around the world. There are people out there who are legitimately persecuted for their faith.

We live in a country in which we have the right to practice whatever religion we choose, but not everyone is that lucky. Playing the role of the martyr, when there are people who cannot publicly practice their faith, makes a joke out of their struggle and distances us even further from that reality.

Admittedly, I’m not omniscient; I don’t know your background or story, and maybe you have faced persecution for your faith. But I think there is a line between religious persecution and cultural pluralism that Western Christians have muddled.

Although it is no longer at the center of our culture, Christianity is still the most prevalent religion in the world. It took me a long time to realize this fact because I grew up hearing all the ways in which the church has been wronged by modern society, how we Christians are a dying breed, and how we need to work hard to evangelize our heathen neighbours before they swarm us. According to Statistics Canada, over 60% of Canada’s population identifies as Christian. This prominence, as

well as Christianity’s position of authority in our culture for the past two millennia, has resulted in the fact that Christians enjoy advantages that other people groups do not. Yet the persecution complex has blinded Christians to their elevated position, making them fail to see the suffering of others and the way in which religious organizations have, in many cases, been the cause of this suffering. Again and again the church has discriminated against and oppressed minority groups and then turned around and lamented its victimization. And worst of all, this is often done unconsciously because of how ingrained the persecution complex has become.

The speaker was trying to explain to us that we have developed a twisted view of the secular. Somehow, NorthAmerican Christians believe that the world is out to get them, that it is a hostile, persecution-filled place.

He went on to tell us stories of students who had been warned against studying at a nonChristian university and who were told that if they left their Christian university, they would lose their faith. But if your faith is so shaky that you lose it as soon as you step out of a Christian setting, then it was probably not faith in the first place. As a Christian, there will be times when you will have to defend your beliefs; but not only is this a condition of our pluralistic society, it is also probably good for you. Do not confuse “secular” with “scary.” Do not equate non-Christian with non-good.

And, above all else, know the difference between persecution and a challenge.

Find out why our students say:

“Everything that’s best about Trinity

#winning

#murdermystery

#beavertails @TWU_LLC llcinfo@twu.ca

#mansiontime

#sayyestotheLLC

twu.ca/llc

#LLCottawa

is better at the LLC!”

Meaningful coursework. Professional work experience.

Community living in an historic mansion in our nation’s capital.

Apply online by Feb. 15th for Fall 2016: www.twu.ca/llc If you were lost in the woods who would you hug? “My Father, who I was told also got lost in the woods, when he never came home” - Nico Jancewicz

February 10, 2016

twu

1) Identify these Trinity landmarks 2) Email your answers to marshill@gmail.com 3) Be entered to win a $25 Cineplex gift card

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By Levin C. Handy (per http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/cwpbh.04326) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

You don’t have to sit in school to stand among greatness.

› Thomas Edison: The world’s most extraordinary failure never gave up.

Thank goodness.

open. online. everywhere. go.athabascau.ca/online-courses

If you were lost in the woods who would you hug? “I have no arms :(“ - Grandmother Willow

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February 10, 2016

If you were lost in the woods who would you hug? “Nietzche, death is inevitable” - Cam Thiessen

February 10, 2016

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kirsten

mcallister

I still remember the day that I found out that I could make words mean nothing. I started with the word closest to me, my name, chanting, “Kirsten, Kirsten, Kirstenkirstenkirstenkirstenkirs . . .” until the sounds peeled back the meanings and I could look at my own name with a strange indifference. I tried it with my other favourite words too: “Dog, tree, purple. . . .”

The sounds of my mouth stretching through my teeth and across the air had nothing to do with the actual dogs, trees, and purples that I knew.

C.S Lewis has argued convincingly that all of language is nothing more than metaphor. The meanings that we assign to words have a direct correlation to the way we think about the world, and yet they do not actually embody the “essence” of a thing. Even science, the self-proclaimed literalist, substitutes what it sees happening for metaphors to describe it like “centripetal force” and “nuclear fission.” These metaphors are not reality itself but only the closest thing we can get to understanding our ideas about reality.

When we understand the fluidity of words and their meanings, what kind of metaphors we are making

of our words becomes incredibly important.

Take a tree, for example. Right now an image is popping into your mind.

You could probably tell me what season your tree is in, whether it has pinecones or whirlybirds, and the colour of the leaves.

Probably, your tree is very neutral. But let’s say tomorrow somebody you love dies, and you take comfort beneath the spreading branches of an old oak. If you wrote poetry right then about the meaning of trees in light of your tragedy, they would be sad and ominous branches. The metaphor of a word will always carry a different connotation based on our subjective experience. Your idea of a tree will gain a significantly different meaning depending on the metaphor you find yourself assigning to it.

“Nature” is a word that has not always meant the same thing. During the Enlightenment, the acceleration of scientific progress began to shift the way in which we thought about our relationship with the natural world. Before this, hierarchy ordered the universe. Just as we believed the peasant and king were co-dependent, we believed humanity and nature were intertwined. This hierarchical model, albeit an imperfect analogy, provided the concept of the world as a working organism. As we have moved further into a mechanized world, the meaning of nature has been

refashioned for the use and domination of men. I say “men” quite literally here, as the objectification of nature was associated with society’s perception of women as passive and subordinate to men. Additionally, colonialist attitudes towards the new world similarly viewed both the great expanse of nature and the First Nations who dwelt there as objects of conquest.

Redefined within a framework of power and domination, nature acquires a new meaning of difference and servitude. We see it as “other” and therefore attempt to manipulate it into something which can be controlled and understood.

This has served as the motivation for so much of the progress that has led to our fragmented relationship with nature and each other.

In viewing nature as both a servant and a threat, we have come to see each other this way, too. In this way, nature serves as our mirror, revealing plain as day the secrets that we hide from ourselves: our landfills are filled with indifference to the other, and our oceans stink with the gratification of the self. As long as we are only able to see nature as a force to be dominated and used, we will further fragment the living organism that the earth and all its creatures comprise. We need to get the meaning of nature right if we are to also recognize a creature’s dignity or another person’s humanity.

Before nature meant something to be overcome, it was first a garden. “In the beginning” Eve and Adam were the keepers and tenders to this perfectly functioning organism. They worked, thrived, ate, created, discovered, learned, played, and made love in the garden. They lived in mutual dependency with it. They could exploit neither the garden nor each other. Gardens directly defy every sense of power and domination because there is no such thing as making something grow. In Eden there was no more need for strength than there was for nurture. They dug their fingers into the earth and watched the fruit of their labour create life and receive life in return.

The whole world depends on what kind of eyes we have for the earth.

Whether we will see it as a gift or as an object for our own pleasure is a choice that will, in the end, create or kill this place. Whenever we impoverish the earth, as long as we still need another drink of water, we are driving ourselves into poverty with it. It does not make us into hippies to love the world; it makes us into humans. If we could let it mean more to us, we may very well find ourselves walking with God and participating in the living garden of His creation.

If you were lost in the woods who would you hug? “Heideger” - Jesse Rintoul

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February 10, 2016 inspired by

[spaces] WELCOME TO [SPACES] LITERARY JOURNAL

My Favourite Excuse is Calvinism The stars were crossed the first time we locked eyes and knew that lips were soon to follow.

Let hands do what lips do and interlock as we talk of treble clefs and trumpets.

Nothing will keep our hearts apart no matter the distance our bodies traverse, keeping in touch by rhythm and destiny.

Desire is an ape sleeping wherever it wants to but it is superseded by the seed that was sown the moment we mumbled the secret meaning of our lives into each other’s ears.

I’ll hold tight ‘til it seems that we might burst from the sheer joy of holding and being held.

And when life tumbles down only the tension itself back up again, I’ll smile and slip a wink past the censors: “It’s predestination, baby, don’t fight it.”

Daniel Wagner (Vol. 5)

The Francophone - Emily Garrison (Vol.8)

TWU’s official literary journal, [spaces], is entering its tenth anniversary volume! As part of our celebration, the Mars’ Hill has kindly agreed to dedicate one page from each issue to feature some of the finest pieces that [spaces] has published over the years.

If you were lost in the woods who would you hug? “The Back Forty Owl” - Mathew Kim

February 10, 2016

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matthew wigmore

Inconvenient truth: 10 years afterwards Thinking it through with Dr. Geraldine Jordan.

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hannah

stover

An Inconvenient Truth came out 10 years ago. Do you think there has been any change in Western peoples’ sustainability?

GJ: Studies have shown that public opinion in the United States regarding anthropogenic climate change and global warming is influenced more by political affiliation than by hard scientific facts and understanding. Values matter.

Especially at the local and regional level, it appears that people are responding positively to make changes toward sustainability.

However, at national and international levels, especially in the last decade which corresponded with the Conservative government in Ottawa, policies and legislation were enacted to systematically decouple science facts from policy-making. Canada went from being considered a leader in combating climate change to being a laggard. Indeed, in the last 10 years, federal policies have included withdrawing from the Kyoto Accord, closure of the Canadian Foundation for Climate and Atmospheric Science, and dismantling the National Round Table on Environment and Economy.

So in Canada, the Inconvenient Truth of climate change appeared to be really inconvenient to the Conservative party government.

Maybe Mr. Harper didn’t watch Mr. Gore’s documentary.

What are some important things that environmental advocacy contains?

GJ: Environmental advocacy is important to help create good policy regarding wise and judicial management of natural resources and the careful management and reduction of wastes.

Without advocacy, the environment, and hence people, experience negative consequences of our industrial society, especially when a resource, such as air or the ocean, is considered common property.

In fact, we call this situation an externality: a cost borne by a third party, not involved in the economic transaction. So, for instance, if there are no regulations regarding industrial greenhouse gas emissions, then a manufacturing plant will not spend the money to reduce emissions, thus keeping its company’s production

costs artificially low. The external cost is then borne by the climate system, in which its natural systems are destabilized. Other examples include water pollution, air pollution, the North Pacific Garbage Patch, leaky landfills, etc.

Do you think this was a good example or not of environmental advocacy?

GJ: An Inconvenient Truth was an accessible documentary; you didn’t need to take GEOG 322 (Climate Change) to understand it. In that regard, the documentary was helpful in moving climate

change towards the forefront of people’s thinking, for those who cared.

What do you think it will take for people to practice life more sustainably?

GJ: Being informed is the first step to sustainable living; once we know the consequences of our actions, it should be easier to change for those with a value system that cares for others. We know that climate change hurts people. We know that caring for our neighbor happens here at home, not only with people who live in our own community, but also in the way we live. What we purchase here can affect people on the other side of the world, especially if what we buy comes from places where environmental standards are low or non-existent. The environment in which such outsourced products are manufactured suffers (e.g., water and air pollution); the people that make such products for us pay with their environment and accordingly their health and well-being.

Being informed of global connections helps us to make more

New langley brewery “taps into the local”

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cam

thiessen

As I walked into Trading Post Brewing Company for the first time, I was met with the friendly glow of dim lights and wooden tap handles attached to numerous gigantic chrome vats—my excitement was instant. The new local craft brewery on 64th Avenue is

Langley’s first and only local craft brewery. With six new brews and more to come, the facility, able to brew 1500 litres at one time, is a dream come true for any beer lover.

Trading Post’s founder and owner, Lance Verhoeff, a Trinity Western alum, plans to open a tasting room and brewery for February 13 and a brewpub soon to come in Fort Langley. For TWU students, this means good beer will be closer than ever, as well as a fresh new location for

community, conversation, and relaxation.

The quality of the beer is indisputable. The recipes created by their brewmaster are not only creative but also simply delicious.

Their Breakfast Stout, a dark, easy drinking stout brewed with Republica coffee beans, is sure to be a local favorite. Don’t miss out on a visit to Trading Post and bringing home a growler, or sitting down in their tasting room to enjoy a flight!

If you were lost in the woods who would you hug? “Mackenzie Cameron” - Darby Arens

informed and sustainable decisions with respect to lifestyle.

However, sometimes people remain ignorant until something catastrophic happens to them personally.

What are some big signs that we’re in trouble?

GJ: 2015 was the hottest year on record by a wide margin. CO2 levels are higher than they were 10 years ago. This amount surpasses the 400 ppm mark last year and never falls below this level anymore. Sea levels continue to rise. Continental and alpine glaciers continue to melt. As well, sea ice continues to decline, increasing earth’s albedo; this leads to the dangerous positive feedback loop of increasing global temperatures.

There is an increased frequency of record and deadly storms; for example, Typhoon Hayain, which struck the Philippines in 2013, was the strongest, highest wind speed storm which set a record.

Hurricane Sandy devastated the East Coast, flooding New York City. There is an increased frequency of extreme weather events: flooding, heat waves, drought, etc.

(E.g., California’s record drought has been going on for four years.)

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February 10, 2016

Art, science, and environment: the work of Edith Krause

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rachel

gingell

Students may know Edith Krause as an instructor in the SAMC Art + Design Department, but surprisingly, she did not begin in the art world. Krause studied marine biology and aquatic ecology at university, continuing on to complete a Masters of Science in Zoology and then working as a research assistant at UBC. Her involvement in research eventually waned while her interest in the arts, one that she nurtured through continuing education programs, grew. Krause enrolled in Emily Carr’s diploma program where she developed an interest

in printmaking. “It’s very much like working in a lab,” she says of the medium. “You must follow strict processes and techniques, or else it just doesn’t work.” She then continued on to pursue an MFA at the University of Alberta, where she began to combine her background in environmental sciences with her skill in printmaking.

Krause began to consider the elusive liminal space between art and science, asking, “Does art have anything to say about science? It’s one thing trying to make pictures of nature, but does it have something to contribute?”

She was struck by the parallels between the two disciplines: the practice of observation as well as the interpretation and translation of what is observed. “Scientists take little pinpoints of reality and

try to create rational narratives out of them,” she says. “What we do as artists is similar.”

Krause’s thesis was in part inspired by the ideas of French philosopher and sociologist Bruno Latour, who emphasized the interconnectedness of nature and the need to afford the right to life to other species. He argues that we must assign personhood to other species when considering development in order to make the right decisions. For him, scientists need to be there as the spokespeople for these speechless species. Krause’s decision was that “maybe artists needed to be there too.”

The resulting exhibition – [a] drift – featured a number of portraits in the medium of printmaking. The subjects were not human forms, but that which had

been her study as a researcher: plankton. She had painstakingly gathered plankton samples and photographed them under a microscope, using those photographs to make human-sized portraits of these life forms. “My aim was to raise the profile of organisms,” she says, “although one could easily argue that plankton can survive without us: we, on the other hand, cannot survive without them.”

This ecological activism has continued to be the focus of Krause’s artistic career. Her many exhibitions have addressed topics such as aquatic life forms, the impact of plastics and packaging on ecosystems, and the interdependency of species. Her current show, Adrift in the Same Pond, on exhibit at The Reach in Abbotsford

until April 10, also examines our interdependent relationship with other life forms by showing lifesized woodcut portraits of swimmers with human-sized portraits of plankton. Once again, Krause’s work not only brings the beauty and importance of an unseen species to our attention, but it also asks us to see our environment, not as a background for our own lives, but as a community of lives with which we are in relationship.

American apparel (un)sustainable shopping

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matthew

wigmore

American Apparel sports wellknown fashion items such as the classic draw-string zipper hoodie, 1980’s-inspired exercise clothing, and a range of cross-sex pieces. Part of American Apparel’s branding is that all items are made in a US factory in Los Angeles and that its wages begin at minimum. Lately, American Apparel has been struck with financial issues and forced to shut down over 36 locations. It officially filed for bankruptcy in October 2015.

Earlier this year, American Apparel’s board replaced founder and CEO, Dov Charney, with Paula Schneider. According t o Financial Post’s

Sarah Halzack, the company’s sales dropped 17% in the last quarter. When interviewed about the company’s prospects, Schneider said, “It’s not a busted brand.

It’s a busted company.”

Even though the financial instability plagued the company before Charney’s departure, his dismissal was on the grounds of sexual assault. American Apparel has long been accused of oversexualized images in advertising and clothing items that are not appropriate for mainstream retail; essentially, thongs should not be sold in the same

store as youth hoodies. Charney’s allegations and dismissal have not helped in redeeming criticism against the brand.

Furthermore, since Paula Schneider’s input as the new CEO, Dov Charney has filed a lawsuit against the company, aimed particularly at its board, in hopes to reinstate himself. Charney’s lawsuit could not have come at a worse time, considering the company’s current financial predicament. It makes outside analysts wonder whether Charney considers the benefaction of his company or simply capitalizes on American Apparel for self-aggrandizement. Since October of last year, the company has faced a retail and marketing catastrophe wherein, as Sneider describes to Financial Post,

only 6% of items in the store are newly-developed while the majority of its feature products are old. In addition, Human Resources is facing multiple reports of employee mistreatment and dissatisfaction.

This posits the question: can a retail company in North America truly prosper without extending its business overseas? This question troubled the minds of North American consumers when a factory in Bangladesh, which supplied some of JoeFresh’s stock collapsed, killing over 200 workers. Similarly, Gap Inc., which includes Old Navy, GAP, Banana Republic, Piperlime, and Steve Madden, was exposed for child sweatshops in Dehli in 2004 (by The Guardian). The ethical dilemma is posed by the r e tail companies who are making

If you were lost in the woods who would you hug? “I don’t do hugs” - Rachel Gingell

the most profit and, often times, coincidentally own more popular brands.

If there is any grain of encouragement to be gained from American Apparel’s downward turn, it is that such a turn does not seem to be associated with the location of its factory. When American Apparel reported gains, their factory was still located in LA. Rather, the company’s downturn is the result of severe mismanagement, unwise branding, and mismarketing, both in-store and among its store locations. If this theory holds to be true, Paula Sneider’s re-vamped leadership could reinstate this company as a prominent clothing brand without yielding to the temptation of establishing overseas factories.

February 10, 2016

Bob and Bev

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Finding friends at TWU

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bob & bev

bygate

To any of you who do not know us, we are Bob and Bev Bygate. We have been showing up at TWU on a regular basis since 2008, when we made our first student-related trip to see our pastor’s daughter, Clare Crowe in The Good Woman of Setzuan. Little did we know that TWU would become such a big part of our lives. We have not missed a theatre production since and are proud to say that we know pretty much everyone involved in the theatre department. Our favourite shows have been The Drowsy Chaperone, The Farndale Christmas Carol, and Fiddler on

the Roof. We occasionally attend SAMC art shows and the Cinergy Film Festival.

We have also been going to Spartan Volleyball and Basketball games for a couple of years and know most of the players.

We have missed only one volleyball game and one basketball game this season (we do have a life outside of TWU sometimes).

We have been invited to several weddings of TWU students, have spent an American Thanksgiving with a former student and her family in Lynden, WA, and spent Christmas Day 2015 with a Spartan friend and her family.

We are truly blessed to be able to spend time with students on and off campus.

Among our prized momenta from TWU are a “super-fan” award signed by Aaron Caleb ( f o r m e r Professor of Theatre)

and Angela Konrad (Theatre Department Chair). We also have Spartan t-shirts signed by every player on the women’s volleyball team, who won the Canadian Championship last year. We do not wear the shirts any more for fear of the signatures fading in the wash. They are now on display in our home.

We attend one of the graduation ceremonies each year. We enjoy O-Day each year and pop on campus on a regular basis, sometimes just to see whom we can bump into.

We can also be a bit of a tease as was the case about a week ago, when we showed up at TWU with an old set of golf clubs that are to

be used as props for SAMC Theatre’s upcoming Twelfth Night. I (Bob), while wheeling the clubs towards RNT in the fading light and pouring rain, asked a couple of students where the golf course was. I got some strange looks.

TWU is a great university, and we look forward to making many new friends.

Iceland: an earth-care utopia

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matthew

wigmore

Located just outside of the Arctic Circle, Iceland may very well be the most peaceful country on earth. Iceland is the most sparsely populated region in the European Union. With the exception of its 1970s skirmishes with the UK over cod-fishing limits—referred to as the Cod Wars—Iceland has not engaged in any wars; they have, alternatively, participated in peacekeeping missions in Bos-

nia, Kosovo, and Iraq. During the 1980s, Iceland hosted peace talks between US President Ronald Reagan and USSR President Mikhail Gorbachev. Lately, Iceland has become a prominent millennial tourist destination, thanks to cheap airfare. Arguably most impressive is Iceland’s low ecological footprint.

Iceland is located in a very active volcanic region. The erupting geyser in Haukadalur is the oldest known geyser in the world. Additionally, silica deposits mixed with geothermic-heated pools are responsible for one of the world’s seven wonders, The Blue Lagoon. In 2010 the volcano Ey-

jafjallajökull erupted after a series of earthquakes in 2000, causing trans-Atlantic flight delays over a week.

Aside from its geographical features, Iceland has been able to manipulate geothermal and hydroelectric energy from the country’s vast expanse of waterfalls and rivers in order to cover 85% of all of the country’s electricity. When the Kárahnjúkavirkjun Hydroelectric plant opened in 2009, Iceland became the world’s largest electricity producer per capita. Additionally, Iceland has been able to produce sufficient amounts of hydrogen to supply various filling stations for fuel-cell

vehicles. This is all due to Iceland being one of the largest producers of renewable resources.

Moreover, Iceland boasts one of the proportionally largest areas of biodiversity. This includes 1300 species, though the Arctic Fox is the only one native to the island.

All others, including the Icelandic Sheep and Icelandic Horse, are ancestors of animals brought over by the first Danish and Norwegian settlers.

A perfect way to visit Iceland and all it hosts is through a Golden Circle tour. This tour includes the 32 meter Gulfoss Waterfall, the Haukadalur Geyer, Lava Fields, Nordic Cultural

If you were lost in the woods who would you hug? “Rachel Gingell” - Anonymous

Sights, and has the option for a Blue Lagoon inclusion. If you are spending more time on the island, many locals suggest renting a car and exploring the ring-road, which begins and ends in Reykjavík and covers the circumference of Iceland. Vehicles drive on the same side of the road as in North America, thus making it a perfect outing. The Northern Lights can only be seen at the tail end of summer and into winter. Iceland Air allows for a stopover, free-ofcharge, up to a week when flying to any European destination from North America.

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February 10, 2016

KATIE MARYSCHUK

Thru the wilderness

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abby

guthrie

I am frequently overwhelmed by a sudden urge to turn towards the wilderness and simply start walking, not entirely certain of my direction but resolved to never turn back. It was not until recently that I discovered a way to respond to this urge in a slightly more reasonable manner: thru-hiking.

Thru-hiking is different from backpacking, which usually only entails a short hike or extends to a few nights and requires minimal preparation. Thru-hiking is about long distances, the longest and most intense ranging between

2000 to 5000km. A backpacker hikes smaller sections until over time they may eventually hike the entire distance of a trail. A thruhiker attacks it all in one hit. If you really want to experience all the aspects of nature, thru-hiking is the way to go.

The Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) is one of the most famous thru-hikes and part of the Triple Crown of Hiking. This trail’s fame, as well as general interest in thru-hiking, has increased exponentially due to our wanderlustfilled generation. Cheryl Strayed wrote a book about her own PCT journey which was later turned into a blockbuster film starring Reese Witherspoon. The PCT is roughly 4,286km of wilderness from the Mexican border to Manning Park in BC, crossing

through the western States. The trail has a vast array of environments, from Southern Californian deserts to the glacial Sierra Nevada. The entire trek takes around five months to complete, depending on the hiker’s daily mileage, which tends to average 32km each day.

As you can imagine, thru-hikes take a lot of time to prepare for.

The preparation often takes longer than the hike itself ! This planning entails more than just figuring out what to bring: you need to take into account the weight of the gear and how it will fit comfortably and easily in your ruck sack; you must determine what you will eat, how you will prepare it, and how to resupply; but more importantly, you have to think about your life situation

and whether or not you are able to drop everything for such a long period of time. Thru-hiking is an expensive venture, but it is also the adventure of a lifetime. Unexperienced and alone, Strayed was incredibly unprepared. When you read about her struggles during the trek, it is very clear how dangerous this activity really is. Even some of the most experienced hikers have died on the PCT, let alone all the other hikes. You are at the mercy of the elements.

Personally, I think this vulnerability is what intrigues me the most. I get really tired of drooling over Instagram accounts like “EarthPix” from the safety of my own home or going on hikes where you simply hike for the view at the top. These

sorts of hikes are great, but there is something thrilling about the idea of traversing so many ecosystems on foot. Nature has so much to teach us, and I want to experience it for what really it is, both the good and the bad. There is a kind of beauty in studying ecosystems and environments, experiencing the power of the winds atop a mountain or the pain of frost-bitten cheeks, or navigating the threat of wild animals.

My own dream is to hike the Te Araroa, 3000km of trail from the Northern tip of New Zealand to the Southern tip.

Nature can be merciless, but “there’s a whisper on the nightwind, there’s a star agleam to guide us, the Wild is calling.

Let us go.”

The virus will affect almost every aspect of how the Olympics run, with health risks and financial deficits as the primary concern. Athletes may refuse attending the games due to concern for their health. Countries may lose out on representatives, the games may lose a number of strong competitive athletes, and sponsors and corporations may lose out on money invested in those specific athletes. Furthermore, spectator numbers are predicted to be lower than usual, and fewer spectators mean fewer ticket sales, thus resulting in lost revenue for the games. Rio itself is not a particularly wealthy city, and while the games are already over-taxing citizens, the lost revenue will only

increase its economic difficulties.

Alongside current security issues and the concern for the health of food, drink, and travel, the Zika virus adds to an already large list of red flags that Olympic-hopeful countries are now noticing. The games are not meant to put lives in danger, but Rio now sits on the edge of putting lives at risk. Athletes must decide for themselves whether the price of glory is worth the potential danger. While Olympic officials are confident that the virus will be contained by the start of the games, the IOC is on a monitoring campaign to ensure the safety of everyone involved.

While safety is of utmost importance, the games will most likely continue regardless of concerns, in true Olympic fashion.

The risk of Rio: olympic fever Photo Credit: Tyler Durden

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katie

maryschuk

In the wake of the recent Zika virus outbreak, Olympic officials are now on their toes about athletes preparing to descend on Rio for the 2016 Olympics. However far off the games may seem, the virus was declared a “public health emergency of international concern” by the World Health Organization this February. This announcement raises a red flag for the countries within the world’s equatorial zone, particularly Brazil, Mexico, and surrounding Central and South American countries that are now headlin-

ing virus states. The threat of the virus affecting travellers, citizens, and athletes alike looms over the heads of organizations sending people into virus-zones and poses a question about how this virus will affect the Olympics.

In terms of travel, the Zika virus shares the same category as other historic viruses such as H1N1 (swine) flu, Dengue, and Ebola. The American Center for Disease Control and Prevention has placed Zika on level 2 travel alert (Practice Enhanced Precautions). In the grand scheme of things, Brazil seems to be the central country with a host of mosquitoes that carry the virus.

While people are still encouraged to travel to Brazil without major concern, recommended precaution is quickly rising.

The symptoms of the virus

can be fatal with fever, rashes, bleeding, and shock as some of the more immediate symptoms. There is a severe threat for pregnant woman because the disease can effect their newborns. While Olympic hopefuls are most likely not going to be entering the country pregnant, contraction of the disease can affect their unborn children.

In addition to dangers posed for Brazilian citizens, there is the danger posed to participants and spectators of the upcoming Olympics. Currently, there is no cure for the virus, so anyone entering virus-infested countries puts their life at risk. The WHO and neighbouring organizations have predicted that the virus will spread to neighbouring continents before the spring is over and continue into the summer.

If you were lost in the woods who would you hug? “A grizzly bear” - Trevor McMahan

February 10, 2016

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50th grid-iron showdown

I

bailey

broadbent

This past weekend, the Denver Broncos and Carolina Panthers battled it out at Levi’s stadium in Santa Clara, California, for what was truly a memorable Super Bowl 50. Chances are you caught at least a bit of the action on television. The two competing teams this year were literally polar opposites: the Denver Broncos proudly occupied this year’s #1 defence, while the Panthers held

I

katie

maryschuk

How did you get started in dance?

My older sister danced, and I used to copy her when I was a toddler, so my parents decided to put me in tap and ballet when I was 3 years old.

What made you want to get involved with dance?

Although my parents put me in it when I was a toddler, I decided to carry on competitively because I loved the upbeat music, the expression that went along with it, the way my body moved in an art form, and the lifelong friends I made through dance.

What has your dancing journey been like in post-secondary?

The first day of O-week I was given the opportunity to be a part of the Olympic National Tap Team for Canada, and I made the hard decision to deny the offer in order to continue at TWU. I was afraid I had made the wrong

the league’s #1 offence.

The position of quarterback was also quite different, as Peyton Manning took the field at 39 years old in his fourth Super Bowl appearance. A no-brainer for the football hall of fame, Manning looked to fortify his legacy as a quarterback with playoff success to go along with that of his regular seasons.

The other side of the field was quite different, as 26-year-old (and much less experienced) Cam Newton took the helm for the Panthers. Newton, a much more mobile QB, made his first Super Bowl appearance of what many suggest will be many.

This latest “semi-centennial”

Super Bowl came and went as all do, with disappointment falling on the shoulders of one side and triumph on the other. However, most viewers do not truly know how the game came to be in the first place. And why in the world is it actually called “The Super Bowl”?

In 1967, the National Football League, along with its rival American Football League, finally agreed to a long awaited merger. This merger allowed both championship football teams in their respective leagues to play for world championship status in a single game playoff. It also signalled the beginning for what was to become one of the world’s

largest sporting events for years to come.

That championship game was dubbed “The Super Bowl” after the Kansas City Chiefs owner, Lamar Hunt, referred to it as such near its inception. The term was coined after the popular “Super Ball” toy of that era and the term “bowl” being used to signify the final game of a collegiate football season.

The game has become one of the most watched annual televised events. This has led to Super Bowl advertisements becoming one of the main attractions for the game. A 30-second advertisement aired nationally during the event cost roughly 4.5 million this

past year.

In 2015, the championship event attracted over 114 million viewers across the globe, roughly the combined population of Canada, Spain, Australia, and Sweden. That number will likely top this weekend once the official statistics for Sunday’s game begin to roll in.

The NFL’s Super Bowl has shared many memorable moments with its fans over the course of the last five decades.

These memorable moments have resulted in an unofficial holiday, where families and friends come together to enjoy the beautiful sport of football.

decision, but I quickly involved myself with two dance studios in Langley and White Rock while also substitute teaching at Dance Trance. I heard about the Impact Dance Team, auditioned, and have been a part of it ever since.

What is the best part of dance?

Being able to express myself in a way that I cannot do verbally. I love the energy, the creativity, and how intricate each move is. I love the group dynamic of a dance team, and building community and bonding over something that we are each so passionate for.

What is the dance community here at TWU like?

The dance community at TWU is very different from the real dance world. I find that the dance industry is competitive, like most sports, and raises a lot of jealously, comparison, and insecurities while competing against other studios. That’s the thing I love about dance at TWU. We have made dance as God has intended us to: to worship and praise Him. It is very humbling, encouraging, and allows us to worship in a whole new way.

name: lindsay ries

year: third

sport: dance

hometown: cranbrook, bc major: psychology with human services minor

for more from Lindsay and exciting online exclusives go to

marshillonline.com

If you were lost in the woods who would you hug? “I have been hugging a keen sense of direction since birth” - Tara Gorman

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February 10, 2016

Looking for an outdoorsy date?

Are you the adventurous type? Are you looking for something active and fun to do with your sweetheart for Valentine’s Day? Look no further than this short and sweet list of the top 5 outdoor date ideas for this February 14th: Derby Reach. You want to stay local, but you’re also looking for a nice view and a good drive. Located just past Fort Langley, Derby Reach is your answer. A sunny afternoon is a perfect time to go for a stroll, throw a Frisbee, picnic by the river, or even go for a run along the Fort-to-Fort trail. If you are feeling extra-adventurous, rent a bike from TWUSA—it is only a leisurely 8.4km from campus!

5: Derby Reach

3: Steveston, Richmond Steveston in Richmond. The hidden gem of Richmond, Steveston boasts a quiet little main street, filled with pleasant shops and a 60+ year old hardware store to boot. The docks host plenty of freshfish vendors for a seafood-style dinner and you can even visit historic canneries. Put your bikes on your car so you can cycle the dyke from the Dyke Trail dog park to Garry Point Park.

Granville Island is the heart of Vancouver. However “city” central Granville Island may be, it offers a great experience for someone wanting to feel the water (take a water taxi to the main dock), taste the food (almost any type of food you can imagine!), or go for a stroll throughout the shops. Look to wear your runners as you’ll get some good mileage in walking from store to store!

4: Granville Island

1: Lighthouse Park

2: Bowen Island Rent kayaks on Bowen Island. Take the Trans-Canada to Horseshoe Bay and hop on as foot-passengers to Snug Cove. From there, it’s a two-minute walk to Bowen Island Kayaks, where you can rent for $15/hour. Explore the sounds and sights of Snug Cove and Howe Sound. Do note that kayaks may not be for rent in February, but take in the beauty of North Van Coast regardless! Hiking trails and water views are hard to miss.

Lighthouse Park in West Vancouver is the ultimate Valentines’ Day adventure. Park at the trail head or take transit on Marine Drive and the seabus from Vancouver. The park hosts numerous trails that take you down by the water for beautiful views of Howe Sound and the Vancouver city-line as well.

Point Atkinson hosts a legitimate lighthouse as well, hence the name.

Think outside: no box required

I

stephen

dejong

Living in Greater Vancouver offers us many opportunities to get outside and enjoy some unique experiences in nature. The Outdoors Club, a part of Rec Services, is one outlet for TWU students to get out there and see some pretty cool sights. The Club arranges trips for students to enjoy

the outdoors by way of hiking, snowshoeing, surfing, and many others. I joined the Club as a way to both stay in shape and to enjoy outdoor experiences that I would not otherwise.

I have enjoyed going into nature since my childhood in suburban Ontario. Like thousands of others in Southern Ontario, my family makes a trip “up north” to the Muskokas every summer for a couple weeks of roughing it in a provincial park campground.

Now that I live in BC, being from Ontario gives me a distinct appreciation for real mountains (sorry, Niagara Escarpment), and

this feeling is probably doubly felt in those from the Prairies.

But why do we enjoy nature?

Is it to get cool photos to send to our moms to prove we are enjoying ourselves? (Potentially.) Being in this part of the world definitely gives us the opportunity to see some unique and beautiful sights.

However, if all we want is cool sights and pictures to send home to mom, a nice stroll through downtown Vancouver would suffice—and you can stop off for a coffee. Rather, being in nature offers us a place to get away from the hustle and bustle of civilization and daily life.

Studies have shown that being in nature reduces anxiety while contributing positively to our well-being. From my perspective, being in nature gives us a chance to witness creation in all its tranquil and immense beauty and to see God’s handiwork and power unaltered by man-made construction. In my experience at TWU, getting outside gives me a chance to both centre myself and grow in my appreciation for the magnificence of creation. The Outdoors Club’s recent trip to Whistler was a great experience for me in both these respects. While I am sure these are things you have heard

before, and I know a lot of you already love spending time outdoors, I still want to offer some kind of call to action. If you know getting out into nature is good for you, make a point of getting out there and encourage others to do the same. And, regardless of where you may find yourself post-Trinity, it will always be necessary to ap- preciate the importance of nature, to grow and design communities that reflect this, and protect the natural environment that we have.

If you were lost in the woods who would you hug? “Tara Gorman. She’ll know the way to safety” - Anonymous

February 10, 2016

19

KREG LONNEBERG

How to Nature-Gram a Pro The Basics of Breaking Like by Lauren Kozol Up in the Back Forty

by Jordan Klaasen

Committed to a relationship before undergoing a sufficient number of pre-requisite DTRs? Need to let your significant other down so you can have more time for homework? Why not do it in the Back Forty?

Call your relationship off while out and about in nature this Valentine’s Day! You can easily climb a tree or hide in the bushes if things get ugly.

Here’s a few pointers you should follow if you choose to take my advice: 1: Pick a Location.

For best results, take your significant other to one of the various bridges along the Back Forty path.

That way you can push them into the slough below when things get too heated. You can also sit them down on one of the benches or a log. This lowers the risk of them getting mad, as they are more comfortable when seated. Alternatively, it decreases your chance of escape if your new ex tries to kill you.

2: Say something to induce calmness.

Here are some of my favourite things to say in a Back Forty break-up: •“It just smells so good out here!”

•“The clouds in the sky are like the clouds in my heart as I break up with you.”

•“Here, have a gluten-free granola bar.”

3: Do the Breaking-Up. My personal favourite way of communicating a breakup is through object lessons. Since you are out in nature, grab a leaf and get started! First, you have to explain how the leaf is whole and one, just like you two are one couple. Secondly, rip the leaf in half as you explain that now you are two individuals no longer in a relationship. That should make it clear and easily understandable for the other person.

Note: Whatever you do, do not allow the beautiful and fresh natural environment to change your goal. I am certain many a man or woman has gone to the Back Forty with the intention of calling off a relationship and has come out with a ring by spring. Be warned.

Equip Yourself Allow an appropriate amount of time beforehand to assure your supplies are in order. Make sure you have an outfit that shouts, “I enjoy chopping trees and canoeing and stuff.” Plaid is a must.

But, most importantly, charge your phone. Do not risk leaving with anything less than 95% battery life, or else it’s not worth it.

@scott_kranz

Filter on Fleek This is the moment the last 45 minutes of your life have been leading up to: it is time to post your photo. Post between the hours of 9 a.m. and 3 p.m., also known as the prime “like” hours.

Pick your filter, and if “earlybird” can’t enhance your photo, make sure you #nofilter so your followers respect your cellular photography skills properly.

Be one with the wild To be successful in the outdoors, you must first be aware of your surroundings. Avoid touching any unknown objects such as leaves, bugs, berries, and pretty much anything else. Above all else, always carry a bottle of Purell.

Be Insta-Ready As midterms approach, your ventures outdoors will become fewer and farther between. You’ll want to make sure you obtain enough insta-worthy photos to last until after finals. I’d recommend travelling to a destination with many different landforms: mountains, lakes, forest, and grasslands. This will allow you to use your photos on multiple occasions without risk of repetition.

@sawwahsisson

@becausecarolyn

Sit back and watch the “likes” roll in If you don’t reach at least 10 likes by the end of the day, delete the photo and let the world forget the day you tried to nature-gram.

@kylehouck

Kreg’s Top 3 Funny Series to Watch on British

(Because Who The Hell Wants To Watch Canadian Netflix?)

If you were lost in the woods who would you hug? “Mother Nature” - Josh Boersma

20

February 10, 2016

Submit your declassifIeds at:

www.marshillonline.com/de-classifIed 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.

I have a really tough schedule this semester actually means...

I have Friday classes and/or a class that starts before 11 a.m.

Shamelessly pilfered the missions week candy after the reps left... Sincere thanks, mercy ships.

Andrew Richmond as the Himnal is like wine on a lonely night--I could get drunk off both of them. #AdoringAndrew

From now on I will be picking my courses strictly based on which profs hole punch the syllabus.

A sheep, a drum, and a snake fall down a cliff…..ba-dum-tsss.

I’M IN THE MARS HILL!!! HI MOM

What is the definition of money?

Zach. Zach Frie$en. #dolladollabills

Well, if you didn’t want me to eat the chocolate, maybe you shouldn’t have put it within 10 miles of me.

When relatives ask me what I plan on doing with my life I say pursuing my dreams. Whether or not they know I mean sleeping isn’t my concern.

slept like a baby last night. woke up every two hours and cried.

To the guy who wears a different colour every day: You are my hero and I want to be you when I grow up.

I still haven’t bought my textbooks…

Mad crushes for all those great male dancers at the Sadie Swing. #YouCanDipMeAnytime Today a man knocked on my door and asked for a small donation towards the local swimming pool. I gave him a glass of water I just bought a 48 pack of Kraft Singles and intend to eat them all by this time next week. What has my life come to?

“Duck Season!”

“Wabbit Season!”

“Duck Season!”

“Wabbit Season!”

“Cam Thiessen!”

“What” “Get out of here Cam” *casually eats pie at an intersection*

3 guys gave me their numbers today. I guess you could say this group project is getting pretty serious.

My sister just said that Sodexo was the Adam Sandler of catering services.

Spotted in gym: a rogue Cal Townsend. Use as blackmail material in your classes now! #PlatoIsDisappointed #PhilosophersDon’tExercise

Socks are really just little bags for your feet.

Why do people pay so much for a snuggie? I mean just put a robe on backwards; it’s the same thing. #YoureWelcome #SavingWalletsSavingLives

I spent a lot of time posting possibly terrible de-classifieds so that Yik Yak thing would never happen again.

“The cashier looked at me like I was a fatty.”

- Peter Gillespie

“Hot! Take Caution.”

When your coffee describes you.

I woke up with a 10 in my bed this morning. It was me, I am the 10.

Taylor Graham and Alice Best? I ship it. #Taylice4eva

Marshill is bae.

I can’t say I’m at that level of maturity yet where I wait for the driver to unlock the car door instead of violently yanking on the handle. i put the plz in pizza

sarah THE robertshaw SheVANGELIST

Hometown: Enderby, BC Denomination: Nondom--nom, mmmm donuts

“The Fundamentalist: Not enough fun, too much damn.”

-Professor Hatina If laughter is supposed to keep one’s face youthful, how come witches look so old and wrinkled?

year: 4th

If God’s personal name is Yahweh, does that make Satan’s Nohweh? sometimes I sneeze in public just to hear those blessings #christainuniversitythings Anyone else single for Valentine’s Day? Please date me I’m so lonely, the geese won’t talk to me anymore The Bible on my phone was updating. I didn’t know there were updates.

Bonjour. Je m’appelle fromage.

Je suis un ourson. J’aime les oies. Pour ça, tout les autres animals du <<Back Forty>> veulent me tuer. Comme ça, Je suis très triste.

So So So Miiiiiiii. Fa Fa Fa Reeeee

At what age should I stop getting excited when I notice I’ve made a rhyme unintentionally while speaking?

We know a lot about urine, don’t we, Sarah? #nursingstudents

Pastor: “You’d expect peaches to grow on peach trees, right?

What about crabapple bushes?”

From back of the crowd: “Montreal Canadians.”

Be the change... that will help me afford that last load of laundry.

Patiently waiting for the day I’m old enough to start wearing pants made out of the same material as my shirt. #GrandmotherGoals

age: 21

Best place for a first kiss? On the edge of a cliff, so if its bad I can end that real quick.

Biggest deal-breaker? Other people’s knees.

Cover your knees up if you’re going be walking around.

cliff test.

Skill that makes you “the one”? Proficient at

Microsoft Office.

i wish i had a delicious pizza instead of this dumb haiku

So I ordered a Linda Burger at Mcdonalds and the cashier looked at me funny. Apparently they don’t have those.

Favourite man/woman in the Bible? Archibald

them Peter, Edmund, Susan, and Lucy, regardless of gender.

The awkward moment you’re carrying a coffee maker and a printer and say “yeah, I got this” then roll your ankle and fall down some stairs.

Kudos to Douglas for minimal fire alarms this year! #missingthefiremen

How long before you propose? Survived my

How many kids do you want? Four. We call

I have hit Rocky Road bottom.

things TWU has taught me not to take for granted #1: multi-ply toilet paper

Favourite way to worship God? Interpretive dance of the entire book of Revelation.

Asparagus as Jonah..

To the Mars Hill person who has to read all of the submissions I just posted, you are the real champ. Please accept all of mine I need this

major: history

Friend: “I don’t know how to end this sentence.”

Me: “Personally, I go for a period.”

If I had rope I would definitely climb out of the second floor Douglas study room window

height: 5’1 ”

Best pick up line? “Hello, it’s me, Ryan Gosling

singing Adele to you.” That only works if it is actually Ryan.

Domestic talent? Domestic talent?

Age limit (max/min)? At what age do they get dadbod? #dadbod #isdadbodstillathing? #dadbod2016

Idea of a perfect date? Go to a Mumford &

Sons concert. Leave him for Marcus Mumford and his sons. #dadbod

If you were lost in the woods who would you hug? “There’s a pun about a Tiger somewhere in here…” - Johnny Janzen