Volume 24 Issue 4: Conservative

KANYE WEST 8&9 PG.

VOLUME 24 CONSERVATIVE

CORE DOCUMENTS PG. 10&11

MINIMALISM 14 PG.

ISSUE NO. 4 11.06.19

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“If you are not a progressive in your youth, you have no heart. If you are not a conservative on your death-bed, you have no head.”

Overheard in the TWUSA office Dear Reader, Definitions are essential to effective discourse. The Cambridge Dictionary defines conservative as “tending to emphasize the importance of preserving traditional cultural and religious values and to oppose change.” In contrast, progressive ideals are “new and modern, encouraging change in society or in the way that things are done.” Often, these terms are wielded with a lack of profound understanding of their political implications.

When Canadians describe themselves as “conservative,” it often means supporting just transition for the Albertan economy, a serious critical look at deficit spending, “small government,” fewer taxes, free market solutions, and support for the Royal Canadian Armed Forces.

Mars’ Hill, fairly or unfairly, is considered to be “progressive.” Campus Instagram influencer, @originaltwumemepage, occasionally likens Mars’ Hill’s content to Marxism.

Students often encounter challenging pieces that deal with topics such as abortion, gender identity, the students’ relationship with administration, and theology.

And on such topics, Mars’ Hill (and its writers) tend to present unconventional analyses and perspectives.

We believe there are two reasons for this. First, those with conservative leanings seem to be less inclined to write for Mars’ Hill—our submissions are routinely from progressive students alone. As we rely on contributions from the student body, this limits our capacity to represent conservative perspectives. Traditionally, conservatives on campus seek platforms for their voices that do not involve the media; they often form clubs or seek to involve themselves in existing bodies that have the capacity to influence. We believe that this is a reflection of the relationship between th e media and bureaucracy in broader Canadian society; implied by the term conservative is the understanding that the status quo need not be challenged, which has been the primary role of the media since its inception. Writers desire their words to have impact and one of the ways that humans measure and articulate impact is through change.

continues to play a powerful role in politics. This is fascinating considering our society’s momentum towards secularism.

However, the bigotry performed on live media by political leaders who profess Christian faith is not what many Christians would recognize as orthodox liturgy. Yet, many Christians remain committed to conservative politics because they engage a desire to return to and preserve the image of “one nation under God,” or according to Canadian tradition, a “dominion.” However, some in the Church believe that this notion runs in tension with moving towards the coming Kingdom of Heaven. The progressive church calls for change and radical upheaval as Christians pursue God’s vision for equality and reconciliation.

Yet here we remain. Trapped in time, trying to align our place in cosmic time with our political ideology. Many of us are pulled between the desire to bound, youthfully, after the ideals presented by salvic figures and looking back to the sanctity of tradition and the established creeds of our communities.

This week, we have sought to weigh this tension. It has been a pleasure to watch members of our community seek to reconcile their faith with their political positions.

I continue to be utterly humbled by the dedication and sincerity of my team, and their commitment to delivering effective and vital content to this community.

In this issue, Tyler Jones, our Sports Editor, writes a beautiful and triumphant piece about traditions in the National Hockey League (NHL). Three students share their passion for Kanye West’s new album Jesus is King.

A theme emerges as we discuss the role of core documents in our community. As we call for the Church to extend grace to Kanye during this period of theological processing, we also ask how can we offer that same grace to the academic leaders of our community.

As ever,

The effort to define modern conservatism is further complicated—especially in prolonged election cycles— by the incremental yet irreversible rise of the “Christian right.” As the political spectrum places conservatism— and the associated religious beliefs—on the “right,” faith

P.S. This issue is dedicated to some of my favourite conservatives: Monique Bouchard, Tobin Voth, Cal Townsend, and my dad.

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.

Danya Sydney Megan Janina Manfred Sabine Micah Nyssa

Wheeler Dvorak Doell Ritzen Dewsbury Henderson Morgan Morgan

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

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SUBMIT YOUR OWN AT MARSHILLNEWSPAPER.COM/DECLASSIFIEDS fun fact: the thinner the skin of a fruit, the more nutrients inside it. Ger al the antioxidants from that blueberry... nomnomnomnommm Dany Lombardo is doing an awesome job at HelloTwu.

Trinity Western University: The school of mawwiage and TWUe love.

The music majors are so loud yet so silly and small I believe in the virgin bird

Sometimes being offensive is the only way to change the situation.

Most activists made changes in the world and it was not “their place” to do so.

What’s all the hype with Cal Townsend? He thrives off insulting Christianity and his students, is arrogant beyond belief, and only speaks, doesn’t listen.

Saying my shoes are blue is like saying the sky is cool. Tell me something I don’t know.

The communion at breathe chapel today tasted way too good

lowkey in love with liv walton hi! liv walton here :) you said you’re in love with me? here’s my number, shoot me a text +12092100611 Jenny, I miss you, please call me. 8675309 Mars Hill sounds like communist propaganda, but ok. @official_trinity_memepage is doing God’s work real talk, the fireside chat included 4 of the top leadership positions at trinity and they were ALL. WHITE. MALES. “Parking is not my area of expertise, but I oversee it” -parking/facilities/ custodial 97 FALSE FIRE ALARMS LAST YEAR 2018 AND ONLY 30 IN 2019 GUYS WE ARE DOING SOOO WELL

Once I get my diffuser for Christmas everything will be okay.

Netflix and nap-time anyone?

Liam Fowler might be the third child, but he’s the first in my heart.

The term “heart sparkle” makes me uncomfortable. rhys fowler loves kanye This is a promotion for the new and upcoming twusodexoreview account on ig. why the actual honk is the library so warm all the fracking time wow that inflatable helmet sure did inflate a lot of egos Am I the only one that secretly hopes I get invited to 5 low’s Cafe Disco? can the chapel team do kanye west’s new album for praise chapel?

Cj Janzen is a total cutie but my oh my he’s way outta my league

if Nyssa Morgan is my dad, does that mean Rees Morgan is my uncle?!?!!!

if there’s anything TWU students hate more than parking, its taking responsibility for the things they complain about.

Why are evangelicals Kanye’s trash?

rat copulation is what really gets me I have been WOKEN! I’ve talked way more about sex this semester than I have in my entire life.

Shoutout to psych 415 for preparing me for my wedding night.

eating

up

Kanye’s album is a joke and political move to get the Evangelical vote.

Don’t buy his trash or shallow politics.

When using the gospel for protection doesn’t work... #thankskanye #prangent Christianity: very cannabalistic and fun -Kieran.

don’t worry I’ll be around for a while, as long as I don’t get censored, “egg” will continue to exist in declassifieds everywhere maybe if you stopped using the declassifieds to tell your heart sparkle you like them and actually told them your feelings, you wouldn’t have this problem becky does the “egg” comment in every declassified bother you? do you wish you could make it all go away? come out to our egg support group mondays and tuesdays @5lowves: thank you for providing us with consistently quality content.

Love, 2G (aka your biggest fans) I can make the world my mattress Side hugs are a gateway drug to sex.

My roommate took a cat off the road and adopted it in our apartment for the night... so that’s a thing.

Cal should write a rap album, give Kanye a run for his money meet n’ greet w/ Jericho Choi - Global Lounge - Wednesday’s 12-1:15 pm if you’ve never considered going to the LLC no offence but why are you the way that you are Back 40 Cult meeting at the Trampoline: 8:47pm, Friday Who is the admin of the memepage, you ask?

Well it’s Sam Corbett, of course!

In my first year, the fifth years had the yellow lanyard. Now in my fifth year, the first years have the yellow lanyard. Did I.... witness all of student life’s options? all i want in life is to be best friends with Rees Morgan “Feeling is mutual” - Rees Morgan time for some morality checks on student leaders The patriarchy is messing with our data.

You: #royalbabywatch Me, an Intellectual: #maybeRowewillhavehisbaby #cancelledclass Failure to abide by the 1st rule of the game @ReesMorgan RIP (roast in peace) @ishi’s phone just because you put a tiny hat on in the morning, doesn’t mean you suddenly have revolutionary ideas “is this a personal attack?” - Rees Morgan NEWS (New Extreme Weird Stuff) this one goes out to Tamara Neufeld (formerly Tamara Ma) *clears throat* BUTTZ the only thing evangelicals love more than redemption narratives is secular validation cake in a bowl, trifle, & mold; the holy trinity. we’re not sure how it works... but it’s there.

Kanye’s salvation isn’t up for debate.

But his theology certainly is.

I dream of being so problematic that Kieran has to write me a novel. why aren’t the cute trin boys on bumble??

“Sorry i’m late, I was playing CHEL and he said I couldnt beat him again” “what will we do when the egg submitter graduates?” bold of you to assume i’m capable of graduating CAN PILLAR PLEASE PUT EVENT PHOTOBOOTH PHOTOS IN THE YEAR BOOK IT WOULD MAKE ME SO HAPPY AND ITS A GOOD IDEA Can people stop getting engaged while I’m still single Can someone please date me??? Why will no one date me??? Can someone at least have a crush on me??? No??

Please???

“Podcasts are easier than TV. They don’t have to look at you.”

I dare you to put this in comic sans @ Rees Morgan “No” - Rees Morgan

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?

WHY DO YOU WRITE FOR MARS’ HILL?

Nyssa Morgan

For the fame and fortune, obviously. For real, though, I have always loved writing and this is another awesome creative outlet for me to learn new skills and work with people with whom I might never get to interact otherwise.

WHAT IS YOUR MAJOR? Acting WHERE ARE YOU FROM? West Kelowna, BC WHAT IS SOMETHING YOU BELIEVE IN, SOMETHING YOU’RE PASSIONATE ABOUT AND WANT TO SHARE WITH THE WORLD? Support the arts, in whatever capacity you can. Whether it’s going to art galleries or listening to music or watching live theatre, the arts are an integral part of society and, while we might not get as much funding as the sciences or sports, we are just as important and have so much to offer.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE ARTICLE OF CLOTHING? Currently, it’s my Rip N Dip x Teddy Fresh fleece because I spent all the money I would have used for groceries to buy it so it’s worth more than my life.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE ARTICLE YOU’VE WRITTEN FOR MARS’ HILL AND WHY IS ITIMPORTANT? While it’s not my favourite, the most important article I have written was one I did last year about the potholes behind Jacobson and how they were literally damaging cars. Not even a week later, they were filled and it has been smooth sailing on that road ever since

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LIV WALTON October 25, 2019 was a sunny, brisk day in seaside Vancouver. That morning, a windstorm set the perfect scene for the battle that was about to take place. As the hour moved toward 11 a.m., 15 000 people poured into downtown Vancouver. People from all demographics came bearing cardboard signs, green and pink hearts, and megaphones as weapons of change. Sun overhead, beaming off the surrounding skyscrapers, the crowd stood in solidarity with the earth—united by the ground beneath them.

The strike took place in front of the Vancouver Art Gallery as part of the international Fridays for Future (FFF) climate strike movement.

The goal of FFF strikes is for youth to bring the causes and effects of climate change to the front lines of world politics. While FFF was originally started by sixteen-year-old Swede Greta Thunberg, Sustainabiliteens Vancouver is responsible for hosting and organizing the march in Vancouver.

As stated on the Sustainabiliteens Vancouver Facebook page, “We are a group of teens from across Metro Vancouver coming together to demand action on the climate crisis. We are part of the international #fridaysforfuture #climatestrike movement. We strike from school one Friday a month to set an example of urgency which we demand to see followed by all levels of government.”

The youth-led strike began with a land acknowledgment, which recognized Vancouver as being established on the unceded territory of the Musqueam, Squamish, and Tsleil-Waututh First Nations. The acknowledgment was followed by several opening speeches given by Indigenous representatives. Sustainabiliteens Vancouver made it a priority to focus the strike’s attention on the Indigenous peoples to whom the leaders of the strike believe the land belongs. Thus, the majority of the strike was led by Indigenous peoples, many of whom

are members of Idle No More, an activist group committed to honouring Indigenous sovereignty and protecting local land and water.

After Indigenous representatives spoke, environmental activists took the stage, and youth representatives called the crowd to action. During this time, Sustainabiliteens Vancouver announced that 15 youth plaintiffs are suing the Canadian government. The plaintiffs hail from various parts of Canada and have launched an official constitutional lawsuit against the Canadian government for violating their rights to life, liberty, and security of the person, which are written under Section 7 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

Following the speeches, the strikers took to the streets, chanting for change. At the front of the march was Sustainabiliteens Vancouver and Idle No More, as well as people with disabilities, and Greta Thunberg. The march ended in front of the Vancouver Art Gallery after circling for three-kilometers. Several more speeches were made, including a concluding speech from Greta Thunberg.

From behind their screens, skeptics watched and questioned how the efforts are going to be effective in revising environmental policies. A popular chant answers by declaring, “This is what democracy looks like!” By marching, the Vancouver strikers were exercising their right to freedom of assembly as stated in Section 2 of the Candian Charter. By marching, people acknowledged that their movement has power, through democracy, to bring climate change to the front lines of national and world politics. As the event drew to a close, 15 000 people stood united, demanding change from the newly elected Canadian government.

DANYA WHEELER Students returning this year may have noticed the long-awaited safety improvements slowly making their way into campus life. Trinity Western University’s (TWU) Langley campus is suburban, forested, and picturesque: these things sound synonymous with “safety” to many—but they are not, necessarily. Pretty trees do not equal peace of mind.

security and request they monitor the user’s transit to their final destination. This time, five attempts were made to request an escort without success. This process of attempting to set up an escort was time consuming and, in a dangerous situation, may actually be detrimental to a student’s safety.

To address this concern, new safety improvements have been in the works. Among the changes are improvements to outdoor lighting, an updated sexualized violence policy, and a brand new app called TWU Safe.

In response to this situation, Manager of Security Derek Adams explained that security plans to “get to the bottom of why it did not work and make sure that it’s fixed for the next person.”

Fourth year student, Sarah Sommer, has been exploring the services offered by the app for the past few weeks. She said that though she “appreciate[s] the initiative, and recognize[s] the importance of this app for campus life,” her experiments found many flaws in the app’s performance.

Powered by AppArmor, TWU Safe strives to provide an expansive array of services, including an opportunity for friends and staff members to virtually escort students across campus, a platform for students to anonymously report incidents, and a list of health and sexualized violence resources at TWU. First, Mobile Bluelight is an in-transit safety precaution for use on campus. In theory, the user is able to call campus security and send their location to the security guard who answers the phone. This service is glitchy at best, and dangerous at worst. Sommer recalls that the first two of three calls went unanswered. Though she herself was not in danger at the time of testing, this outcome was nonetheless concerning for others who may find themselves in a genuinely dangerous situation. On the third call, TWU Security answered the phone but had not received the location pin and was therefore unable to virtually escort the user to their destination.

The Virtual Escort is the second service offered in the app. Similar to Mobile Bluelight, it is meant to send the user’s location to campus

Another feature, TWU Friendwalk, luckily ran without issue. This option requires the user to send a direct text to someone on their contact list and request their help by watching the user’s journey from one location to another. The friend on the other side of the screen is taken to a map page where they can watch the user’s movements from their initial location to their destination, in case the user strays from their path. On completing their trip, the user confirms their safe journey and the virtual walk ends. Both the user and friend are able to report an emergency at any time.

This function seems to run without issue, although the friend on the other side receives no notifications if the user strays from their path.

The spotless run of this feature, which does not involve campus security, illustrates that it is not the app itself that is in need of improvement, but security’s utilization of it.

An interesting feature about this function is that the student’s escort can be anybody on their contact list, regardless of distance. If the first friend is unavailable, they can simply move on to the next. It is easy to use, and the escort is not required to download the app in order to monitor their friend’s progress.

Upon completion of these tests, Sommer said, “[I] thought it was . . . pretty unreliable. There are clearly a lot of glitches that need to be worked out.”

“HELLO, 911? I’D LIKE TO TURN MYSELF IN” - ISHITA WILSON

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EMMA DYKSTRA

HONOUR YOUR MOTHER SYDNEY DVORAK

Climate change is on everyone’s minds these days—therefore, it should be no surprise that every major party presented a platform to combat it during this election. The Conservative Party’s plan was dramatically different from the others.

While other parties focused on banning plastic, planting trees, and halting fossil fuel projects in their campaigns, the Conservatives dedicated their climate plan to attacking climate change on a global scale by “holding the biggest polluters accountable.” They asked that Canada do its part but also influence the countries that are emitting the largest amounts of carbon dioxide.

The Conservatives put forward a few ideas for how Canada could attack global warming on the home front. However, the key factor differentiating it from the platforms of the other major parties was the plan to take the fight global. The party’s 2019 platform said, “Good opportunities to lower global emissions are sacrificed to focus on policies to meet domestic targets that will have little to no international impact.” Conservatives proposed exporting Canada’s clean energy to replace dirty foreign energy sources such as coal.

Not only would this have boosted the economy, it could have displaced higher emissions projects around the world.

Exporting liquified natural gas (LNG) to countries like China would have provided an alternative as China transitions away from coal.

Canada is also a leader in carbon capture and sequestration technology. Exporting that technology while also using it in Canadian facilities could have allowed Canada to take responsibility for its own emissions, as well as help other countries reduce their own. The whole idea behind this plan was to make sure that Canada, an emitter of just under 2 percent of the world’s carbon dioxide, would play its part in solving the climate crisis, but also serve as a leader in ensuring that other higher-emitting countries are playing their part, as well.

But the Conservatives lost.

As the Official Opposition, the Conservatives will be forced to work with the Liberals as they tackle the climate crisis.

The Liberal platform did not call for slowing down or halting fossil fuel projects.

The Liberals proposed that the revenue generated by oil production in Canada be invested into green technologies to help Canada reach net-zero emissions by 2050. However, mention global exports of Canadian energy is not found in their plan, so it will be intriguing to watch and see how Conservatives try and to implement this—or if they even will.

Canada’s leading oil producer, the province of Alberta, has been strongly opposed to a key part of the Liberal climate platform from day one: the consumer carbon tax. Alberta and Saskatchewan were a sea of blue in the middle of the electoral map, every seat Conservative aside from one spot of orange in the Edmonton-Strathcona riding. Alberta’s Conservative Premier Jason Kenney has made an industrial carbon tax the centrepiece of his climate strategy as a way to fight the federal tax that the Liberals have promised. However, there is no indication that Alberta has any plans to halt oil production. The fact that Alberta, the province with the most emissions, is entirely made up of Conservatives, may prove to be an area of trouble for the Liberals when trying to enforce a federal consumer carbon tax.

There is one thing all of the parties can agree on: climate change is real, it is human-caused, and action must be taken.

However, stances on what the process of action should be vary greatly in a diverse House of Commons—which is certainly the case in 2019. Conservatives wish to take the fight global, while the Liberals are committed to reaching zero emissions in Canada first. What will happen in these next few years remains unknown, but what we do know is that the Conservative platform did not have any plans to restrict Alberta’s oil production. Therefore when climate comes up, things could get pretty ugly in the house. For now, we wait.

EDITORIAL NOTE: The increased visibility of female leaders in the climate movement, such as Greta Thunberg, and stalwart matriarch of the Green Party, Elizabeth May, continues to raise questions about the intersection between gender and climate justice. While this piece is not contemporaneous, it belongs in news because it provides essential context to relevant headlines.

Ecofeminism, a movement that emerged in the mid-1970s, focuses on the connection between the oppression of women and the exploitation of the natural world. Mary Mellor, a popular ecofeminist, wrote “[ecofeminism] takes from the green movement a concern about the impact of human activities on the non-human world and from feminism the view of humanity as gendered in ways that subordinate, exploit and oppress women.”

Ecofeminism examines the parallels between patriarchal treatment of women and the planet. This movement seeks to harmonize the feminist, peace, and ecology movements.

Rosemary Ruether, a theologian, is considered to be one of the founding mothers of ecofeminism. She developed the idea that all must work to end the patriarchal systems that control and oppress both women and the natural world. Reuther claimed that this is a movement for feminists, environmentalists, activists, and scholars.

Today, ecofeminists are also concerned with how personal ideologies allow further exploitation of the earth and oppression of women. Ecofeminism recognizes how the values of Western colonization have developed into the colonization of the earth and women’s bodies.

As the movement of ecofeminism grows, those involved bring deeper understanding of contemporary social issues. Ecofeminists are now focusing on sweatshop labour, poverty in developing nations, the appropriation of Indigenous cultures, and heterosexual biases. The main thesis is that if ecofeminism is going to end one system of oppression, it should strive to acknowledge other systems of oppression and how they are all interrelated.

“IS ANSWERING THIS QUESTION A LEGALLY BINDING ADMISSION OF GUILT?” - REES MORGAN

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MEGAN DOELL

Taking an academic course is often the farthest thing from a student’s mind when they imagine a fun summer. Instagram stories of adventures, lakes, and mid-afternoon hikes inspire despair as summer students walk the familiar, but far emptier, path to their classes.

But not all summer courses are restricted to the classroom— some teach through experience. Trinity Western University (TWU) travel studies seek to transform the lives of students as they are invited to learn and study cultures different from their own.

For Danya Wheeler, a fourth year who participated in the Guatemala travel study, touring non-profit organizations allowed her to hear stories of personal growth from residents while working with impact ministries. These ministries work within impoverished communities through empowering and working alongside leaders to create long-term development plans to improve education, health and nutrition. “So often we can walk in and look for what we can offer people without really considering what they see their own needs as,” said Wheeler. She was on location at local coffee farms and organizations like Food for the Hungry and gained a better understanding of the way that impact ministries reach into communities. The development strategies discussed in her courses came to life before her eyes as she met passionate individuals who transitioned from poverty to the world of successful business.

In the spring of 2019, TWU sent students to Australia, London, Paris, Guatemala, and Ottawa with professors from departments across campus teaching courses and overseeing the trips. This year, TWU is continuing to offer travel study programs to East Africa, China, Europe, Vietnam, and Hawaii, and will be hosting information sessions for these trips in upcoming weeks.

This year has also seen the creation of a new travel study option.

The Worship Arts program, which launched in September 2017, will be offering its first travel study to France and Spain this upcoming May. “Travel studies tick the ‘Cultural and Linguistic’ and ‘Experiential and Embodied’ ways of knowing on the core checklist. That means you take your body out of its regular routine, expose it to different cultures and languages, and learn through those experiences,” explains Loranne Brown, Assistant Professor of Media and Communications. She teaches from home in Langley during the trips, but enjoys watching as her students have the experience of a lifetime. “As a writer, I want travel students to

prepare intellectually for adventures of wonder and discovery, and then write about them in a compelling way. Bring me along for the ride.”

Because travel studies fulfill two of TWU’s core requirements and are incredibly flexible in terms of the courses offered, travel studies are an interesting option to upperclassmen missing requirements for graduation. Instead of merely solving the issue of dull summer courses, travel studies pose a solution to a larger problem: because of TWU’s size, it can be difficult to organize a schedule when specific courses are not offered every semester.

Many students use these trips to take particular required courses and graduate on time, instead of taking another semester.

Travel study tuition is standardized: each TWU course costs $2226. Not including travel costs, the average cost for a travel study is approximately $7300, which includes the travel deposit, accommodations, tuition, and instructional fees.

Students can register for a travel study with the leading professor once a deposit is made. The forms for registration are released in November and December.

The layout of travel studies allows students to remain focused and engaged in the moment during the intensive three-week trip. Major assignments are held off until after students return home, allowing students an enjoyable experience.

One third year student, Audrey Loeffler, saw a different side to course work in the art and history of London and Paris. “I don’t often get to experience those kinds of cultural things so I find it really enlightening when I can,’’ she said.

For Loeffler, the group dynamics shaped what she was able to take away from the travel study. “Having 19 people who were all just going and experiencing the same things and then being able to talk about them in our class sessions, I think it really helped me to process what I was seeing.”

Obviously, relationships among students form during the intense study period due to proximity, but Wheeler notes that the bond formed between members of the group often survive into the new semester, despite a return to normal routines.

“I think when you’re considering a travel study, it’s one of those things where you have to decide if you are all in or not,” said Wheeler. “If you decide to go, you have to decide to go all in on it and just commit to whatever experience you’re going to have.”

“PAIGE JOHNSTONE” - JULIANA CHALIFOUR

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JANINA RITZEN The young bride and groom stand apart in the forest. It’s quiet, and the air is thick with anticipation. The guests’ breath sifts softly into the evergreens. The damp cold seeps through the bride’s full white skirt and the wind stirs the fur at her collar. The guests believe they stand still, yet they sway slightly, creating an aisle which is a living, moving representation of commitment. This is it. The bride gently takes her father’s arm, they share the moment without looking at one another, and he steals one last glance at his firstborn.

This is it. The bride takes a small step forward, the dried leaves crackle slightly and the train of her dress drags forward. The groom looks up at her, they lock eyes. He smiles. She holds the bouquet of ferns and mistletoe closer, and savours each step towards her new life.

“May or December?” is written on my bones; it is the last thing I see before I go to sleep and the dread which settles familiarly around my shoulders each morning. Decisions, decisions. Every day there are questions. Pressures, inquiries, why have they not chosen yet?

Wedding planning is a frivolous battle in which you do not choose your hill to die on—the other side has already purchased it out from under you. It is all wrapped up into a single day I cannot pay for, and as such I am dependent on the support of others. My parents’ generosity reveals itself as a world of red tape and single party solutions, fueled by a growing frustration at my lack of excitement. The Newlands venue, which provides the most elaborate stage for their daughter, was a product of their circle of influence. It is fitting, then, that I was a young girl with big dreams who always wanted an imaginary wedding that would look just like this, right?

They do not know that what they want to see is the shred of hope I endured in another place, holding hands with my new husband at an altar made of winter trees, singing a hymn into the cold air. Little do they know it is gone. Gone with the swipe of the VISA card and the $2000 deposit to Newlands. It’s May or December. “What is it you want?” my family demands. “It’s your day, we will support you . . . why can’t you stand up and declare what you want?”

I want them all to be quiet. I want to dance on uneven ground in lace up boots under the stars and listen to the shutter which freezes time.

I want to be able to breathe without feeling like I have failed two families. I want to share a kiss beneath sparklers in fur coats.

“I don’t know . . . I don’t know.”

We settle for May. May is safe. May makes everyone stop chastising. May is a decision.

May is after graduation. May is what good children choose.

Ironically, our families are frustrated at the lack of things they can do to help with the wedding planning—if only Newlands didn’t do it all for one price. The budget keeps expanding. My fiancé’s parents want to know how we would feel about a string quartet at the ceremony—live music is important. They offer to pay for it as a gift outside of their determined financial contribution. I would much rather have silverware.

They ask if we would like custom crystal glasses to drink from at the reception. I politely decline, claiming it is not worth the extra cost.

They buy them anyways.

I keep any visible excitement to myself. My mother and I go to buy my wedding dress, and it now hangs in my closet awaiting the first fitting.

My parents routinely ask if I have thought about this or that. No, I have not. If I think of something they might discover it and tear it apart again.

I am constantly torn between apathy and excitement. I am so blessed to be able to marry this man—but I do not want to go through this process. I want the greatest day of my life to be over with, for I am just a puppet in the status game; a pretty little girl who can smile on demand, greet another stranger in a ballroom, and raise a crystal champagne glass. I am the stubborn daughter who will not allow the mother of the bride to wear an ostentatious red dress. I am the cause of excessive hours spent looking for an alternative. I am the girl stealing the only child of an Irish family, luring him away never to be seen again.

If someone knows how to be excited about their wedding day, please share it with me. Excitement is dangerous, vulnerable, a target to criticism. Excitement means weakness, and I cannot let them in again. I sit amidst folded invitations carefully gluing and feel nothing. One day at a time, I try to find the beauty in all of this.

I often speak to the girl with poinsettias in her hair and lace on her wrists, she’s promised to hold my hand as we walk down the old chapel aisle together.

EMMETT HANLY Fairy tales are an integral part of childhood. Though often used to instill morals at a young age or to scare children into behaving, these fables also give people a glimpse of magic and provide kindling for the imagination. The School of the Arts, Media, and Culture’s (SAMC) production at Trinity Western University’s (TWU) of the classic Hans Christian Andersen story The Snow Queen, whisks audiences away into a world of enchantment and wonder.

Most adaptations of The Snow Queen have made drastic changes to the original story, almost to the point where they become completely unrecognizable from the source material (for example, Disney’s popular animated musical Frozen). However, this version sticks close to Andersen’s original vision, including the Christian elements of the story. While many have chosen a secular approach to adapting this story, Johnson-Brooke kept the strong themes of faith in her script.

Adapted by local playwright Patricia Johnson-Brooke, The Snow Queen presents a young girl’s adventure to save her best friend who has been kidnapped by the titular character. Throughout her journey, the protagonist encounters talking crows, princes and princesses, evil flowers, bands of robbers, and other fantastical characters. All the while, the mystery of how the Snow Queen came to be unfolds. Ultimately, this is a story about a child who is forced to navigate the growth of not only herself, but everyone around her, while still maintaining her childlike imagination.

“This heartwarming fairy-tale brings to life the magic that is lost with growing up,” says Alisha Pinto, who plays the Snow Queen in SAMC’s show. “I am very grateful for the opportunity to work with creative and talented artists. Taking on the role of the Snow Queen has been an exciting yet challenging journey and I can’t wait to share it with everyone on stage.”

While The Snow Queen is a Theatre for Young Audiences (TYA) show, people of all ages can find something entertaining and meaningful in the narrative. When asked why TWU students should come and see the show, director Kerri Norris says, “Students will recognize elements of this story that have been used in other literature, such as The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe . . . there are little easter eggs where you can go, ‘I think I saw that in something else too.’ It’s a chance to come and have fun close to exam time.”

This show will play on campus from November 19 until November 30 at Freedom Hall in the Robert N. Thomson building. For more information on how to get tickets now, visit twu.ca/theatre.

“JESSIE REEK SHE USUALLY KNOWS WHAT TO DO” - CAMERON MCCOSLIN

“ KANYE HAS NO FEAR OF SHARING WITH THE ENTIRE WORLD THE MESSAGE THAT YOU DO NOT HAVE TO BE PERFECT FOR JESUS TO SAVE YOU.”

MAKENA WARDLE “Would you consider yourself a Christian artist now?” asked Jimmy Kimmel. Kanye’s answer came, “I’m just a Christian everything.”

Just one year ago, this conversation would have seemed fictional.

Yet, over the past few months, statements like this have become commonplace in Kanye’s idiolect.

On January 13, 2019, the first Sunday Service was held in the West home. Described by Kanye’s wife, the infamous media personality Kim Kardashian West, as a “musical ministry,” these services have included everything from guest preachers to hit songs rewritten with worship lyrics and performed by gospel choirs. The weekly event has become a massive topic of conversation in the media due to the attendance of celebrities such as Brad Pitt, Justin Bieber, and Chance The Rapper. Kris Jenner, Kanye’s mother-in-law, often live-streams the events on instagram.

It was during these services that Kanye started to perform original music featuring Christian messages. On August 29, Kim Kardashian West posted a photo on Instagram of what appeared to be a list of song titles under the headline Jesus Is King, followed by the date September 27. Fans and critics alike geared up for another album, yet expectations were low due to his previously promised album, Yhandi, never being released.

September 27 came and went, but fans were reassured that the album was still to come. Kanye announced that he would have a Jesus is King IMAX film coming out on October 25, the eve of the new album’s release. A trailer was released in which Kanye made official his new priorities saying, “We’re here to spread the Gospel.

I’m not here for your entertainment. I’m an evangelist.”

Jesus is King IMAX, as promised, entered theaters on October 25.

The Jesus is King album, expected to be released at 12:00 a.m. on October 26, missed its deadline, yet released later in the afternoon that same day.

The album has received mixed reviews. The Atlantic labeled it “a stunningly extreme and empty album.” HipHopDX called it “tied together by his passion for and love for God” and “admirably steady.”

RollingStone said, “If West really, truly believed that it could save someone’s—everyone’s—immortal soul, you wish he had tried a little harder.” Esquire wrote that, though the industry will be debating this album for a while, “no matter what the consensus is, at least the music still sounds incredible.” Through the negative and positive, it is hard to deny the sheer passion for Christ which Kanye has weaved into every song on the album, making it revolutionary in our time.

MANFRED DEWSBURY Kanye West’s recent conversion to the Christian faith has invaded pop culture and shed light on Christianity in an increasingly secularized society. Towards the beginning of 2019, Kanye claimed he was “radically saved.” Ultimately, it is not on us to confirm this.

Rather, I believe that we must pray, rejoice, and have faith in the work that God can—and arguably, already is—doing through Kanye.

I am, however, going to speak to some implications of Kanye’s new faith and the efficacy of varying responses from the Church.

Firstly, the overall story of Kanye’s ministry speaks to how God works. Shortly after Kanye experienced his conversion, he approached Adam Tyson, a 43-year-old pastor of a modest, local church in San Clarita. What is often missed in this story is the fact that Kanye was invited to church by an average, local guy working in the creative industry.

Kanye West, like many other Christians, was invited to church by a member of the community.

Fast forward and Adam Tyson is now meeting with Kanye, reading scripture with him, and helping him understand the gospel.

According to Tyson, one of the first times he met Kanye he “spent about three hours just going through the gospel, [to] make sure [Kanye] understood clearly about the atonement of Jesus Christ.”

Tyson now leads a weekly Bible study with Kanye in Cody, Wyoming, where Kanye lives.

It was not a celebrity pastor who led Kanye to seek discipleship; it was a man who had faith in Jesus’ ability to save lives. God used Tyson to begin a beautiful work in the heart of one of the biggest celebrities of our time.

As one of the biggest celebrities of our time, Kanye has immense social capital. It is crucial for Christians to understand the significance of this moment in Western culture. Kanye is facing a unique opportunity to rebrand Christianity in the public eye. In general, the Western secular world’s perspective of Christians is often in-

formed by celebrity pastors, the complex relationship between Christianity and politics, and a culture that emphasizes “having it all together,” which borders on self-righteousness. Kanye has the opportunity to change the stigma.

In a recent interview, he compared how he previously acted on his Yeezus tour to the way King Nebuchadnezzar claimed to have lordship; a part of his past that is so drastically different from where he is today. Kanye is striving to be bold, genuine, and fragile in his faith. He admits that he is a recent convert and is imperfect.

However, Kanye is not afraid of sharing the message that you do not have to be perfect for Jesus to save you. Further, this is one of the only moments in recent history in which a large portion of the world has witnessed one person’s testimony in real time.

In light of this testimony, how should we as the Church react to this cultural phenomenon? Rees Morgan shared a beautiful perspective in which he compared Kanye’s journey with the prodigal son. We can either be the father who rejoices, welcomes in the lost son, and prays faithfully for God to continue working, or we can be the bitter son who stays outside, judges, and turns away from what God is doing. It is important to remember that when we welcomed Jesus into our hearts, our theology was not perfect and we still made mistakes, but God kept working. This is the same for Kanye. It is important that we show grace to him. There are many non-Christians who are watching to see how the church will react.

If Christians do not show grace to Kanye, will others expect grace to be shown to them?

Ultimately this is about God, not Kanye. Let us continue to be encouraged by the way God is using Kanye. Let us be in awe of God, not Kanye. Let us pray for Adam Tyson and the others who are supporting and discipling him. Let us ask God to continue to “Use This Gospel.”

REES MORGAN Kanye West is the embodiment of success in our modern culture.

His music is a cultural staple, his wife is the epitome of Instagram beauty, his shoes sell out in seconds and are resold for five times as much, and he was featured on the cover of Time magazine’s “Top 100 Most Influential People.” Kanye was not shy about this success and influence: his 2013 album Yeezus features a song named “I Am A God,” which cites a feature from God as a performer. Kanye is the only performer on that song. His music video for “POWER” features Kanye as a Greek god, filling the centre of the frame as the camera slowly pans out to reveal mythological creatures battling around him in slow motion. Citing his Time magazine cover, Kanye raps on “Saint Pablo”: “I know I’m the most influential / That TIME cover was just confirmation / This generation’s closest thing to Einstein.”

When Kanye claimed to follow Christ, many Christians were up in arms about it. Some have questioned whether someone who claims to be a Christian can be married to someone as controversial as Kim Kardashian West. Others vocalized concerns about whether Kanye is merely using Jesus as a way to sell merchandise and stir up publicity for album streams. For some reason, Christians doubted that our all powerful God could save someone like Kanye. Echoing the words that Kanye spoke at a recent Sunday Service, “Isn’t this what we want?”

To those who doubt, consider the words of James 2.18 and look at Kanye’s works. The Sunday after Jesus is King was released, Kanye performed “Saint Pablo” during a Sunday Service. However, he changed some of the lyrics to reflect his new convictions. He raps: “I know He’s the most influential / That TIME cover was just confirmation.” Kanye is now referring to Jesus, and the June 21, 1971, “The Jesus Revolution” cover of Time. He removed the feature from God on “I Am A God” on streaming platforms. In the film, Jesus is King, Kanye has a five minute shot of a choir singing at the bottom of a set of stairs, which leads to a blinding light. Kanye is nowhere to be seen in this shot. This starkly contrasts with imagery that portrays Kanye as a god in his “POWER” music video.

GOD HAS ALWAYS USED THE MOST UNLIKELY TO FULFILL HIS WILL. Moses could not speak in front of crowds, and yet God used Him to free His people from Egypt. Saul killed literally hundreds of Christians before Jesus transformed him into Paul, who some describe as the founder of Christianity. We are living as witnesses to a profound cultural moment, and God is working in extravagant ways to redeem His people and bring the Kingdom to Earth.

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It is no secret that Trinity Western University (TWU) features a diverse population with different interests, needs, and understandings of what this community should be—and the education that it should provide.

Faculty and administrators are committed to delivering quality education and leadership development, according to “Christian” principles. Students are seeking valuable knowledge, life experience, and connections. Parents are concerned about their children’s spiritual formation and seek to hold the institution accountable. Donors are committed to contributing to the mandate and vision promised by the institution. The mechanisms with which we enforce, and seek to realize these visions, however, remain complex.

One of the mechanisms used to preserve this institutional identity is the formation of core documents.

TWU’s core documents include the Community Covenant, the Statement of Faith, and the Hospitality Policy. The Student Handbook, which applies to all students, is written to encourage students to engage in what the institution believes to be embodied practice of the values and principles contained in the core documents Recently, this discussion has begun to centre around the Statement of Faith. Many students professed that they had encountered professors who disagreed with, or questioned, aspects of the text, but remained committed to TWU’s mandate. It is commonly understood that professors are allowed to “write-in” their concerns, doubts, and clarifications on the Statement.

However, according to the Chair of the Faculty Association, Dr. Allan Thorpe, there has been a “change in practice.”

In an email to Mars’ Hill, Dr Thorpe writes, “Reservations were permitted under the old Statement of Faith (pre-2010). Clarifications were permitted under the new Statement of Faith (2010-2018).” He says, with a shift in language, that moving forward, “New faculty hires will not be invited to provide clarifications.”

Mars’ Hill was in dialogue with professors in several departments on campus, had an open conversation with TWU President Mark Husbands, and reached out to TWU Provost Bob Wood, who declined to comment. Conversations with professors seem to reflect a posture of waiting and hoping that the issue will remain up for discussion in the future.

This change seems to have come into effect in the summer of 2018, though some faculty were not made aware until the spring of 2019. A meeting was held in the Northwest Auditorium on September 27, 2019 to discuss the issue.

This discussion is notoriously difficult—often, the mechanisms designed to unite us pose the most insidious threat to community. The goal of this survey—which remains available on our social media for students and alumni to complete—is to situate that discussion in the most effective context possible.

Issue no. 5 of Mars’ Hill entitled I Heard the Bells, our final issue this semester, will include the aggregated data.

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If one of TWU’s claims is to provide a Christian education, and thereby enrich the faith of its students, it only follows that professors should be able to discuss and even doubt their theological views openly. Personal faith is often enriched through questioning, critical thought, and even doubt. If TWU expects students to mature in their faith, then it is only reasonable that professors should be able to openly mature in their own faith alongside students, whether ORS that is through FESS O doubt or qualification.

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remain Christian and agree with the spirit of the statement of faith in general and Christian orthodoxy in particular. There should be room for disagreement on secondary issues, not on fundamental doctrines of faith.

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I am not paying thousands of dollars and did not move to a different country to attend a private Christian university to have professors express their doubt in Christian theology to their students. They can talk with their families and private communities about that.

Orthodox is certainly important to the Christian faith.

There are tenants necessary for Christians to find common ground. However, if professors cannot openly dissent on issues of theological opinion, doctrine, and dogma (ie. issues nonessential to the SHOU faith or to salvation), the is Lquality D R of our education compromised.

We risk ES indoctrination and the limitingER of dissemination of varying perspectives that are ALL equally Christian.

I think a homogenous institution is a dangerous one, contributing further to the polarization in the world that we've been seeing lately. We learn from different perspectives and views. Trinity asked me to 'think critically' and 'transform the world' and I don't know how critically you can think if you exist within a homogenous box.

Because TWU offers a Christian education, it is of course important that faculty align themselves with the core tenets of Christianity (such as the identity of Jesus and the nature of salvation). However, to expect TWU’s faculty, staff, and students to align wholeheartedly with TWU’s Statement of Faith and Student Handbook, which both express certain stances on non-salvific issues, is not only unreasonable, but ultimately insufficient for a healthy and stimulating Christian education. To expect such homogeneous alignment would be to discredit the beautiful diversity of the body of Christ, and indeed lose it and the richness of human interaction that it offers.

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If TWU thinks that they can somehow makes a statement of faith that will have 100% agreement and support, then they will have accomplished something that no one else has since the Reformation.

TWU needs to embrace the grey, not the black-white duality.

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Throughout our lives our theology will change and grow, sometimes in unexpected ways. That wrestle is beautiful and is an opportunity for the faces of a multifaceted God to show themselves in new ways. Does doubt not show deep deep consideration of something? That it's so important to you that it's worth wrestling with?

I've been a part of schools like that before. It was a great environment, but it wasn't a real one. Before Trinity, I had never been in an environment that encouraged me to learn how to befriend and hold discussions with people of other faiths or sects of Christianity.

Professors know what kind of a school they are applying to, they sign the documentation when they start working there, and they should be culture bears and mission bearers of the school. Students pay exorbitant fees to get a Christian education.

They should be able to trust that their professors' teaching is in line with the school's theology. To do differently is disingenuous and dishonest, not to mention a waste of money as students can go to publicly funded universities for much cheaper and learn from differing worldviews.

We do not want to limit students from coming to TWU based on their current theological leanings. However, we cannot compromise on requiring Staff & Faculty signing the Statement of Faith.

For TWU to remain faith-centered, hiring staff and professors should remain biased to those of the Christian faith.

THE MARS’ HILL EDITORIAL TEAM WITH STUDENT PERSPECTIVES MARS’ HILL EDITORIAL TEAM

A RECORD FOUR TWU ALUMNI— TAKO VAN POPTA (‘78), DAMIEN KUREK (‘12), BOB ZIMMER (‘03), AND DANE LLOYD (‘14) —WERE ELECTED TO THE 43RD PARLIAMENT.

MARS’ HILL EDITORIAL TEAM In 1979, a private member’s bill supported by a Social Credit MLA was the first step to elevate the status of Trinity Western University (TWU) from a two-year junior college to a fully-accredited degree-granting institution. In response, Bob Birkenshaw, then Dean of Social Sciences at TWU said, “It was the first time in a century there was a new university in Canada that was confessional.” He continues, “Basically, it broke the state monopoly on higher education.”

Deborah Grey, who attended Trinity Western College, was elected to the Canadian Parliament in 1989. Grey was a stalwart in the Canadian conservative movement, serving as a member of the Reform Party and the leader of the Canadian Alliance Party. In 2000, she was the first female leader of the opposition in Canadian history. She was joined by two other TWU alumni, Chuck Strahl in 1993 and Gary McNully in 1997, setting TWU’s previous record for the most alumni in the House at one time.

The mission of TWU is to “develop godly Christian leaders.”

This vision has long extended to the public sphere. TWU’s fight for recognition from public institutions did not end in 1979. In 2001, a court ruling determined that the British Columbia College of Teachers (BCCT) could not deny certification to graduates of TWU’s School of Education. As a further extension of this mandate, the Laurentian Leadership Centre (LLC) welcomed its first class to the historic J. R. Booth mansion in 2002.

During the election of 2004, only Strahl returned to the House; however, he was joined by the late Trinity College alumnus Mark Warawa, who became the representative of TWU’s district, now called Langley-Aldergrove. Warawa remained the representative of Langley-Aldergrove until his death in 2019.

The National Post described the LCC as a “haven” for the “sharpest edge of intellectual evangelical Christianity.” LLC students have enjoyed elite access from the very beginning. Jared Kuehl, a member of that first class, went straight from the mansion to the issues management branch of former Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s office.

Further, on October 21, 2019, a record four TWU alumni—Tako van Popta (‘78), Damien Kurek (‘12), Bob Zimmer (‘03), and Dane Lloyd (‘14)—were elected to the 43rd Parliament. This is especially impressive considering the relative size of the institution. Mars’ Hill analyzed the 43rd Parliament, seeking to assess the significance of TWU’s representation in Canadian politics.

We found that TWU alumni currently hold one seat in the House of Commons for every five held by alumni from the most well-represented institution in the House, the University of Toronto (U of T). However, the population of U of T is more than 20 times that of TWU. Similarly, TWU alumni’s rate of election to office in Canada is roughly equivalent to that of McMaster University, Ryerson University, Wilfred Laurier University, and the University of Victoria. Even further, TWU actually outpaces other publicly funded institutions like the University of Regina and the University of New Brunswick.

This result is fascinating considering that TWU employs only two professors who teach primarily in the Political Studies department at the Langley campus, though several professors from other departments teach key required courses. In contrast, the private Catholic institution St. Francis Xavier University, which is only double the size of TWU, has 11 full-time faculty in their Political Science department. And oddly enough, they have only two alumni currently sitting in the House.

But before Warawa’s passing, he was one of three former TWU students who held office between 2011 and 2019, joined by Bob Zimmer and Stephen Fuhr, who graduated from TWU with a diploma in aviation technology. Warawa’s passing constituted quite a loss for the TWU community, and in the 2019 election, the citizens of Langley-Aldergrove selected yet another TWU alumnus, Tako Van Popta, to represent them in Ottawa.

It is clear that TWU alumni have maintained a consistent presence in the House, and particularly in the Conservative Party, for three decades. Of these nine Members of Parliament (MPs), only one, Fuhr, was not a Conservative. Director of the LLC, Dr. Janet Buckingham, is often asked to address questions about the LLC’s apparent ties to conservative politics in Canada.

In response, Dr. Buckingham says, “A significant number of students from TWU identify politically with the Conservative Party.” She explains that as LLC and TWU alumni continue to be hired as staffers for Conservative MPs, they form a network that helps students and alumni gain campaign support and access to job opportunities.

Dr. Buckingham points out that there are two large universities in Ottawa, one which she describes as “Liberal” and the other which she argues is connected to the New Democrats. “The LLC provides a balance,” she says. Further, Dr. Buckingham emphasizes that the LLC has four alumni currently working as staffers for the Liberal Party. “Yes,” she acknowledges, “we have more Conservatives, but that doesn’t mean we don’t have [students and alumni] across party lines.”

13

TYLER JONES

One of the most distinguished competitions in the world of sports is the Stanley Cup Playoffs of the National Hockey League (NHL). The parity of the competition brings widespread excitement, as the team to hoist the cup might be one that is completely unexpected. For a perfect example of this, look no further than last season. In the 2018-19 season, the St. Louis Blues won their first Stanley Cup after 52 seasons as an established hockey club in the NHL. This outcome was far from expected as the Blues spent the first half of the season at the bottom of the league.

At every level of the sport, the tradition is clear: the team captain skates to the podium to receive the highly coveted prize on behalf of their team. With a triumphant raise of the cup, Alex Pietrangelo, the Blues’ captain, joined the long history of great NHL players who have skated to receive the cup. In the NHL, team captaincy is often awarded to one of the team’s best players, a right that Pietrangelo has certainly earned during his career with the Blues. As a team’s representative to the rest of the NHL, it is often required that the team captain be a well-rounded individual, both on and off the ice.

After the glorious beginning of a Stanley Cup ceremony, there is another unwritten tradition that defines NHL championship culture. The player who receives the cup after the captain is not always the best player; in fact, this specific player may be looked upon as a mere role player in the midst of the star-studded lineup. On a yearly basis, the cup is handed off to a player who has remained loyal to the league, and more commonly, to the team.

When the Blues won their first Stanley Cup, Jay Bouwmeester was the first to receive it from Pietrangelo. Although Bouwmeester was an outstanding defenseman throughout his 20s, the 35-year-old was certainly past his prime. After spending 10 years in Florida and Calgary, Bouwmeester was the centerpiece in a trade to the St. Louis Blues. At 29 years old, he was certainly considered a bonafide NHL veteran and provided an instant boost in leadership for the Blues. While his offensive production was never outstanding in St. Louis, he has been a consistently eminent skater in his defensive zone.

receive. But if anyone believes that this scenario was the pinnacle of the Stanley Cup tradition, think again.

After leading the Pittsburgh Penguins to his third Stanley Cup championship in 2017, Sidney Crosby’s decision to hand the beloved trophy to Ron Hainsley was easy, if unlikely. As a 35-year-old defender, Hainsey played in 907 NHL games before making his first playoff appearance for the Pittsburgh Penguins in the 2017 playoffs. This many games without a trip to the playoffs is an NHL record— though, certainly one of the least desirable records to hold. Further, Hainsey had only played 41 games in Penguin black and gold. However, he made those 41 games count. Hainsey went on to play an important role in the Penguins’ playoff run as he amassed an average of 21 minutes of ice-time throughout the 25 games of their playoff campaign. Due to the extensive injuries sustained by the Penguins, Hainsey was labelled a necessary acquisition

by Pittsburgh’s management. Being pushed into such an important role was new to Hainsey, but he certainly impressed as the Penguins proceeded to win it all.

WHEN HAINSEY HELD THAT GLORIOUS TROPHY ABOVE HIS HEAD, HE KNEW THAT HIS PREVIOUS SHORTCOMINGS BORE NO MEANING ANYMORE. RON HAINSEY WAS A CHAMPION.

Although these are only recent accounts out of the Stanley Cup’s 126-year history, the tradition of handing off the cup to a player who has worked the longest for it has remained and will continue to cement itself as a key component in the NHL. Respect is not only due to the players who score the most or have the flashiest displays of play throughout their careers. This tradition has been put in place for the players who have battled the hardest and longest to get to this point.

Although many were interested as to which player would receive the honour of being handed the cup first, player to Though players move on, this tradition, and the memories receive this honour, Pietrangelo remained loyal to Bouw- that come with it, shall always remain present in the game meester, his former defensive partner. It became evident of hockey. that Bouwmeester’s commitment to success over his long career earned him an honour that very few NHL players “BOB KUHN” - MARITHA LOUW & ALEX GUST

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ISHITA WILSON Minimalism: the art of possessing fewer things. It is a lifestyle that encourages people to intentionally own only the things they need and not to indulge in unnecessary material wealth.

Minimalism is widely popular amongst Millennials. “This is a generation that is bigger than the boomers in population, but their wallets are smaller, and they are more into the style of life than the stuff of life,” explains retail expert Robin Lewis in an interview with a Forbes contributor in 2016. Not only does minimalism support a zero-waste lifestyle, it also pushes people to value experiences over physical possessions. However, the recent spread of minimalism as a trend destabilizes the core ideologies that reinforce the minimalist lifestyle.

Minimalism has become a stylistic choice, rather than a way of life. People have started to pay more money to achieve the black and white, clean, and industrial “minimalist” aesthetic. People buy expensive “minimalist” art prints to decorate their “minimalist” homes. They get rid of old clothes to buy a neutral “minimalist” wardrobe. They spend dollar after dollar on plants, both real and fake.

HOWEVER, THIS TRENDY VERSION OF MINIMALISM REFLECTS THE MINIMAL AMOUNT OF THINKING PEOPLE DO BEFORE FALLING VICTIM TO CONSUMERISM.

People spend more money in order to look like they spend less.

They own more things in order to look like they own less. The spread of minimalism as a consumer trend completely flipped the idea of “less is more” onto its head. Owning a white clothing

rack from IKEA does not make you a minimalist; all your clothes should fit in the closet you already have, and they all should be clothes you wear often. Having a minimalist art piece does not make you a minimalist, either. To start living as a minimalist, buying stereotypically aesthetic items should never be the first course of action.

The temptation to purchase these trendy items stems from the romanticization of minimalism. But people who romanticize this lifestyle are not minimalists—they simply like the idea of being one. However, we must take a closer look at the things we value and think about whether these things add value to our lives or not. If the things that we value do not add value to our lives, what is the point of holding on to them?

Love of money and material wealth has turned minimalism, a lifestyle that revolves around simplicity, into something that is difficult and expensive. It does not have to be, though. Start by getting rid of things you do not use, and stop buying things you do not need. Clutter is clutter, even if it takes the form of the latest “minimalist” item. Declutter your space, declutter your mind. Minimalism is like spring cleaning for your home and for your soul. And you do not need another fake plant because it is useless and does not help circulate oxygen in your room.

CONTENT WARNING: ALT-RIGHT, TRANSPHOBIA, NAZISM

EMMETT HANLY One of the oldest known memes from the internet is “Godwin’s Law.” The principle, coined by Mike Godwin in 1990, states that the longer a conversation on a public internet forum continues, the more likely it is that someone will eventually reference Hitler or Nazism. The joke is that no matter the topic of discussion, some troll will always be lurking behind the safety net of digital anonymity, waiting for the opportunity to spout hateful beliefs or to say something offensive just for the sake of it.

In 29 years, not much has changed. The internet became a haven for the alt-right: a self-identified group of people with extreme right-wing ideologies that spurn mainstream politics and push fascist propaganda online. Unfortunately, Neo-Nazi philosophies like theirs spread like wildfire on platforms like 4chan, Reddit, YouTube, and even Instagram. Oddly enough, the most influential tool used to spread hateful propaganda online among Gen-Z and Millennials has come in the form of seemingly innocuous .jpeg files. Through them, mild anti-political correctness sentiments morph into real racism, sexism, and homophobia.

Of course, any ideology including hardcore leftism can utilize memes to appeal to younger generations, but few have come close to having the same indoctrinatating effect as the edgy memes of the alt-right. Somehow, a cartoon frog became the most visible symbol of vitriolic white supremicists and to this day the spread of weaponized memes radicalizes youth and cajoles them into public identification with hate groups.

That said, offensive or dark humour does not invariably lead to radicalization. A lot of the time, people can recognize when a joke is a joke and move on. Saying something crude with a tone of irony can highlight the ridiculousness of actually holding abhorrent beliefs and can even work to undermine the spread of toxic ideas by reducing them to laughiblity.

meme. For example, late 2016 saw a rise in “there are only two genders” memes, which would often feature a reaction image of a person or character laughing at the idea that someone would feel more comfortable using gender neutral pronouns. This rather distasteful meme outwardly dismisses non-binary identities and is blantantly harmful to non-binary people. However, if one of these memes is someone’s first introduction to the concept of another gender identity, they will primarily understand it as something to ridicule. Unfortunately, these memes can still be seen on Reddit and Instagram and continue to normalise discrimation.

However, openly scolding teenagers for saying something offensive can have an effect quite opposite of deterring them from the alt-right. “When teens are called out for sharing these memes by their peers or even authority figures, there’s a sense of shame or embarrassment,” Shivam Kumar Choudhary wrote in i-D Magazine. “This shame soon turns into bitterness against the system dictating what’s right and what’s wrong.”

A ban from Instagram or Facebook might push them towards 4chan’s /pol/ boards where they will only be more immersed in alt-right communities. So, rather than ostracising kids for parroting what they do not understand, a positive solution could be to meet them with understanding and explain why these ideas are harmful and how sharing them spreads malicious intent.

Not all memes are inherently bad. It is okay to laugh at a meme for being ridiculous or edgy. However, it is important to recognize how memes can be used to propagate alt-right dogma to susceptible individuals. Remaining cognizant of what could be hiding in plain sight on our Instagram feeds could help to stop the diffusion of white nationalist rhetoric on social media.

However, it is easy to become desensitized to real world issues or have an opinion influenced by negative connotations in a

“WELL IT’S SAM CORBETT, OF COURSE!” - BRAEDON SUNNES

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REES MORGAN

Before I lay out my argument for the beauty found in God’s identification as “Father,” I want to reveal my heart behind voicing what I believe to be biblical truth. As a self-identifying feminist, and supporter of women in pastoral roles, and also a straight, white male who believes in a sola scriptura interpretation of the Bible—the idea that authority is found in scripture alone—I often feel like I am sailing through a storm: as I contest with rough waters below and a storm above. Living between these two sides can be confusing, but the guidance of scripture and the Spirit is the foundation upon which I build my worldview. I am not writing this to condemn those who hold different views than me on the nature of God, but rather to highlight how God’s identification as “Father” beautifully showcases His love for humanity and creation.

mit to their husbands as the Church submits to Christ, and husbands are to treat their wives like Christ treated the Church, with absolute, unconditional love—even to the point of death. The call for a husband’s unconditional love is merely a reflection of Christ’s love for His people.

God speaks to individuals in unique and personal ways, and He may choose to speak to an individual in a way that highlights His motherly characteristics. In Isaiah 66:13, God is described as a comforting mother, and this aspect of God’s character should not be undervalued or discounted.

However, there are specific reasons for the use of the word “Father” throughout scripture; specifically the metaphor it creates surrounding His role in human lives as an omnipotent, omniscient, and omnipresent authority. Because God is beyond human understanding, the use of “Father” invokes metaphor of a loving paternal relationship in hopes that we can gain a deeper understanding of who He is. His children, the Church, are dependent on Him, their Father, as a provider. Furthermore, due to God’s nature ultimate authority, we cannot as finite humans define God as we would like to see Him—instead of what He has said that He is.

This passage is controversial today, in the age of women’s liberation, as women have been treated extremely poorly with this passage as an excuse. Those are misinterpretations and this passage should not be used to place women as subordinates of men. “Submission” in this context is not, as culture would define, “yielding to a superior force” but rather the Greek idea of ezer, a word that means suitable helper. Although women’s role in marriage is different than that of men’s, it does not exclude them from being spiritually influential in their families and churches.

THE BEAUTY IN THIS PASSAGE IS THAT GOD GAVE UP EVERYTHING OUT OF LOVE FOR THE CHURCH, JUST AS HUSBANDS ARE TO GIVE UP EVERYTHING FOR THEIR WIVES. God uses the metaphor of marriage so that we can relate to it and can get a glimpse of a God who is beyond human understanding.

Those who have been hurt by unhealthy marriages, abusive relationship or any other form of brokeness are not excluded from experiencing this beauty. God wants to redeem one’s view of relationships and show unconditional love to those who have had it taken by this broken world.

He desires a personal relationship, filled with levels of intiGod uses the metaphor of marriage to help us understand macy and love one has yet to experience. Inviting God into his role in relation to the Church, His sacrificial love for the space that was created by the trauma of this broken His people, and His permanent union with them. In Ephe- world will allow for our Father in Heaven to bring reconcilsians 5.22-24, readers are presented with what the dynam- iation and peace in ways only He can. ic of a God-honouring marriage looks like. This passage should be interpreted on two levels: on the surface, it is teaching us how a Godly marriage functions. On a deeper level, marriage is used to point to something greater— Christ’s relationship with the Church. Wives are to sub“YOUR MOM” - LIV WALTON

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STUDIO AND ARTIST: Fourth Cup (Vanessa Taylor), currently working at Bebop Ink in Vancouver, BC @thefourthcup MARS’ HILL: WHAT TATTOOS DO YOU HAVE? WHERE ARE THEY? ROBYN FROESE: I have seven tattoos, but four are stick’n’pokes, so do those four really count? My three real ones are on my right arm. I have a perfume bottle, a rose, and a conglomeration of a bird, wheat, and foliage. As for the stick’n’pokes, I have a cross on my hand, a little man on my knee, a leaf on my ankle, and a question mark on my bottom.

MH: WHICH IS YOUR FAVOURITE? RF: The bird, wheat, and foliage one is my largest and my favourite. The line work was done beautifully and I love the placement. The little man on my knee is a very close second though.

MH: WHERE DID YOU GET YOUR FAVOURITE DONE, AND WHO WAS YOUR ARTIST? RF: I got it done in Saskatoon by Fourth Cup. She actually moved out to Vancouver last year though, which is dope. The little man stick’n’poke was done by an awesome tattoo artist named Robyn Froese (so me).

MH: DID YOU DESIGN THESE TATTOOS YOURSELF? JA: I knew I wanted the three elements (bird, wheat, and foliage), and Vanessa (Fourth Cup) won’t tattoo anything that isn’t her artwork. I gave her free reign to design it however she wanted. I just showed up the day of the tattoo and let her do her thing. I designed the little man. He’s very cute, and a good traveling companion.

MH: YOU ARE ALSO A STICK-AND-POKE ARTIST. HOW DID YOU GET INTO THAT? RF: I had a slight few months where I wanted to be a tattoo artist because me and my roommates were pumped up on this skate doc. I started looking up cheap tattoo guns on Amazon. I told my friend who is a real tattoo artist and she told me I was an idiot, and I would blow up my skin if I bought a gun. She suggested stick’n’pokes. She gave me some unused needles and I bought some ink and away I went. I practiced on myself first for sure. I love giving stick’n’pokes, but I always preface it with the fact that I am not trained, and it could suck, therefore you may have to get it covered. Surprisingly people still let me give them tattoos in fairly prominent places.

MH: WHICH IS YOUR FAVOURITE STICK-AND-POKE THAT YOU’VE DONE? RF: I did a swimming fish on my friends foot. It looks rad.

MH: HOW DO YOU RESPOND TO THE TATTOO SKEPTICS? RF: Depending on why they are skeptical I either say, “Sure my tattoo will eventually get old and wrinkly and look bad, but no matter what, I am going to get old and wrinkly and look bad.

I might as well look badass now and decorate my skin while it still looks pretty”, or I would say “Jesus likes Tats. We will all have tattoos in heaven. The name of Jesus will be written on our foreheads”.

MH: ANY FUTURE TATTOOS ON THE HORIZON? RF: Always, but I can’t plan them more than a month in advance, and I’m poor right now, so I’m not allowed to dream.

MH: WHAT DO THEY MEAN TO YOU? RF: I always tell people the bird is a robin, cause thats my name.

Jack Sparrow has a sparrow tattooed on him, and I’m not better than Jack Sparrow. Anatomically, it’s for sure not a robin. For real though, a word and prayer over my life again and again has been that I would have roots and wings. To go deep into community and relationships that are around me, but also to fly high and respond to whatever I feel God calling me to do. The wheat is simply because I am from the prairies, and the prairies will always be my home. There is zero meaning to the little man.

I liked a boy who thought it would be funny, and I can’t pass up a good time to impress someone.

“MARK HUSBANDS” - @OFFICIALONETWU & TINA FU

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MARS’ HILL: SINCE YOU’RE COMMONLY KNOWN AS “BIG BIRD,” WHERE DID YOU GET THAT NICKNAME?

MH: WHAT IS THE HARDEST THING YOU HAVE DEALT WITH THROUGHOUT YOUR BASKETBALL CAREER?

ANDREW GOERTZEN: I got the nickname Big Bird when I was about 12 years old. I was a lot taller than everyone and it made me so lanky and awkward among everyone my age. I was often told that I looked like a bird, so the nickname came out of that. No matter where I’ve gone, the nickname has definitely stuck. As time has progressed, it has become something that is unique about me. I appreciate the name.

AG: Last season was really tough. I transferred from the University of Victoria and I didn’t know many people at Trinity. I took a big leap back to the mainland and while I got along well with the team, it never clicked on the court and our record reflected that. It was challenging for me to remain passionate about basketball while trusting God’s plan for this. Since then, my competitive edge has been aching as I can’t wait to get back on the court and compete at a higher degree this season. We want to rebuild this program as a team. With the new personnel entering this program, we are ready to take steps towards that.

MH: WHAT IS YOUR BEST MEMORY PLAYING BASKETBALL? AG: It was definitely winning the BC Provincial Championship in my grade 12 year. I grew up going to these games and always dreamed about playing on that stage at some point in my life. Not only did I get to play the game 5 minutes from my house, but I got to win in front of 5000 fans.

Winning in front of my family and friends was the icing on the cake.

MH: THOUGHTS ON YOUR TEAMMATE, ETHAN DASILVA? AG: Anyone that knows Ethan will say that he’s a character. Even though he’s an entertaining guy, he still remains one of the most genuine, and down-to-earth people I have ever met. His leadership this season will be a key role in helping our team to achieve our goals. Since it’s his last year of eligibility, he’ll be looking to go out with a bang and be a major catalyst in moving towards the nationally renowned ways of the former men’s basketball teams at TWU. The men’s basketball team’s home opening weekend is Friday, November 8 and 9! Take a break from studying during your reading break and support the boys!

“OBAMA” - NYSSA MORGAN

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EMMETT HANLY

LIV WALTON

SABINE HENDERSON Following the release of Kanye West’s newest album, Jesus Is King, Trinity Western University’s (TWU) Wi-Fi exploded as students streamed the album on repeat and ceaselessly posted lyrics of his hip-hop-gone-Christian music on social media.

“I could literally feel the walls of my dorm room trembling,” reports a first-year student. “My neighbours on every side were blasting it through their speakers, and so was I.” In light of the widespread enthusiasm regarding Kanye’s new music and the innovative style of his “Sunday Services,” the chapel worship team has decided to make some last-minute adjustments to the setlists. “I mean, why not hip-hop?” asks one of the worship leaders. “If we can sing our praises to God with contemporary melodies and instruments, then we sure as heck can rap ‘em too.”

Others on the team have expressed some concern, however, that students attending chapel are accustomed to singing along to just four chords and will not be able to keep up with the fastpaced rhythms and lyrics of this genre. Thus, the team is planning to place a hip-hop hymnal on each seat.

Additionally, plans are already being drawn up by a few Art & Design majors to create TWU’s very own version of the Roden Crater to be used as a new chapel space in the hopes that Kanye will opt to film a second movie here. This architectural masterpiece is set to be built where the Hansen Garden Chapel now stands and will be complete by Fall 2020. Very cool.

MICAH, NYSSA & REES MORGAN NAMES Micah, Nyssa, and Rees Morgan YEAR Third MAJORS Micah - Something smart? (probably could get a job after graduation), Nyssa - Trying to get famous, Rees - Microsoft Paint.

WHAT WAS IT LIKE GROWING UP AS A TRIPLET? We all were slightly less well fed than if we had been twins which is why we’re all under 6ft.

GROWING UP, WHICH SIBLING WAS THE MOST POWERFUL? We would sometimes combine and create an ULTRAMORGAN. It was a cheesy Power Rangers rip-off but we stopped the Big One from happening.

WHEN ONE SIBLING HAS A SIGNIFICANT OTHER, HOW DO THE OTHER TWO REACT? Definitely NOT jealous that Micah is taken.

WHAT QUALITY IN A DATE WOULD INSTANTLY MARK THE DISAPPROVAL OF THE OTHER TWO SIBLINGS? Having “Morgan” as a first name.

WHICH MORGAN SIBLING IS THE MOST DESPERATE FOR A DATE? Actually, Nyssa’s favourite perfume is called Desperation™.

WHAT IS THE MOST ANNOYING THING ABOUT YOUR SIBLINGS? Rees doesn’t play enough Harry Styles when he DJs. Micah THINKS he’s the best at improv. Nyssa watches Tik Toks without earbuds.

DO THE MORGAN SIBLINGS COME AS A PACKAGE DEAL? No. The three of us are too powerful together.

WHAT’S YOUR FAVOURITE ACTIVITY TO DO AS TRIPLETS? Avoid each other at all costs.

HOW WOULD YOU GET YOUR OTHER MORGAN SIBLINGS TO APPROVE OF YOUR DATE? Pay them.

WHICH SIBLING CHEATS AT GAMES? Rees cheats the most. Nyssa tries to cheat but cries when she loses.

WHICH MORGAN SIBLING IS MOST LIKELY TO GET A DATE? Micah, he’s got a permanent date. And we are NOT jealous of that at ALL.

What makes your other siblings the angriest?

Rees’s moustache. Micah’s acoustic rendition of Wonderwall.

Nyssa won’t shut up about how she’s a vegetarian.

“WHY WOULD I CARE?” - MARJORIE PERSONS

SPRING 2020 COURSES SPRING 2020 COURSES