Volume 24 Issue 7: Administration

CHEATING SPORT PG. 7

VOLUME 24 ADMINISTRATION

TWUSA SURVEY PG. 10&11

DR. HUSBANDS PG. 12

ISSUE NO. 7 01.29.20

2

“I don’t know what that means—I hear people talking about the administration,” Tobin Voth, then President’s Intern, comments. “I never know who they are including or excluding when they do, or who they think that they mean.”

“Valid,” I remember thinking. Over the course of my time at Trinity Western University (TWU) I had participated in several such conversations; I had at times, without thought to what I really meant by my words, engaged in thoughtless criticism of those in decision-making positions at this university. Over the course of the ensuing conversation— which would turn out be memorable for all kinds of other reasons, but that is another story—we broke down our differing understandings of the word. We talked about the roles that Student Life, the Executive Leadership Team, and TWUSA play in students’ experience of campus and the relative limitations of each.

Mars’ Hill’s relationship to the administration is complex and often a site of some confusion. Some, particularly respondents to our satisfaction survey, object to our often critical posture towards the institution, request that we “publish content that is actually supportive of Trinity for once.” Others, on our more recent survey which explored students’ satisfaction with TWUSA, object to the quantity of funding that the paper receives from TWUSA. Still others specifically question the fact that Mars’ Hill has a financial relationship with TWUSA, claiming that this compromises the paper’s editorial independence and credibility.

Each of these factors contributes to Mars’ Hill’s complex relationships with the institutions that it covers. Mars’ Hill and TWUSA’s relationship extends beyond funding, TWUSA can fire the Editor-in-Chief if they publish content that contravenes or undermines the core documents of the university, which include the Statement of Faith, the Community Covenant, and the Hospitality Policy. Critics believe that this context will result in a culture of self-censorship.

These sites of tension are further exacerbated by the realities of life in a small school. Essentially, in this context, there are unique relational consequences to editorial conflict.

“Well, I’m not censoring you, but . . . honestly, I have no idea how you could possibly have found out about that.”

Two years ago I sat down with the then TWUSA President; I had a lead, and I was excited to confront him about it. His response curdled my enthusiasm. It hit me, abruptly, that I was his first experience of difficult press.

Again, I was struck with a realization: he was far more burdened by this situation than I was. I did not have to convince him that this was a serious matter. Moreover, I realized that telling this story would not catalyze any sort of reckoning. Rather, to do so would be invasive, disruptive, and cruel. Suddenly, instead of pursuing this line of questioning, I was interrogating my conceptions about the type of journalist I wanted to be. It is not a secret that journalists are often incentivized to produce content that is challenging, critical, or expository—careers are made as incompetence is exposed. However, confronted with the reality of this situation and the sensitivity of the discourse surrounding it, I realized that we needed to let this one go—for now.

Stories like these—the ones we have chosen not to tell—are the ones that force me to question my own complicity with “administration,” an unwieldy term though it is. It can be painful to encounter the limitations of institutions, and the individuals who function within them. It can be difficult to figure out how to call attention to the injustice that often flows from those limitations.

For these reasons, many Mars’ Hill and TWUSA partnerships have had an adversarial undercurrent. However, ours this year has been rather uneventful and wholly congenial. Far from undermining, or contributing to a culture of self-censorship, I maintain that the mutual trust and support that has characterized our relationship directly improves the quality of our coverage.

Even as we begin the discussion about our student association, in time for TWUSA election season, I hope we have done so in a way that acknowledges the progress that has already been made, such as the Hospitality Policy and the emphasis on advocacy over events.

As it happens, “administration” was a generative and significant theme for our contributors and staff writers: Maritha Louw wrote on the Trump administration, Grace Giesbrecht profiled Dr. Husbands, Tyler Jones wrote on the league-wide implications of the Astros’ cheating scandal, and Liv Walton evaluated the theological implications of the contemporary church’s administrative structure.

I hope we have engaged in this conversation constructively, and, as Tobin would have it, with careful attention paid to the ways in which we wield our words.

As ever,

He paused, before lifting his eyes, “Chrisaleen, I can’t even tell my team.”

MARS’ HILL

MISSION TO MARS

Mars’ Hill is a student publication of Trinity Western University located on the tradtitional ancestral territory of the Sto:lo people. 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.

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

EDITORIAL POLICY

CONTRIBUTORS

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, the Statement of Faith, the Student Handbook, and the Core Values of the University.

Anonymous authorship of any material may be granted at the discretion of the Editorin-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.

Maritha Sydney Nyssa Tobin Jolene Carter Lucas

Louw Dvorak Morgan Voth Vlieg Sawatzky Morehouse

Media Advisor: Loranne Brown 7600 Glover Road, V2Y1Y1 Langley, British Columbia, Canada marshill@gmail.com marshillnewspaper.com

WHAT DOES YOUR CHURCH’S ADMINISTRATION NOT KNOW ABOUT YOU?

3

SUBMIT YOUR OWN AT MARSHILLNEWSPAPER.COM/DECLASSIFIEDS don’t forget how God has brought you through so many red seas. don’t forget your exoduses. He’ll do it again God says I’m here to I’m here to I’m here to I’m here to

pick you up carry you through walk you there be ME to YOU

Happy Birthday Merry Christmas Happy New Year Chrisaleen schoolwork and grades are not God’s greatest calling on your life You don’t need to know the next ten steps.

The next right thing, what’s right before you, what’s in your hands. He’ll close the door if that’s not what He wants for you. But do the next right thing.

Jesus allows you to carry more than you can bear, so that you know you can’t bear anything without him and so that you’re made aware he is the one who has been bearing it all, including you, since the beginning.

You were built for peace And to be graciously broken by God is infinitely better than to be held together by your own hands.

Victory does not solely lie at the end of our struggle but is a continuous overcoming of our trials moment by moment, day by day.

I’d rather have Jesus than money in my bank account.

I may have reason to be anxious, but I have more reason to rejoice I am and will be very imperfectly thankful, very fallibly prayerful, very distractedly peaceful, and very unwillingly restful. But God knows.

There is a sleeping beauty in the Bible and he is Adam.

It’s said that the greatness of a man is shown in how he treats the little man. But it is also true that the littleness of a man is shown in how he makes others feel little.

Be quick to believe the best of others.

You have no idea how far they’ve come or what they’ve been through.

“You have freedom not from the strain of life, but in the strain of life.”

Yo that Greta Thunberg look-alike girl is my roommate

don’t settle for win-win. aim for winwin-win.

Yay that my sins may come to light, so that His grace may come to light.

and God created woman in her own image

Katy Perry’s Hot n Cold is actually about Fraser Valley weather change my mind

When your GPA is gone, when your scholarships are gone, you are what remains. You’re still you.

Challenge accepted, Pawn d5

what does mars hill censor? what if I say heck crap and shoot?

you are made new, and still you are in the makings child, take heart, have joy, let peace overcome you i have not been to a single SNA since coming to trinity and i intend to keep it that way. I have nothing against worship, I just feel like it’s an attainable goal and i know that i’ll need a win after i graduate.

My friends don’t understand the beauty of good music like come on people there were jams written before 2012 This semesters life lesson: Life is too short to waste your time on people who don’t respect, appreciate, and value you.

Is there anymore sexual tension then swing dancing at TWU?

Whenever my Prof asks “do you have any questions?” My mind is like yes. I have so so many questions but my body is weak and cannot comprehend the mysteries you place before me. I have no questions because I do not know what I am doing anywhere.

“Please fall in love with me please fall in love with me please fall in lo-dangit.

Another boyfriend?”

if i started choking in the caf i would 100% rather die than draw attention to it with someone giving me the Heimlich

“I need to stop falling for people, you need to stop sleeping. That’s all of our problems right there!”

This message is classified. Please don’t declassify it.

the declassifieds are the new meme vehicle, original_trinity_memepage is slippin Andy walks with me, Andy talks with me, Andy tells me I am his owwwwwwn Darn I was really hoping to get that “please don’t walk on the pond” email this year. I guess I can go give it a go since I wasn’t told not to.

“I just wanna be a sheep, baa, baabaa, baa” --Trad. Sunday School Fun activity: sneeze multiple times in a class and hoard the blessings from your good Christian classmates The Holy Trinity of Trinity: Bob Kuhn the Father, Dell the Son, and Toru the Holy Spirit

I lowkey submit like 50 declassifieds a month but you wouldn’t know that now would ya?

shoutout to the person in Fraser second floor apartments who plays guitar hero like their life depends on it, I watch you from the skidmore and admire your dedication

Highkey Kendra Kay is still super hot tho

Brodie Hofer needs to cut his hair if he wants to play volleyball any longer

Why are worship leaders the most attractive things on earth?

Reply to the guy who said that the girl isn’t listening to him: she would listen to your mixtape if you make one on youtube and share it on fb. She could listen to you through songs.

Strombeck needs a power-washing

“For where two or three Spartans gather together, there girls are in the midst of them” TWU 18:20

Dream TWUSA line up: President: Sarah Creach VP: Sarah Creach Everything Else: Sarah Creach

*Picks up mars hill* *Reads declassifides* *Throws away mars hill* “My calling is goat yodelling.” i just need a butch lesbian who wears plaid on plaid you don’t need a boyfriend, you need a weighted blanket You know it’s TWUSA election season when people who are running for office and you’ve never talked to before start sending you friend requests on FB

If Christ is the light. then we are the moths of Christ we should be harmony people @whoever thinks all the hot girls live in NW. If want you us, you have to walk up an get us.

If I’m not a TWU poster child by the time I graduate, did I even go here

Anyone else wonder about the work time vs. play time ratio of the maintenance team?

one thing I learned moving into apartments? toilet paper conservation

i’m a 1st year but i can’t wait to graduate. i feel so alone here.

If I don’t find my husband at Trinity I’ll just have to adopt as a single parent Cybernetic Implants, fräuline.

Come see new gen

Taking only one class from your major in a semester is depression prêt-à-manger

When C2B can get into the Langley times, Vancouver Weekly, VIA, and Mars Hill still wont do a story on him *eyeroll* yoo hoo ! big summer blowout the security guard was just a huge jerk to me and i don’t even know who i can talk to about it. i hate this place To everyone I gave whooping cough to: Whoops

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.

WHAT IS YOUR NAME? Liv Walton WHAT IS YOUR MAJOR? Intercultural Religious Studies - International Development Track WHERE ARE YOU FROM? California WHAT IS SOMETHING YOU BELIEVE IN, SOMETHING YOU’RE PASSIONATE ABOUT AND WANT TO SHARE WITH THE WORLD?

WHO IS YOUR FAVOURITE (FICTIONAL) CHARACTER AND WHY? Currently, Jo March, but usually, Luna Lovegood because they are authentic, compassionate, and inspiring.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE ARTICLE OF CLOTHING? I have a pair of jeans that mysteriously showed up in my dresser one day. There’s no tag or any specifics but they fit like a glove and I will never part with them.

I’m passionate about justice, especially for oppressed people groups, preservation of culture and the earth. There is so much power to be found within these margins and I feel a duty to acknowledge and give voice to that power. It’s the best way I know how to make Jesus’ regardless love tangible to the world. It’s the whole reason why I write.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE ARTICLE YOU’VE WRITTEN FOR MARS’ HILL AND WHY IS IT IMPORTANT? “You Are Not Trash” because I think it can resonate with us all.

“I HAVE NO INTENTION OF “SIGNING UP TO TITHE ONLINE”” - GRACE TAN

4

EMMA DYKSTRA

Coffee is an essential part of the student experience.

This number is staggering, considering a survey conducted by TWUSA last semester found that nearly 80 percent of the 162 participants expressed a willingness to switch to a resusable option for cups, or said they already used a reusable mug when getting coffee at TWUSA. Lim says that during his two years in the role of Director of Operations and Services, there has been an increase in coffee consumption—which prompted Lim to increase the quantity of coffee ordered, but the amount of cups both ordered and used stayed relatively the same. This was encouraging.

Regardless, Lim says that these cups are important when it comes to TWUSA coffee distribution. “The service that we provide is the ability for people to conveniently come in and grab a cup of coffee in a paper cup.” In order to achieve its mandate, it is of utmost importance for TWUSA that the lounge be convenient for

Y SA

TWUSA goes through about 1500 non-reusable cups each week.

The main concern about the use of disposable cups is the waste factor. Not offering cups at all may reduce waste on campus. However, being completely rid of cups is not in the near future—though Lim wants to reach that point eventually. In the meantime, Lim says there are opportunities to reduce usage. TWUSA’s Ecological Stewardship Committee is looking into ENTS HAV D those ways.

They are also investigatU E ST ing ways to reduce paper waste from printing.

TO

But students certainly fly through those free supplies. TWUSA purchases all of its coffee, stir sticks, cups, and lids from JJ Bean, a Christian-owned coffee organization based in North Vancouver. According to TWUSA’s Executive Director of Operations and Services, Josh Lim, TWUSA orders about 40 to 45 pounds of coffee and 1000 to 2000 cups a week.

WH AT

Rain-drenched days and 8 a.m. classes would not be as bearable without it. The best part? On campus, courtesy of the Trinity Western University Student Association (TWUSA), it’s all free.

students. However, as indicated by the survey, not all students find the convenience to be worth the cost.

EXCERPTS FROM OUR SURVEY “ENCOURAGING SUSTAINABLE PRACTICES ON CAMPUS. TWUSA MENTIONED THE POSSIBILITY OF GETTING RID OF DISPOSABLE CUPS IN TWUSA LOUNGE AND HAVING PEOPLE USE THEIR OWN REUSABLE MUGS, WHICH I THINK IS A GREAT IDEA AND A GOOD STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION BUT I HAVEN’T SEEN THEM ACT ON THAT YET.” “REDUCING TWUSA’S ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT AND FIGHTING TO MAKE TRINITY AS A WHOLE MORE SUSTAINABLE. WE’RE SUPPOSED TO BE ON THIS BEAUTIFUL UNCEDED TERRITORY AND WE TREAT IT TERRIBLY WITH LITERAL TRASH EVERYWHERE, AN INITIATIVE TO CLEAN UP CAMPUS AND BETTER STEWARD WHAT GOD HAS GIVEN US WOULD BE APPRECIATED. DEVELOPING MORE AND BETTER RESOURCES FOR REDUCING OUR CONSUMPTION OF SINGLE USE. WE NEED BETTER RECYCLING/DONATION OPTIONS, THE THINGS THAT END UP IN THE GARBAGE ARE SO SAD.”

Additionally, there is also the cost factor—2000 cups a week dips into the budget, which is made up of student fees. TWUSA takes its contribution from students seriously. “The point of being a good steward of your $75 a semester is not saving money, it’s having a balanced budget at the end of the day,” Lim says. He maintains that saved money is not necessarily a good thing if it means that the money could have been spent on something that helps TWUSA achieve its mandate. There are many opportunities to use those funds in greener, more affordable options such as a KeepCup initiative (something Lim has looked into) and other TWUSA services.

A TWUSA lounge without single-use cups will probably not happen anytime soon. When specifically asked if TWUSA would consider getting rid of cups, Lim said, “We want to try. Just see what the reaction is on a Monday or a Wednesday and evaluate that.

But I don’t see a way that we’d ever eliminate cups,” he said. “But I do see a day where it’s very limited.”

“SHOULD I SAY SOMETHING ABOUT HOMOEROTIC INCLINATIONS AGAIN OR NAH” - TINA FU

5

MARITHA LOUW

TRANSFEMINISM SYDNEY DVORAK

The transgender community is extremely diverse. Transgender people are individuals whose gender identity or gender expression is different than that assigned at birth.

Members of the transgender and gender non-conforming community may identify as male or female, more than one gender, or no gender at all, among other possibilities.

A recent and little-known movement focusing on transgender rights is transfeminsim. Transfeminism was created “for trans women who view their liberation to be intrinsically linked to the liberation of all women and beyond,” as defined by activist and scholar Emi Koyama. This intersectionality includes transgender issues in the larger sphere of feminism.

Renowned historian Dan Carlin outlines the crucial events of the twentieth century that have shaped our contemprary political world in his podcast series, Blueprint for Armageddon. Carlin begins with the World War I, naming it the catalyst for the events of the succeeding eighty years.

Most importantly, he highlights the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand in the summer of 1914. When this prominent political figure in the Austro-Hungarian Empire was murdered by a Serbian national, blocs of allies began to form around Serbia and Austria-Hungary. Immediately following, Germany issued an ultimatum, and the world descended into the deadliest conflict it had ever seen.

Sound familiar?

Terms like #WW3 have been trending on Twitter ever since American President Donald Trump ordered a drone strike on Iranian General Qassem Soleimani, resulting in the Iranian’s death and escalating tensions between the two powerhouse countries. One cannot help but wonder whether this is the beginning of another global conflict. While American youth joke about conscription on social media, vulnerable Iranian citizens have a very real fear of being caught up in the aftermath of an attack. Further, Canadian citizens have already been impacted by these rising tensions, namely the victims of the Ukrainian Airlines Flight PS752.

There is some consolation in this area, however. President Trump will most likely not declare open war on Iran. First, there is the obvious argument of mutually assured destruction, which was the guiding element in keeping the hostile sentiments during the Cold War from escalating into nuclear war. Secondly, a president cannot declare war without agreement from both the House of Representatives and the Senate—which have already impeached the president, indicating a likely reticence to support him. Finally, the world today has very specific political infrastructures in place that did not exist in 1914. These institutions are designed to diffuse armed tensions and minimize the risk of military conflict. But, seeing as the United States is the main financial benefactor to (and consequently the main actor in) these organizations (the United Nation and North Atlantic Treaty Organization), it is difficult to say with much confidence that it will achieve its goal.

All this to say that very little can alleviate the fears of the world’s citizens. There is no due process in the international system. There is no agenda or plan in place for a situation such as this. It is one thing to learn about world-changing events in history classes, but it is another altogether to experience them firsthand without being certain of the outcome.

A major focus of transfeminism is stopping violence against transgender and gender non-conforming people. In 2019 alone, the Human Rights Campaign recorded 25 fatal attacks against transgender people in the United States, most of whom were transgender women of colour.

However, many of these incidents go unacknowledged or misreported. According to the Williams Institute at the University of California, only 0.6 percent of the U.S. population identifies as transgender. For such a small demographic, so many deaths is disproportionate.

Dismantling the culture of transphobia and anti-transgender violence is a major focus of this movement. The pursuit of respect and equality for trans and gender non-conforming people in media and police reports will both subvert these incidents of violence and expedite justice for the victims.

As intersectional and transfeminist communities strive towards justice, they must also mourn a member of their community. On New Year’s Day, transgender man Dustin Parker was shot and killed in McAlester, Oklahoma. He was a 25-year-old taxi driver, husband, and father. This is the first (known and reported) transgender death of 2020. While some believe that his gender identity was the motivation, it is still unclear whether this was a hate crime.

“THAT I ALWAYS TAKE THE BIGGEST CRACKER AT COMMUNION” - NYSSA MORGAN

6

NEW STUDENT LEADERSHIP POSITION CONNECTING ATHLETICS, STUDENT LIFE GRACE GIESBRECHT “Playing sports at a university, you have all these pictures in your mind of . . . what it will be like,” says Aliya Coy, third year student at Trinity Western University (TWU) and Spartans athletics soccer player.

WHAT THE HONK IS CANADA’S RELATIONSHIP WITH IRAN? EMMA DYKSTRA Canada and Iran’s formal diplomatic relationship officially began in 1956 after an Iranian mission opened in Ottawa and, later, a Canadian mission opened in Tehran. Trade grew, and Iran became one of Canada’s most important trading partners in the Middle East.

Diplomatic relations between the countries stayed relatively steady (with one exception in the 1980s, but that’s another story) until September, 2012. Iran’s non-compliance with United Nations Security Council resolutions regarding its nuclear program prompted Canada to expel Iranian diplomats from Ottawa and close its embassy in Tehran. However, Canada was satisfied with the 2016 confirmation by the International Atomic Energy Agency that Iran had fulfilled its necessary commitments under the new nuclear deal (the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action) and expressed an interest in restoring diplomatic contact. Regardless, the embassies in both nations have yet to be re-established.

This lack of framework for diplomacy presented an obstacle when Ukranian Airlines Flight PS752 crashed, killing 57 Canadian citizens. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau strongly stated that the tensions between Iran and the United States were responsible for the airliner having been shot down.

Further, Trudeau insisted on transparency and justice in regards to the investigation of the crash for the sake of the families and the victims. As the investigation continues, leaders talk, and politics run their course, Canadians must be sure to take time to ponder and remember the lives lost in the crash, and hope for peace to be a common goal between all nations involved.

But when she got to university, TWU’s soccer team did not match the pictures in her mind very well. “It’s not at all what was expected,” Coy says. She explains that one key difference is in which members do the less desirable tasks on behalf of the team.

On the many teams she has experience with, the younger girls do the grunt work: they haul the soccer bags and move the nets. “But at Trinity it’s actually flipped. All the seniors serve the incoming rookies,” Coy says. The rookies eat first and never carry a ball bag.

It appears that the differences in culture between TWU athletic teams and those of other schools might reflect the core values of TWU itself. The service-minded atmosphere of the soccer team is a prime example.

And yet, Coy recognizes a difference in culture between the Spartans teams and the rest of campus. Spartans come from many different backgrounds, drawn by offers from their respective sports. Because of this, Coy explains, “It’s where, on campus, you would find the [least] Christian people.”

The Spartans’ Athletic Director, Jeff Gamache, disagrees with Coy’s assessment. He says, from his office behind the gym off a narrow hallway, that the teams are “no more secular than the dorms.”

Regardless, he acknowledges the divide and wants the athletes to be “involved in the greater TWU community.” One of the differences he sees is the athletes’ involvement in student leadership. A new student leadership position is bridging that divide as of this year.

In September 2019, TWU Spartans Athletics created the Spartans’ Spiritual Leadership position. As a student leadership position in partnership with Student Life, the role is intended to foster spiritual formation and to create a point of connection on Spartans teams with the rest of campus.

The spiritual leadership position, according to Gamache, will “empower athletes to care and invest in the spiritual lives of their teams.” Instead of “outsourcing” such leadership to a chaplain or even the coach of the team, that leader is a student in a similar and relatable position—like the rest of the student leaders on campus.

In terms of what struggles exist in the lives of the students both in dorms and on teams, Gamache views teams like dorms. “[Their struggles are] going to be the same stuff . . . Whatever you find in a dorm, you’re going to find on a team.” The spiritual leaders are available to support their fellow players in these struggles.

Coy, who is the spiritual leader for the women’s soccer team, views her role as exactly that: “[The spiritual leader is] a solid person on every team that everyone felt comfortable coming to with whatever life problems they’re going through.”

Gamache puts great value on student leadership and, as a former discipleship group leader, considers it a vital part of his time as a student at TWU. Bringing this mindset into his position when he began three years ago, the addition of a student leadership role for Spartans teams was an early goal.

As student leaders, the Spartans spiritual leaders will participate in the campus-wide leadership events and training. Though they missed Student Leadership Orientation week this year, because their positions had not been created at the time, the leaders attended the Winter Student Leadership Retreat at Rockridge Canyon.

Coy remarks that this was a great event for the spiritual leaders as they become “a legit leadership role on campus that is respected and known.”

Mentorship is a large focus of the program.

Looking at transitioning some of the roles to new students, Gamache has been asking the current leaders who they think should succeed them. He wants it to be an internal mentorship. His vision is that one spiritual leader, a graduating student, will mentor and pass their role onto a younger player.

Another support the leaders have—which seems to be distinct from those of other student leaders—is an alumni connection. Each student leader is paired with an alumnus or other friend of the Spartans for their own mentorship. Even in student leadership, Spartans hold unique positions in TWU’s culture.

Coy is excited about moving forward in her role and is planning to take it on again next year. But after that, she will be looking at who on her team she can hand her role down to. It has been an experience of growth, both for her and her team, she says.

Amidst the culture Coy has experienced of Spartans teams, where the Christian values of the school are upheld as a group, but not by all team members individually, the spiritual leadership position is an interesting line to walk—but an “incredibly beneficial” one, according to Coy. “The ultimate goal is just to bring girls on my team closer to Christ. Even if I make the tiniest impact on someone’s life, as long as there is an impact, I think my [student leadership role] will be fulfilled.”

“THAT I STOLE A NECKLACE IN SUNDAY SCHOOL” - CHRISALEEN CIRO

7

TYLER JONES

In the midst of one of the most exciting times for sports, one particular storyline is drawing far more attention than anticipated. Though there is not a catchy title for this recent scandal, it has brought not only an organization under major scrutiny, but an entire sport. The Houston Astros’ sign-stealing scandal has captivated Major League Baseball (MLB) and the sporting culture of North America alongside it. Although this may be the first time you are hearing about it, this is far from the first case of cheating in the MLB. The Houston Astros were recently accused of stealing the signs of opposing teams throughout the 2017 and 2018 seasons. In an interview with Ken Rosenthal and Evan Drellich of The Athletic, former Astros pitcher Mike Fiers unleashed a flurry of bold accusations against the league’s reigning champions. In the interview, Fiers claims that the team was placing cameras at center field. Allegedly, these cameras were streaming all signs used by the opposing team’s catcher while the Astros were up to bat. Once the sign was confirmed, the garbage bin in the team’s dugout was hit loudly to alert the batter. In addition to this method, recent reports stated that buzzing devices were placed on the shoulders of some of these players in order to stay discreet in the midst of the emerging scandal. Though this would be relatively insignificant for a selection of MLB franchises, the Astros have been an extraordinarily good team since 2015. In fact, they won the World Series in 2017 while their sign stealing scandal was hidden from the public eye.

While this ordeal is causing significant backlash from the league, this isn’t the first time baseball has seen cheating.

The MLB has the most illustrious history of cheating among all sports. Of all possible avenues to explore, the use of steroids and other performance enhancing drugs (PEDs) has become a common problem for baseball. After the surfacing of the PED epidemic soon after the league’s dawn, the league has continually struggled to fight the loopholes that are being exploited by a significant portion of the league’s players. Famous cases such as Barry Bonds, Alex Rodriguez, and Roger Clemens, among many former stars of baseball, have changed the way the league is handling drug use.

niques, the MLB still has the worst problems when it comes to bending the rules. Whether players are using PEDs or stealing signs over a computer monitor, this is a cultural issue that seems to be ingrained in America’s favourite pastime.

The MLB is continually handing out suspensions for the use of PEDs, but the recent scandal involving the Houston Astros has certainly put the masses on notice. This storyline involving all aspects of the Astros organization has swiftly dismantled public perception of the franchise. The Astros are left to regather the broken pieces of their club.

Though the common reaction is to blame the Houston Astros alone for this deceptive behaviour, the real problem lies deeper within the sport of baseball; the persistence of cheating is due to the leniency of the MLB’s punishments.

Teams and players will continue to dive deeper in search of loopholes until MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred puts his foot down. Though the marketing of the MLB will be hurt, suspensions against players taking PEDs must rise exponentially while the Astros should ultimately be stripped of their World Series title.

After the MLB comfirmed the validity of the rumours, Jim Crane, the owner of the Houston Astros, immediately responded by firing certain individuals involved in the execution of the wrongful actions. Crane went on to fire general manager Jeff Luhnow and manager A.J. Hinch once their guilt was proven. In addition, former assistant managers Alex Cora and Carlos Beltran of the Astros were also relieved from their jobs with other franchises. In addition to the firings, the MLB dished out a $5 million fine to the organization while stripping them of their first and second round draft picks for the 2020 and 2021 seasons.

Though the punishment is going to damage certain aspects of the team’s future, the MLB needed to make a massive statement here. Instead of snuffing out any tolerance towards cheating in the league, Commissioner Rob Manfred continually allows players and teams enough reason to continue risking these insignificant punishments for the greater reward of unethical success.

The sporting world has seen enough of these 80-game susTesting players for use of steroids began in 2003, howev- pensions and $5 million fines—it’s time to clean up the league. er this did not prevent players from using these drugs. In the 2019 season, Steven Wright, Frankie Montas, Tim Beckham, and Michael Pineda were all found by the MLB to be using illegal drugs. While the suspensions range anywhere from 25 games to lifetime bans from the MLB, the average suspension for violation of PED policy ranges anywhere from 60 to 80 games, which amounts to under half of the “ WHETHER PLAYERS ARE USING PEDS OR STEAL162-game MLB season.

ING SIGNS OVER A COMPUTER MONITOR, THIS IS A CULTURAL ISSUE THAT SEEMS TO BE INSay what you will about the New England Patriots various GRAINED IN AMERICA’S FAVOURITE PASTIME.” cheating scandals or John Calipari’s sleazy recruiting tech“I CO-LEAD ONE TWU” - QUEENIE RABANES

8

LIV WALTON

In the last decade, megachurches have taken the center stage of today’s evangelical Christian culture. Thousands of people flock to join Sunday services at churches such as Village Church or Grace Community Church of Surrey, BC, and other megachurches around the globe. It is common for larger churches like these to create Christian media and gain popularity for their modern approach to doxology. This trend has raised speculation within more conservative Christian communities; many fear that the Christian church is, in general, leaning too far away from biblical theology. The way that megachurches advertise, conduct worship, and collect money leaves a window for accusation. Yet the spiritual fruit of individual churches reject condemnation.

Modern churches, especially megachurches, seem to have influenced a congregational culture shift, as church administrations focus on attracting people rather than furthering the kingdom of God. Typically, a church’s administrative system will be divided into several groups: an executive team of pastors, a worship team, multiple ministry teams, and a financial team. There are also volunteers such as ushers, elders, prayer team members, and Bible study leaders, all of which keep the different facets of a church running. The executive pastors hold most of the administrative authority within the church, making decisions regarding internal and external relations, as well as delegating tasks to others. In an ideal situation, the decisions would be prayed through and thought over by this executive team in conjunction with the rest of the administration, and occasionally the entirety of the congregation. This infrastructure is hugely important for any congregation because it forms the culture housed within a church building—a holy place.

CHURCH, HOWEVER, CAN AND DOES LOOK DIFFERENT FOR EACH INDIVIDUAL—IT IS NOT CONFINED TO A BUILDING OR A CONGREGATION. Progressive Christians argue that the Bible does not explicitly reveal what a modern church should look like. There are, however, several examples in Scripture that offer guidelines for the structure and conduct of church administration. The New Testament, as well as the letters of the Apostle Paul, contain many pieces of advice for how church should be conducted.

Throughout the New Testament, there is discussion of four main categories of church administration: the head pastor (Eph. 1.22), deacons (Rom. 16.1), elders (1 Tim. 5.17), and the congregation, which is often called the body of Christ. Based on this biblical interpretation, today’s churches do not fit the theology of church administration. However, this is not a disqualifying factor. If a megachurch, or likely any church today, tried to parse through its existing administration and whittle it down to the four mentioned categories, the church and its members would suffer. The main command God gives to church administrators is to edify the body of Christ, and the complex structures of church administrations today are part of what allows churches to do that. It would be antithetical to this command to criticize a church for the structure of the administration, unless it was in some way hurting the congregation. The main focus of the church is to further the kingdom of God. Thus, as long as church administrations are enabling this to happen, they are following the theology of administration.

The above is a generalized, bare-bones picture of what a typical twenty-first century megachurch looks like, and depending on its denomination, a church might have a more formalized structure.

NYSSA MORGAN Have you ever lived in a laundromat? Shared chicken strips with an arsonist? Been chased by a twentieth century German expressionist poet turned intergalactic time-travelling bounty hunter? If you answered “yes,” “no,” or “what?” to any of these questions, then New Generations is the theatre festival for you!

Every two years, Trinity Western University (TWU) celebrates a variety of its emerging artists through New Generations, presented by the School of Arts, Media, and Culture (SAMC). This festival features three short plays in which students direct and perform scripts written by other students. This past December, TWU students were invited to audition and participate in the creation of these shows, forming three dynamic and passionate casts and crews. The performances explore fear, community, healing, and more; ranging in nature from comedic to dramatic and everything in between.

In Spin Cycle, written by Nyssa Morgan and directed by Rachel Van Vliet, the worlds of Penny, an insomniac running from her past, and Graham, a talented yet unambitious artist, collide in a laundromat late at night. Amidst the smell of detergent and the quiet rumble of dryers, these two strangers push each other to confront their fears in this captivating play.

Coping With Crime will introduce you to a hysterical crew. You will find this group of unlikely criminals meeting in a sketchy sushi restaurant for their weekly support group led by former drug dealer, Brent. Carissa, the streaker, Jade, the pickpocketer, and Leonard, the arsonist, are challenged to own up to their mistakes and learn how to be vulnerable in this engaging comedy. This play is written by Amanda Haggett and directed by Jennifer Mamchur.

Set in a hotel in the middle of the desert, Reach, written by Emmett and Sam Hanly, follows Claus on his struggle to escape his problems, the primary instance being an intergalactic bounty hunter. With a host of bizarre and hilarious characters, this play, directed by Amanda Haggett, will stretch the limits of your imagination and keep you on your toes the whole way through.

Come experience three never-before-seen plays in one night, and celebrate TWU’s next generation of exciting and promising artists. New Generations can be found onstage in Freedom Hall from January 28 through February 1. For more information, visit www.twu.ca/theatre.

“THAT I KNOW OF THEIR SECRET CATACOMBS BENEATH THE EVENTS HALL” - EMMETT HANLY

9

EMMETT HANLY

Ah, the Oscars. It is that time of year again in which film lovers find themselves outraged over their choice for movie of the year being snubbed by the Academy, and many wait with bated breath to see which of the nominees is awarded the most coveted accolade of them all.

Yet for the umpteenth year, a collective sigh of tepid disappointment washed over the world on January 13, the date when the nominees for the 2020 Academy Award ceremony were announced. The masses on social media groaned, “why should I even care anymore?” with languid dispassion, their recurring apathy stemming primarily from the repeated lack of diversity within the Academy’s pool of nominees. The lack of women and people of colour within categories that are not defined by gender or race has been the primary motivation for this mass loss of faith, and many would say rightfully so. Yet, it begs the question: “How does this keep happening?”

According to the Academy’s website, its membership is “limited to film artists working in the production of theatrically-released motion pictures.” Each of the 17 branches of the Academy is devoted to its own role within the craft of filmmaking. Those within each branch get to suggest and invite new Academy members within their field, nominate movies for the awards, and then vote on whichever films they feel succeeded within their niche.

So, who comprises the members of these branches and why do they keep nominating white males over equally, or arguably more, deserving women and people of colour?

According to the New York Times, the Academy’s membership has skyrocketed in the last few years to roughly 9000 participants. Ever since the spotlight was shone upon the Academy’s mostly older white male voter base in 2016, the Academy has scrambled to raise its percentage of women and people of colour. This previous year, 842 industry professionals from all over the world were asked to join the Academy. Of these, 49 percent are female and 29 percent are people of colour.

nominees that end up having the least first choice picks are struck from the ballot. This means that those first choices are eliminated entirely and their second choices are counted as their votes. Then, once again, the potential nominee with the lowest amount of first or second choice votes is struck, and then so on and so forth. This continues until only five nominees pass a magic number of votes, which is determined by the number of voters and potential choices.

In the case of “Best Picture,” these lists are increased to the top 10.

Many have criticized the preferential ballot system, claiming that the movies it chooses are often only the second or third choices on many lists. Many voters could be choosing a more diverse or polarizing film as their first choice, which ends up being struck from the ballot as many others leave it towards the bottom of the list. The safer, more sterile options that would then have been relegated lower down on most shortlists then counted as their top votes. It is speculated that this is also why many films about actors, directors, and the craft of filmmaking are often chosen as nominees, as these movies could likely end up as second or third choices for those who may be more passionate about a specific film, but still hold a soft spot for movies that they relate to. While this is primarily speculation, the evidence is clear with this year’s nominations: all of the jobs represented by the main characters in the films in the “Best Actor” categories are a film director, a Hollywood actor, a theatre director, and an aspiring comedian, with the one outlier being a pope. All of the nominees in this category were white.

So, while the Academy’s voting habits are not excused by its preferential ballot system, at the very least we can understand why the Oscar nominations turn out the same way over and over again. The Academy claims that it is pushing for a more diverse base of voters, but until their numbers are equal, the majority of the second and third place votes will go to these same kinds of movies with the same racial and gender demographics. In 2016, the Academy aimed to double the percentages of both women and Yet, even with a primarily white male voter base, are all of people of colour within its membership by 2020, but if real these people consistently voting only for white male nomi- change is to be seen within the actual nominations, dounees? With the preferential ballot system, it makes the true bling is not enough. The numbers need to be equal, and numbers of the actual votes cast unclear. Oscar voters do maybe then we can finally see an Oscars ballot that repnot simply pick one top choice and be done with it—they resents the diversity of talent working in the industry. have to create a shortlist of those they believe deserve the nomination. Out of the lists of top five, the first choices are counted as having a vote each, and then the potential

“MY BATHROOM COUNTER NEEDS A CLEAN” - RILEY WIEBE

TWUSA SPEECHES AND DEBATES ARE COMING UP SOON. WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO HEAR TWUSA CANDIDATES TALK ABOUT THIS YEAR?

— “THEIR CONNECTIONS WITH INTERNATIONAL AND INDIGENOUS STUDENTS AND HOW TO MAKE CAMPUS MORE INCLUSIVE” “AS STEWARDS OF THIS PLANET AND GOD’S CREATION, I FIND OUR RECYCLING HABITS/PROGRAM HERE ON CAMPUS IS TERRIBLE, WE THROW SO MUCH PLASTIC WASTE IN OUR GARBAGE CANS AND I BELIEVE TWUSA SHOULD HAVE A LEADER THAT CAN EDUCATE AND IMPLEMENT A PROGRAM ON THIS. STUDENTS HERE ARE GOOD SERVANTS AND I THINK IF THEY ARE TAUGHT AND EDUCATED THEY WILL MAKE THIS ADJUSTMENT IN THEIR LIVES.” “THE FOCUS NEEDS TO BE PUT BACK ONTO THE STUDENTS FROM A WHOLE, NOT JUST DIFFERENT SMALL GROUPS OF PEOPLE” “REDUCING TWUSA’S ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT AND FIGHTING TO MAKE TRINITY AS A WHOLE MORE SUSTAINABLE. WE’RE SUPPOSED TO BE ON THIS BEAUTIFUL UNCEDED TERRITORY AND WE TREAT IT TERRIBLY WITH LITERAL TRASH EVERYWHERE. AN INITIATIVE TO CLEAN UP CAMPUS AND BETTER STEWARD WHAT GOD HAS GIVEN US WOULD BE APPRECIATED. DEVELOPING MORE AND BETTER RESOURCES FOR REDUCING OUR CONSUMPTION OF SINGLE USE. WE NEED BETTER RECYCLING/DONATION OPTIONS, THE THINGS THAT END UP IN THE GARBAGE ARE SO SAD.” “WHAT REAL ADVOCACY WILL LOOK LIKE ON BEHALF OF STUDENTS AND HOW WE CAN REFORM TWUSA POLICY TO MAKE FACULTY REPRESENTATIVES MORE EFFECTIVE.” “NOT JUST ABOUT THE INCLUSION AND CHANGE IN REGARD TO INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS ON CAMPUS BUT INCREASING AND GROWING A TRANSPARENT RELATIONSHIP TOGETHER” “I WOULD LOVE THE REPS TO ACTUALLY STICK TO THEIR WORD WHEN THEY SAY THEY WILL PLAN EVENTS FOR YOUR MAJOR. OTHERWISE I THINK IT’S IMPORTANT TO TALK ABOUT HOW THEY WILL CREATE A SAFE SPACE WHERE EVERYONE FEELS INCLUDED AND CAN BENEFIT WITH RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD, FRIENDS, PEERS, STAFF, ETC.” “CANDIDATES SHOULD REPRESENT AND ADVOCATE FOR ALL STUDENT GROUPS, REGARDLESS OF WHETHER THOSE GROUPS ARE FAVOURED BY THE ADMINISTRATION OR NOT.” “MAKING CAMPUS MORE ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY AND MORE WELCOMING TO LGBTQ+ STUDENTS AND FACULTY” “WHAT THEY WANT TO DO—BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, ARE THEY ABLE TO DO IT AND HOW WILL THEY DO IT? IS WHAT THEY ARE PROMISING POSSIBLE?” “WHAT KIND OF DIFFERENCE THEY CAN REALISTICALLY MAKE.” “I LIKE IT WHEN CANDIDATES SHOW THEY’VE DONE THEIR RESEARCH AND KNOW THE INNER WORKINGS OF TWUSA AND THAT IT’S NOT JUST EVENTS AND FREE COFFEE!”

AN

OP

U NI T R PO

As we wait for the unveiling of such strategies and platforms, and reflect in this issue on what administration really means, Mars’ Hill asked students for their thoughts on the current TWUSA administration and what they would like to see this campaign season.

ON

D : TW

“FIGURING OUT A WAY TO MAKE FACULTY REPS A MORE USEFUL POSITION.”

URV AS US

“REPRESENT THE FULL STUDENT BODY TO FOSTER ACCEPTANCE OF LGBTQ STUDENTS WITHIN THE STUDENTS AND ADMINISTRATION.”

EY RESULTS

“HONESTLY, I NEVER REALLY HEAR ABOUT WHAT THE REPS ARE DOING. I ASSUMED THEY JUST SAT AROUND DRINKING COFFEE AND FIXING THE PRINTERS.” “INCLUSIVE COMMUNITY AND A HELPFUL RESOURCE FOR STUDENTS”

—

RES P

Amidst suggestions for an increased focus on ecological sustainability and a re-evaluation of the role of genuine inclusion in advocacy, students expressed their desire for a more effective approach to faculty representation in their student association.

WHAT SHOULD TWUSA BE RESPONSIBLE FOR?

ITY TO

Around this time each year, posters pop up—seemingly overnight—and litter our campus for a few short and chaotic weeks of campaigning. In eager anticipation of the upcoming student association elections, many potential candidates are reflecting on what they hope to bring to Trinity Western University’s (TWU) campus in the 2020/21 academic year. Seemingly, each year brings new strategies aimed at marketing platforms that may or may not be equally revolutionary. In recent years, we have seen tactics such as glossy business cards, professional-appearing websites, and joint campaigns run by president and vice president hopefuls—all aiming to garner the attention and confidence of the voting population of students that will determine their role on campus in the year to come.

“ACTUALLY DOING THINGS TO BENEFIT THE ENTIRE TWU COMMUNITY, NOT JUST THE MARKETABLE PARTS OF TWU” “ENCOURAGING SUSTAINABLE PRACTICES ON CAMPUS. TWUSA MENTIONED THE POSSIBILITY OF GETTING RID OF DISPOSABLE CUPS IN TWUSA LOUNGE AND HAVING PEOPLE USE THEIR OWN REUSABLE MUGS, WHICH I THINK IS A GREAT IDEA AND A GOOD STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION BUT I HAVEN’T SEEN THEM ACT ON THAT YET.” “ELEVATING THE VOICE OF THE STUDENT BODY TO STUDENT LEADERS, STAFF, AND FACULTY.” “BUILDING ALL-INCLUSIVE CAMPUS COMMUNITY THROUGH USING THEIR RESOURCES RESPONSIBLY. REPRESENT STUDENT VIEWS TO THE UNIVERSITY AND BRING ABOUT NECESSARY CHANGE.”

The results of our survey of the student population at TWU suggest that students are asking for something from their faculty representatives that is not inherent to the structure of the current role. As students ask for less social functions and more advocacy from the representative of their department, reporting in our survey a greater desire for assistance and resourcing than for events, upcoming candidates for TWUSA have an opportunity to respond.

Both executive candidates vying for positions such as president and those running for the various faculty representative positions have the potential to impact the efficacy of departmental representation on campus—beginning with structural changes to the role itself, so that it allows representatives to spend more time speaking on behalf of their specific constituents, instead of on behalf of the entire student body.

When asked to imagine your first day of school, where does your mind go? Some think of kindergarten, chaos, and the smell of crayons. Others think of university—the rip of plastic packing tape from cardboard boxes, the musk of an empty dorm billowing past parents as they haul laundry hampers full of lamps and posters.

ing theology—specifically Introduction to Theology—though he says not all professors do. For them, it is often too broad and too boring. But he describes it like providing a map of landmarks in a complicated city. No one will get lost with the map; instead “they [will] know ‘oh, that’s what that building is. I know that if I turn right at this point . . . I’ll know my way.’”

When Dr. Mark Husbands, President of Trinity Western University (TWU), talks about his first day of school, it is those first moments of university that he describes—but his description is not about moving in.

Husbands has other courses he has loved teaching, over his years of experience: Feminist Theology and Political Theology are two of note. But his favourite moment in teaching theology is witnessing students “come to find joy in understanding the world as a consequence of God’s work.”

Instead, the committed student heads for the bookstore in search of the textbooks necessary for his courses—he is a first year music major at York University in Ontario, excited for jazz and classical performances to come.

At the bookstore, a fight breaks out between Palestinian and Jewish students. The altercation causes a ruckus, and the campus police arrive to diffuse the situation. The first year student is startled, but intrigued.

Nothing like that ever happened in his high school.

Decades later, Husbands remembers that fight as “terribly exciting.”

“It was an introduction to university,” he says. “Questions of geopolitics were breaking out—literally breaking out—right in front of me.” The classroom is an opportunity to develop a point of view shaped by larger questions and gain new perspectives. He emphasizes that, in terms of Christianity, this global perspective is vital—it is the future.

But the path that led into academia did not begin in university. Instead, Husbands points into his past as a young student, asking theological questions that no one around him seemed open to answering. Even now he

Filled as universities are with teachers, learners, and students, it seems counterintuitive that, at TWU, previous presidents have not all come from academia. President Emeritus Robert J. Kuhn was a lawyer. According to Husbands, university presidents need to be “fiscally wise” and to have a serious background in finance and strategy to understand the workings of an institution—something that academics might lack.

On his own background in such strategy, as an academic theologian, Husbands explains that he focused specifically on vital areas, “knowing [he] was on a career trajectory to possibly assume a presidency.” It is a statement that, in a more secular context, could seem presumptuous.

But he goes on to say that he wanted to be as prepared as he could, “if this was God’s calling . . . to help a university flourish.”

Husbands, though a musician, a self-avowed bad poet, and an avid reader, was also an athlete in his youth. He played team sports such as soccer and hockey, but he did not know at the time they were “essentially a lab for leadership development.” Teamwork required the performance of the entire team, but “you as an individual,” he says, “can make a real contribution to the outcome.”

IN TERMS OF LEADERSHIP AND LEARNING: A PRESIDENT, A UNIVERSITY, AND A GLOBAL CHRIST GRACE GIESBRECHT

“IS IT POSSIBLE,” HE WANTED TO KNOW, “TO BE A PERSON WHO SEEKS TO UNDERSTAND THE WORLD WELL AND, TRUTHFULLY, BE A PERSON OF DEEP AND GENUINE FAITH AT THE SAME TIME?” speaks often in questions, almost as though his favourite word is “what?”

The middle school student with that same penchant for questions is packing for music summer camp. Tucked in a bag with the rest of his belongings sits a journal and a thesaurus—the implements of an amateur poet. “Poetry was a way to make peace with larger questions of meaning,” he says.

“NONETHELESS, I FOUND MYSELF FIGURING OUT THAT LANGUAGE IS REALLY MEANINGFUL AND POWERFUL, AND IF I COULD GET BETTER AT USING LANGUAGE, I MIGHT BE ABLE TO GIVE VOICE TO . . .

THE INNER CHALLENGES AND EXPERIENCES THAT I THINK ANY YOUNG PERSON IS HAVING, TRYING TO MAKE SENSE OF THE WORLD FOR THEMSELVES.” Though many young people venture through this nebulous world of inner challenges (and plenty turn to poetry to do so), not all find themselves sitting on a picnic bench at sunset, reading Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s The Cost of Discipleship. That was where this student with the big questions found himself by grade 11.

“Is it possible,” he wanted to know, “to be a person who seeks to understand the world well and, truthfully, be a person of deep and genuine faith at the same time?”

After such a commitment to learning and understanding early on, it is logical that Husbands went on to teach others in theology, the discipline he became ensconced in during his university education. He loves teach-

The commitment to developing leadership stands out to Husbands on TWU’s campus. With experience in other well-known Christian academic institutions (such as Wheaton College and Northwestern College), Husbands maintains that TWU’s commitment to student leadership is a “stunning facet” of the university.

He describes the Student Ministry Expo as an example, where students line up in the loud music and rain, waiting for the opportunity to hear about leadership opportunities. With an office directly above the lineup, it is easy to imagine the thunder of excited students echoing up through Husbands’ office floor.

Another of Husbands’ favourite facets of TWU is a broad-ranging commitment to academic life. In a culture and a world where it is easy to be anti-intellectual, where people are quick to speak online but not to enter intelligent discussion, Husbands maintains that such commitment is unusual and important.

The intersection of leadership and learning, though evident in TWU itself, Husbands also finds crucial in the wider context of global Christianity. Coming to terms with the quickly changing ethnic “centre of gravity” is a large opportunity for growth in both TWU and the church as a whole.

In the past, Husbands describes, that centre has been somewhere in the Western world—Rome or Geneva or London. But that energetic centre has moved south and east.

The academic and student who witnessed an international incident in miniature on his first day of university discusses the movements of Christianity across the globe in terms of leadership and learning. As that centre shifts, the churches leading Christianity shift, too. The future of Christianity is not to see diversity as a “blessing.” It is, instead, to see “the global expression of the Church as it walks across our campus as the future of Christianity.”

This shift may make many in Western Christianity, TWU included, nervous. According to Husbands, it can feel like the university is “navigating some fairly challenging waters” in an increasingly progressive and secular world. But that observed increase in secularity is not happening everywhere—it is primarily a North American phenomenon.

The churches of North America and the broader Western world are used to holding a position of leadership in the global church. It has been this way for decades, but it is changing. “In a way,” Husbands explains, instead of leading global Christianity, “we’re having to wrestle with ‘what does it mean to be a learner from world Christians?’” That identity is shifting, and it shows a relationship that reflects the delicate and reflexive relationship between learning and leadership illustrated in a university’s commitment to both intellectualism and student leadership, and in the way a lifelong academic becomes the president of such an institution.

13

ISHITA WILSON

It starts in high school with books such as The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger, Beloved by Toni Morrison, and Of Mice and Men and The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck.

These are books that have a lot to teach, but are as dry as a desert. In elementary school, almost everyone reads for enjoyment—books such as those in the Boxcar Children or the Harry Potter series. Though they are fiction, there is much that children learn from them. However, as students grow up, their class syllabi try to steer their reading tastes in a more “mature” direction. This move results not in a refined reading taste, but in a general dislike for books. Having to read these books is not the problem; they are highly acclaimed for a reason and should be read. The problem lies in the manner in which these books are forced onto the students—a manner that leaves no room for “reading for enjoyment.”

of love with reading in high school and never picked up a book again are definitely missing out, and teachers who push their students to this point are the ones to blame.

Reading is just one part of the equation. On a wider scale, the school system is extremely talented at making students fall out of love with learning. Ultimately, students study for grades. Knowledge is in one ear and out the other. There will always be things that students have no interest in learning at all and powering through those topics is necessary. However, more often than not, there is at least something that students are passionate about, which they soon become disinterested in because of the way it is presented.

Some might ask: if students become dispassionate towards something that easily, were they ever really passionate about it to begin with? Surely, they never loved it enough When students are quizzed on every chapter, made to an- if they were unwilling to stick with it when things got hard. alyze why the curtains in a certain scene were blue, and Believe it or not, most students actually have other oblitested on the author’s background, there is no enjoyment gations and responsibilities, leaving them with no time to left in reading. A hobby turns into a painstaking chore. A spend learning something they like that is presented inefbook is something that is open to interpretation, and every fectually. When they finally catch a break, students would reader is likely to get something different out of it; the idea rather spend it sleeping. of being tested on a book that you want to enjoy is daunting. When faced with the fear of failing a quiz or test, even A love of learning will get a person farther than good someone with a deep love for reading would rather use grades. However, the school system has elevated grades to SparkNotes in order to stay on the safe side. such a height that they are the only things students think about. It does not matter what they got out of the class Experiences such as these instill in a student the mindset as long as they passed with a good grade. The next time that if they are liking a book, they clearly are not reading they come across class material from the past, they will the right one or reading it the smart way. Indeed, the stu- have to relearn the same things. Imagine how much easier dent may begin to reflect that perhaps reading anything classes would be if everyone remembered the majority of other than acclaimed books by honoured authors is prob- the things they learned about the same subject previously. ably a waste of time. What could one possibly learn from Instead, students will forever be stuck in a cycle of learning “lesser” genres such as fantasy? Fantasy author Brandon and forgetting and relearning until the important informaSanderson explains, “Fiction like I write is not about teach- tion sticks. When the threat of a dismal grade looms over a ing you something, or about making a distinguished con- student’s head, they will not care about learning; they will tribution to American Letters. It’s about writing something only worry about passing. Therefore, we would do well to that makes my reader feel what it’s like to be someone else. restructure the education system little by little and resurIt’s about dreaming, about imagination, and about making rect the love of learning. you—for a short time—be someone else and experience their world.”

Sometimes, the best teachers are those who are not trying to teach anything at all. Being able to understand someone else’s perspective is probably one of the most helpful skills to learn in life, and books help people take a step out of their world and into someone else’s. Those who fell out

“ KNOWLEDGE

IS IN ONE EAR AND OUT THE OTHER.”

“NOT VERY MUCH. ITS NICE BEING AT A CHURCH THAT LOVES ALL OF YOU” - MICAH BRON

14

LIV WALTON Sometime around the middle of each university semester, the academic environment on campus becomes critical and students’ stress levels are palpable. The foundation of each of your classes has been laid and essays have been handed in, but you have not yet gotten them back, and finals are creeping over the horizon.

This is the time to start preparing. You gear up with a new set of flashcards and hit the Jacobson Hall study rooms with your classmates. As you begin to study, an absent feeling washes over your gut, telling you that you do not have it together. The problem has grown right under your nose—you do not know all or many or any of your grades.

You log on to the university’s Moodle website, eager to know your percentages and gauge what mark you need to receive on your finals in order to achieve your goals. To your dismay, only one of your course grades has been listed on Moodle. This reveals a recurring problem across all areas of study—professors at TWU do not utilize Moodle to the full advantage of their students.

investigatory emails. But even before you click send, you know that your inbox will hold little success as most of your professors will not know your grades off-hand and understandably do not have the time to find them.

Luckily, January 1 is not the only time of the year for resolutions—TWU professors should resolve to begin uploading all grades into their respective Moodle pages. As most professors have dozens of students and are responsible for multiple classes, students understand that this is an unrealistic expectation.

For this reason, teaching assistants ought to be tasked with entering grades into Moodle.

Both TWU professors and students will benefit from this course of action. Students will be able to accurately measure their success, make adjustments if needed, and sustainably balance their coursework. Professors will see the effects of this resolution in their classrooms and inboxes as students will be less inclined to inquire about their grades, having known them already, and perhaps more importantly, students will be less disillusioned about the conclusion of an unknown semester.

By neglecting to upload students’ grades to Moodle, professors put students like you in a difficult situation. When you cannot easily access your grades, you must begin an inefficient chain of

TOBIN VOTH The Government of Canada is currently conducting a survey in preparation for a five year review of Bill C-41. The current legislation, pertaining to Medical Assistance in Dying (MAID), came into effect in June 2016, several months after the Supreme Court of Canada struck down the portion of the Canadian Criminal Code that made the practice illegal. I will keep my opinions about MAID to myself—that is not the issue at hand in this article. What I take issue with, however, is the fact that this policy question is being put to the public at all.

Right out of the gate, consulting the general public is usually a bad idea. Let us remember the time that Canada almost thought that chopping up the country so Quebec could do its own thing was a good idea. The longer I observe the political world, the less I trust the public to make good decisions. While I certainly understand the Brexit and Quebec Independence referenda, our Western liberal democracy does not function by consulting the public on issues of policy or law.

We turn to the people to elect a representative assembly at least once every five years; out of that representative assembly (known as Parliament), a government is formed. And the government—well, it governs. That is the whole point.

When the government creates policy or passes legislation, it consults with those who have a vested interest in the new law or policy and those who have expertise in that particular field. The recommendations are then taken into account during the legislative or policy-making process. Karen from Saskatoon does not get to say what she thinks.

On the survey website, run by the Department of Justice, the Right Honourable Jean Chrétien is quoted as saying, “A challenge of all governments is . . . to find innovative ways to put citizens at the centre of the governing process, to engage youth in public enterprise, and to give voice to those who find themselves on the margins.” Truthfully, I could not agree more with the former Prime Minister. The problem is that when we involve

the general public in this fashion, the voices of the people on the margins are not heard. What is heard is the voice of the majority, conveniently broken down by province and by the rural/urban divide for the pleasure of electoral strategists. I am not much of a fan of processes that are supposed to hear minority voices and end up further marginalizing them.

So what is going to happen to the results of this survey? It will become a data point alongside dozens of others. The review will take a significant amount of time and the results of the policy review will have almost nothing to do with the results of the survey.

But as I hinted at before, the party machinery will have access to the results of the survey. While the survey results will hopefully have little effect on the actual policy, it will inform the ruling party on how best to craft its messaging surrounding the issue so as to have the most positive effect on its electoral fortunes.

So we have two less than ideal alternatives. On the one hand, we have something akin to mob rule where Doug from Saint John and Brittany from Toronto have as much of a voice as a doctor with 30 years experience in end-of-life care and a medical ethics professor who has spent his entire career studying this exact policy. On the other hand, we have a farce—a political tool masquerading as a public input device. Indeed, in such a farce we have a wonderful example of democracy at work. I do not like my options here. In reality, it is probably a mix of both: part undue input from the general population, part snapshot of public opinion for party analysts to salivate over.

True democracy, the spirit of democracy, does require that people be consulted—through elections. Or, when matters come up that profoundly impact every member of our population such as seceding from the union. However, I contend that MAID is not one of these such issues. Rather than increasing the efficacy of the government’s response to this critical health care issue, consultation actually distorts the voices of those to whom our attention is owed.

“THAT I PICK THE OLD LADIES I SIT WITH BASED ON HOW LIKELY THEY MIGHT INVITE ME TO LUNCH” - LISA B.

15

EMMA DYKSTRA

“Lobbying” is defined as “seeking to influence (a politician or public official) on an issue.” With so many disputed topics at the front of political conversation today, a lot of controversial lobby groups have arisen. The idea of seeking to influence lawmakers and legislators is a good idea—in theory. Such is the very idea of democracy: we tell our leaders how we wish to be governed.

However, when it comes to making laws, it has slowly spiralled into a question of who has the money. Under the current structure, a lobbyist is useless without the proper funds. The impact of lobbying is often minimal if the lobbyist does not have money to amplify their message. The following are two examples of harmful lobbying, one American and one Canadian, which both expose the damaging role that money can play in the policy-making process.

The National Rifle Association (NRA) was founded in 1871 to “promote and encourage rifle shooting on a scientific basis.”

Since then, it has morphed into a group that staunchly defends the Second Amendment of the American Constitution, which is the right to bear arms. Technically, the existence of the NRA should not be problematic. However, it has been recently making headlines, as the organization typically rears its head after a mass shooting to ensure that guns stay in the hands of American people during times of “shooting hysteria.” Shooting hysteria is the wave of rampant advocacy for stricter and safer gun laws in the U.S. after a mass shooting, often led by concerned parents and family members of victims. Regardless of one’s opinion on the topic, it cannot be denied that the NRA has a disproportionately powerful influence on Capitol Hill. At least eight Republican senators have received $1 million in campaign contributions from the NRA, and thirteen Republican house representatives have each received over $100 000. Political campaigns are expensive, and the NRA knows that. By putting large amounts of money in the pockets of politicians, the NRA can ensure that its stance on this single issue is fought for in the federal law-making process. President Donald Trump himself also has close ties with the gun rights group.

Canada has not escaped the deadly grip of wealthy, powerful corporations that are willing to fund politicians if they play by the right rules. Last year, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s relationship with SNC-Lavalin made headlines after a scandal known as the SNC-Lavalin Affair. SNC-Lavalin is a Montreal-based company that provides engineering and construction services to various industries, such as mining, oil and gas, and infrastructure.

In 2015, the RCMP laid charges against SNC-Lavalin for corruption and fraud for allegedly bribing Libyan officials. When it was charged, the company lobbied Trudeau’s office to avoid having to face the consequences of its crimes. If SNC-Lavalin was convicted, then it would have faced a ten-year ban on receiving federal government contracts. It lobbied for the Trudeau government for years, hoping to convince the federal government to make amendments to the Canadian Criminal Code that would eventually excuse SNC-Lavalin from its crimes. Last spring, then Attorney General and Justice Minister Jody Wilson-Raybould testified that Trudeau and members of his staff pressured her into helping SNC-Lavalin avoid criminal prosecution. When she refused, she was fired from her position and the Party. Canada’s Ethics Commissioner found a few months later that Trudeau had violated the Conflict of Interest Act and the scandal finally became public. In terms of payment, SNC-Lavalin gave the Liberal Party $110 000. Other parties received $8000. A company was able to avoid criminal prosecution in the highest courts of the land because it had enough money—and the people in charge were willing to take it.

What used to be a process that strengthened democracy has become an unpalatable loophole in the system. Technically, anyone can be a lobbyist. Unfortunately, the only lobbyists we see making meaningful changes are those with exorbitant amounts of money. Lobbying has spun out of control, and we as the next generation should be thinking about ways we can change this— and whether we want to change it at all.

Even so, this would not be all that bad if the majority of Americans wanted looser gun laws, but a study from the Pew Research Centre found that 60 percent of Americans are in favour of the gun laws that the NRA is fighting against. Lawmakers without sufficient funding are helpless, and those whose pockets are lined with NRA money are doing everything to maintain their access to funding. This is an example of lobbying that has spun out of control. There is a significant issue with the lobbying system when groups no longer advocate on behalf of the people, but instead on behalf of a specific group of individuals who happen to have a lot of cash.

“UH MY NAME” - NYSSA MORGAN

16

MARS’ HILL: WHAT IS YOUR YEAR AND MAJOR? EMMETT HANLY: I’m a fifth year Bachelor of Fine Arts in Acting major!

MH: WHAT IS YOUR ART FORM? EH: I am first and foremost an actor, but now three scripts I’ve either written by myself or co-written with my brother Samuel have seen the stage. I also have been the coordinator of 11:07 Improv Comedy on campus for nearly two and a half years, regularly hosting and performing in bi-weekly shows!

MH: WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO PURSUE THIS? EH: I come from a family of actors. My mother studied acting at the Neighbourhood Playhouse in New York in the 80s, so I grew up going to see plays, acting in school productions, and attending summer theatre camps. When it came time to decide what I wanted to do with my life, I couldn’t see myself being satisfied unless I could act. I love making people laugh and telling stories, and if there’s a way I can make a living doing that, why do anything else?

MH: DO YOU PREFER ACTING OR WRITING? EH: Both acting and writing fill different niches within my brain.

Acting always feels like a risk; I’m putting myself out there and fulfilling my need to be seen and understood. Writing, on the other hand, is a much more solitary process where I can craft a whole world from within my mind and give it to other artists to interpret as they will, morphing it into something I couldn’t have dreamed of myself. It’s all very exciting!

MH: WHAT ARE YOU CURRENTLY WORKING ON? EH: A play that I co-wrote with my brother is being produced as a part of SAMC Theatre’s New Generations! The play is called Reach, and is a surreal comedy set in an old, dingy motel out in the middle of the desert. I’m also in rehearsals for William Shakespeare’s The Tempest for SAMC Theatre, where I will be playing Ferdinand, a prince who finds himself washed ashore on a strange island. I will (hopefully) be producing and acting in a re-mount for the 2020 Vancouver Fringe Festival of another play that I co-wrote called The Wake of Leroy McGuinness, which is a comedic and supernatural western murder mystery.

Finally, I’m also actively auditioning for professional theatre in Vancouver, constantly working on monologues and songs. It keeps me busy!

MH: WHICH OF THESE ARE YOU MOST PASSIONATE ABOUT AND WHY? EH: It’s so hard to choose! At the moment I would probably say I’m most excited for Reach, which was my exceedingly bizarre brain child. I’m so excited to see it come to life under the direction of my close friend Amanda Haggett. At the same time, I absolutely adore Shakespeare and can’t wait to show the world our version of The Tempest!

MH: WHAT DO YOU HOPE TO DO AFTER YOU GRADUATE? EH: Once I’m out of here in April, I’m planning to move out to Vancouver, get an agent, and make my way as a professional actor in theatre, film, and television. I hope to continue writing plays and see them produced, but most of all, I’ll be happy as long as I can keep making people laugh.

17

“I

AM MOST EXCITED FOR HOW THE TEAM WILL CONTINUE TO DEVELOP. AS A YOUNG TEAM WE SHOW A LOT OF POTENTIAL AND EACH GAME WE HAVE SEEN SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENT ON THE COURT.”

MARS’ HILL: SINCE YOU GREW UP IN ALBERTA, A PLACE WHICH DOESN’T PUT MUCH PRIORITY ON BASKETBALL, WHAT WAS THE BASKETBALL CULTURE LIKE? JOLENE VLIEG: Although basketball was not the most popular sport in Alberta, it was prevalent in my family. As I grew up watching my older siblings play, I developed my passion for the sport at an early age. In addition to my passion, I was also blessed to play with the same group of girls from grade 5 through 12 while meeting some of my closest friends throughout those years. Even though it wasn’t as popular as hockey, my basketball community played a significant role in who I have become today.

MH: WHAT IS YOUR BEST MEMORY PLAYING BASKETBALL? JV: My best basketball memory was during the gold medal game of a tournament. We came in not favoured to win and were down for the entire game. Instead of letting the game slip away, we ended up tying things up late in the 4th quarter. The game ended up going into triple overtime and I hit a shot with 8 seconds left to win the game.

MH: WHAT WERE THE STEPS LEADING UP TO YOU JOINING THE TWU WOMEN’S BASKETBALL PROGRAM? JV: I grew up in a home with a lot of Christian influence, so I wanted to attend a Christian university or college. In addition, I always wanted to compete at the highest level of basketball possible within Canada. TWU seemed like the right spot as it accommodated for both of these dreams, so I never had any desire to play anywhere else. I set my sights on TWU early on and officially committed at the beginning of my grade 12 year.

MH: WHAT EXCITES YOU MOST IN THIS SECOND HALF OF THE SEASON? JV: I am most excited for how the team will continue to develop. As a young team we show a lot of potential and each game we have seen significant improvement on the court. There is no better way to take on big challenges than with the great group of girls that we have, so the overall growth that we will see is what excites me most.

18

LUCAS MOREHOUSE EMMA DYKSTRA

You all know the joke:

“Knock knock.”

“Who’s there?”

“Interrupting Cow.”

“Interrupting cow wh-.”

“MOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!”

-Laughter ad nauseamI, like many of us, always thought this simple little joke was a fine pastime. It was clean, it was friendly, and surely someone would find it funny. Little did I know that hidden in this joke was something insidious, and now I know because I saw it.

Eli and I used to be best friends, at least up until he discovered this joke. I laughed when he told it to me the first time, but five times later, I realized there was nothing funny about it. Yet he told everyone he met this same joke. Within a few weeks I noticed he was changing.

It started simple: he grew a long, stringy tail and a set of ears. But when he started chewing TWU’s lawn, I knew he had gone too far.

LIV WALTON

All this came to a head just yesterday. Angered, I walked out to farmer Bo’s fields where I found my friend Eli, on all fours without a care in the world. I could not contain myself. Walking up to the cow formerly known as Eli, I spoke to him: “How could you do this to me?” A tear ran down my cheek. “We had the best of times, but now all you’re doing is spitting cud onto my shoes. Please say something, anything. Give me hope . . . ” “Moo.” His words could not have struck deeper. I ran away, crying in shame that such a fate could befall poor Eli. So let this be a lesson to you. Never let interrupting cow jokes enter your household. They are a dangerous thing that corrupts minds. If you think otherwise, then you too will soon know the fear of inadvertently drinking Eli’s milk.

CARTER SAWATZKY

EMMETT HANLY To the surprise of students and the community at large, Trinity Western University’s (TWU) administration has suddenly decided upon an unprompted, massive aesthetic shift. Dead are the formal ways of academia: TWU has gone PUNK. Now, all TWU students and employees are required to adopt a DIY style, and ripped jeans are no longer confined to Casual Fridays. From professors to maintenance, only one colour of clothing is allowed (black), and those seen without copious amounts of eyeliner are likely to have their tenure suspended.

It appears many of the staff have embraced the new look, and it is no longer a strange sight to see a mohawk or side-shave upon entering the cafeteria or for TWUSA to be blasting PUP at full volume.

lawn: “I just paid $200 for a pair of Blundstones, I can’t afford a pair of Docs too! This isn’t what I signed up for, I just want to graduate!” Unfortunately, at that moment, a stray mosher spinkicked Kelf directly in the neck and he fell into the fray, never to be heard from again.

As time has passed, it appears the initial craze of punk has been dying down. Fewer and fewer students have been following the new rules (or lack thereof) and have been forging their own path within the punk-scape, and it has quickly been gaining popularity. Now, students and staff have been adopting porkpie hats and rudeboys can be spotted skanking within the halls: TWU is going SKA.

However, not all students are on board with TWU’s decision to adopt anarchy. Political studies major Arthur Kelf attempted to make a statement amidst the constant moshing on the Douglas

“THAT I CAN RAP ALL OF “ALL I DO IS WIN” BY DJ KHALED” - NYSSA MORGAN

RESEARCH

AWARDS

+

AWARD

T W U U S RA

TWU USRA is available for research in either natural science and engineering, or humanities.

+ Term of Award: 10, 12, 14, or 16

consecutive weeks, on a full-time basis (40 hours/week)

+

AWARD

N S E R C U S RA NSERC USRA is strictly for natural science and engineering research.

+ Term of Award: 16 consecutive weeks, on a full-time basis (40 hours/week)

+ Value of Award: $9300

+ Value of Award: Up to $9300, dependent on term

APPLICATIONS ARE DUE BY

F E B R UA RY 1 4

TO APPLY, PLEASE VISIT GO.TWU.CA/USRA Research term is Summer semester For more information, please join us at one of our upcoming info sessions: + Tuesday, January 28 from 1:30 - 2:30 p.m. in RNT 124 + Friday, January 31 from 1:30 - 2:30 p.m. in NEU 37

2. ACCLAIMED NURSING RESEARCHER (ALSO THE FIRST FEMALE MEMBER OF THE ELT) 3. UBC SAUDER GRAD & CFO 4. WHO THE HONK RUNS TBM? 6. CHAOTIC EVIL OF TWU 7. STUDENT REPRESENTATIVE ON BOARD OF GOVERNORS 8. LEADER OF ACADEMIC COMMUNITY; THEORETICAL PHYSICIST 9. EQUITY OF ACCESS #GIRLBOSS 11. ORDERS TWUSA COFFEE 12. ACCIDENTAL SPIRITUAL DIRECTOR OF MARS’ HILL 13. WHO WANTS TO TAKE YOU OUT FOR COFFEE AND ADVOCATE FOR YOU?

1. PROFESSORS’ BOSSES 2. VP OF INFLATABLE SPARTAN HEAD 3. MANAGES DR. HUSBANDS’ SCHEDULE 5. DR. ________ AND WIVES 10. THE LIONHEARTED; HIS DEN IS STUDENT LIFE

“MY SPOTIFY QUEUE” - GRACE GIESBRECHT