Digital edition available at facebook.com/thebeacononline
THE BEACON Volume 67, Issue 7
Thursday, April 6, 2017
Special Issue: Christianity and the Environment Before diving right into things, let me introduce our special environmental focus. A lot of work has gone into this issue. There have been several delays—mainly due to school work— but it is finally ready. Special thanks goes to Curtis Hoyt and Jessie Campbell. When I approached them with the idea of a collaborative article they came together and gave me fantastic results. Special thanks also goes to Dr. Reimer, Dr. Chabot, Christie MacPhee, and Allyson Caldwell who were each asked four questions. (1) How should Christians think about the environment? (2) How well do you think Christians are taking care of the earth and why? (3) What can we do to make stewardship of the earth an important part of our faith? (4) Is it just Christians that are responsible to take care of the earth? While we don’t have enough space here to include all their answers, I assure you that they all provide excellent insight. If you find yourself wanting to learn more about this topic I recommend Sean McDonagh’s The Greening of the Church, Pope Francis’ encyclical letter Laduito Si’ On Care for Our Common Home, and reading through the first few chapters of Genesis. - Senior Beacon Editor, Austin Jones 1. How should Christians think about the environment? Christie: In light of God’s love for his creation, Christians are called to love the environment – regardless of its value to mankind. Scripture is clear about God’s relationship with Creation. Psalm 104 is a detailed description of this relationship. The psalm tells of a God who made and sustains all of Creation. Further, Creation was made for God; thus, it finds primary reason for being in reference to him. This can also be connected with Job 40:15-19 where God expresses enthusiasm for delights that have no apparent use to man. So, how should Christians view the environment? As something that is deeply treasured by God and allow this truth to inspire our actions. Dr. Reimer: Obviously as Christians we need to think of it as God’s creation, and be concerned about its protection. Our goal as Christians is to make the world as much like God intended it to be, to allow God’s kingdom to come, and part of that is the renewal of all things, including the world around us. Besides our obvious concerns about people and their well-being, we need to be concerned about the environment as well. The two are connected, if we ruin the environment we also affect peoples’ well-being and their health.
Dr. Chabot: Well it certainly is a gift. Everything received is a gift, and our own lives, our own bodies are a gift. We should not abuse and misuse our gift. There’s a Spanish expression, “God always forgives, humans sometimes forgive, nature never forgives.” So there are consequences to our freedom. We can use what is there in the natural world, we can develop, extract, exploit (not in a negative way), as long as it’s not destroying. We always have to be looking at the cost, too. With hunting and gathering peoples, they have something instinctive that when they hunt they’re taking the life of an animal and in most of these hunting cultures they almost lend a certain human dignity to the animal to remind themselves that they’re taking a life. Even when we have to take life, there’s something that Christians can learn from non-Christians like hunter/gatherers, like showing respect for this gift that is given and thanking the Creator for it. 2. How well do you think Christians are taking care of the earth and why? Allyson: There are a number of initiatives being taken to better care for our earth. Often times people see a specific problem in their community, and are drawn to serving in that affect – which is awesome! We need to continue to do this. People often don’t see how one household, business, or organization can take an initiative that is large enough to make a difference. But this is not the case! There are thousands of people taking small initiatives, that have BIG positive outcomes. An example of this would be the infamous K-Cup! Yes, we all love our Coffee, and the convenience of that little black machine that makes us the perfect cup in less than a minute! However, those little plastic cups have become such an environmental disaster, that even the Keurig inventor, wished he had never released his product! Currently, there are enough empty Keurig pods in our landfills to circle the earth 12 times. The Wheatons store, which has locations in New Brunswick and Nova Scotia, heard this of this growing problem, and decided to start a recycling program for people to bring their empty K-cups in. In the first few months of their program, they received over 11 Tons of empty KCups. We need to continue to be innovative and intentional in our attempt to better care for the earth. Every person’s contribution makes a difference. Dr. Reimer: I think we’re at least heading in the right direction lately, but historically we’ve had a bad record of taking care of the earth. The pre-millennialist view has been “the world is going to burn anyway, so why should we protect it? When God comes back, the earth is going to be destroyed in intense heat so it doesn’t really matter what we do with the earth”, but I think that’s a mistaken view in eschatology, and I think that we need to take care of the earth and be concerned about God’s creation. There are some Christian groups who have always been concerned about that and didn’t buy into the other view, but that historical record and our end-times theology has negatively impacted the way we take care of the environment. Dr. Chabot: There is a genuine concern for the environment for others and shared rights that others have like clean water, clean air, and sustainability. We certainly have very strong practicing Christians who are working on those fronts. For others it is less of a priority. Part of taking care of the earth is being aware, but there are a lot of challenges. Everybody, everywhere, is no longer living in self-sustaining communities and households so it’s very difficult to not be, in some ways, complicit in a larger system because we don’t have control over that. We can’t track down every single component of a cell phone. There’s no way we can find out that every part was made in a way that is consistent with a proper environmental ethic. But that’s part of the challenge of being human in our time.
3. What can we do to make stewardship of the earth an important part of our faith? Christie: I think one of the first ways that we can integrate this stewardship of the earth as a foundational part of our faith is by reading scripture with an awareness of it. When we are aware of its importance, we are much more likely to find passages that describe and clarify a Christian response. Another way we can partake in the stewardship of the earth is to reflect God’s love for it. This is not the emotionbased love that seems to have saturated our culture, but a love that acts out of faithfulness. I think these love-acts can take many forms but one can simply start by looking at their life and seeing how they can be kinder to the environment. Dr. Reimer: I think it’s becoming more and more that way, where we’re not only concerned about people’s souls but also their physical wellbeing. We’ve done a better job of mixing social justice and evangelism in the Christian faith, which I think both are important to God’s intention. I think we need to be aware of the impact we have not only on the environment but on poverty in the world in general. I teach my students that we need to think about justice not only in the way we directly treat people that we see, but the people that we don’t see who are influenced by our economic transactions, or our environmental choices, or whatever else it might be. And most of those relationships are mediated through a institution, so we never know the impact on the people on the ground of the choices that we make, but when we buy clothing we might be affecting a 12-year-old Vietnamese girl who is working 12 hours a day for 2 bucks. In those kinds of situations we need to be aware that our economic choices do, mediated though an institution, affect other people’s lives. Those are the kind of choices we need to be much more aware of so as Christians we need to be aware of how our choices, even if they seem innocent, are affecting the world more broadly. 4. Is it just Christians that are responsible to take care of the earth? Allyson: Personally, I feel that it is everyone’s responsibility to care for the earth. In a world with 7.5 Billion people, some would say environmental pollution and climate change is inevitable, that no matter what preventative measures we take, it will still happen. In a world with 7.5 Billion people, I say there is no excuse for the exceedingly high levels of pollution. I say that with this many people, we should be able to care for our earth. Since the 18th Century, the world has been subject to Industrialization, which completely modernized and changed the face of the world. We’ve all contributed to the destruction caused, and we all have the capability and responsibility to better our misuse of the environment, and live more conscientiously. Speaking as a Christian, it is not just our duty to care for the earth, but our privilege to care for this place of which we have been born onto. Like a house or a church, the earth is our home. Since creation, God has placed us here to care for it. He has asked us to maintain it and respect it, so that it may continue to flourish with His grace. Dr. Reimer: No, but we should be the ones who should be leading the charge. Obviously we are the ones who believe that the world was created by a loving and just God, and we need to be the ones who are working the hardest to try to move the world back to the place where God intended it to be. We’re definitely not the only people responsible, but we should be leading the charge because we actually know the God who created this beautiful thing, and the beauty of it should move us toward justice and care for the earth.
Much Ado About Nothing Simply put, being a Christian takes a lot of effort. But what takes even more effort is being the ultimate example of a Christian. There are a lot of different thing you must do to ensure that you are infallible embodiment of service to our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. So how does one get there you might ask? Well here are a few things that you should do in order to be the ideal Christian. First, and foremost gather as many bibles as possible. They should be a wide variety of translations too. Everything from the Message up to Young’s Literal, you should have them in your personal Christian library. Of course you also need to have complete bibles in Greek and Hebrew if you want to be the most spiritual person at the bible study. But if you can’t read either of those languages, just be sure your primary bible is a classic ESV. It’s the best. Also when sharing a bible with a friend, be sure to highlight as many verses as you can. This will show just how devoted you are to scripture reading while simultaneously rebuking your friend for not reading their bible enough. Second, you must have your hands in the correct praise position during any worship music. Of course the exact position will depend on whether you’re singing a remixed hymn or the latest emotional roller coaster from Bethel. If you want a comprehensive look at various different hand positions, consult Tim Hawkins, he’ll let you know how to do it. Everyone knows that there is a direct correlation between spirituality and hand raising in worship. That’s how you can be a great ambassador of Christ. Third, smile all the time. As a Christian, you can never let anyone know that you are feeling sad. Jesus didn’t die so you could be sad. Sadness is unnatural, and must be covered up. Christ makes us happy. I mean, it’s not like Jesus ever wept…. right? Fourth, be sure to volunteer to pray before every class. Make sure you establish yourself as a prayer warrior. It also gives you a great opportunity to teach the rest of the class the proper way to pray. Because as we all know, there is only one way to pray. Finally, and probably most importantly, a great ambassador of Christ will follow Pope Francis on Instagram. @franciscus is the probably one of the coolest popes in church history. And as a result, it is our obligation as Christians to support his outreach to the millions of non-believers by following his Instagram. It’s just the right thing to do, so do it.
Wild Crandall Memes:
Leah Eisener is a second-year Interdisciplinary student who laughs at her own jokes and enjoys memes more than the
I recently went and watched “The Shack”. I had read the book when I was about 13 years old and felt compelled to support this Christian film but was also intrigued to reimagine its themes almost ten years later. Although I will not discuss its theological complexities or various controversies I will say that I really enjoyed its (not to be taken literally) unique take on a relationship with God. Moreover I am glad that there is a film in theaters, which focuses on how much God loves us and wants to have a relationship with us. As I left the movie I was thinking constantly about one main theme. *Spoiler Alert* the main character meets God in the woods and spends the weekend with her/him/them. I was thinking about how life changing it must have been for this man to emerge back into reality after sitting down (for an entire weekend no less) with God himself. He could talk to him, walk with him, and even play with him. He was able to discuss everything that concerned him and receive real answers, and his life was changed. My mind rushed to this interesting idea “How could this man who just experienced an authentic time and relationship with God go back to his normal life!?” My answer came swiftly and suddenly. I was reminded that this was what each of us as Christians is offered and has already been given! Unlimited, time, love, friendship and conversation with God. So, just like the character in “The Shack” how could we go back to our normal 9 to 5 lives ever again? Like the disciples who dropped their nets I believe that we should be eternally changed and continuously captured by this incredible relationship. We must never forget that we can talk, walk, play, and cry to God. This is the loving relationship God desires. It is this incredible fact that should prompt us to never be the same and rest assured that our own relationships doesn’t only last for one exciting weekend but can and should encapsulate our lives, for the rest of our lives. Micah Knowles is a 4th year Communications student and Bachelor of Theology student. Micah loves Jesus, hunting/fishing, Emily, sports, Josh and Ben, and long walks on the beach. He once killed a chicken with a spear. If you want to talk to Micah about getting involved.
The End of Another Year The end of February brought the end of the basketball season and the end of varsity sports at Crandall for the year. The women’s basketball team ended the year with 2 wins and 16 losses, successfully getting their two wins at the beginning of February. The men’s basketball team ended the year with 14 wins and 7 losses. Making it to the playoffs, the men’s basketball team finished in third place this season. Thomarcus Nix received the 2016-2017 ACAA men’s basketball Player of the Year award along with Brandon Fields receiving the 2016-2017 ACAA men’s Defensive Player of the Year award. The end of the year is also a time to celebrate all the sports played throughout the year, including soccer, baseball, cross-country, boxing, and basketball. It is a time to celebrate all the hard work, time and effort athletes have put into their sport throughout the year. Among the many incredible athletes at Crandall is Victoria Dempster. Victoria finished second overall in women’s cross-country with a time of 21.36, wining a 2016 All-Conference award. Crandall is also excited to announce the women’s basketball coach, Mr. Teah Bailey, as Director of Athletics and Recreation. Shauna Albinet is a fourth-year History major doing her Education concurrently. She loves doodling, sewing, sports, traveling and needs her coffee first thing in the morning.
Dystopia Now Ready Player Two I used to play a lot of video games when I was a kid. But when high school came around I decided that gaming was a waste of time and for the sake of my social life I packed away the PS2. However, in recent years I’ve decided to dig up the old console and attempt to re-live the private ecstasy of a good video game. Despite the fact that my ancient games had lost much of their outward charm, I found that this pastime had become oddly therapeutic. I started thinking about the things I do to wind down after a long day – driving, exercising, listening to music, watching movies, etc. etc. – and I began to understand why video games seemed more relaxing than other activities. This is because, I believe, if one is immersed in an environment that both stimulates and engages an individual, it becomes much harder to think about jumping out of a moving vehicle. If your life has been a living nightmare, play a couple rounds of Team Fortress 2 and things will be p e a c h y. Christian Arsenault is a third-year English/Education major. He can usually be found playing Runescape on World 72 near the Barbarian Village.
SHALLNOT Who We Are Thou shalt not be silenced. Shallnot is designed to be a forum for students to express their ideas through poetry, prose, and visual art. Submissions will be edited only in conversation with the author. -
Dani Reimer, Editor
The Ripple One fine day I was out on a boat fishing On a local pond. I cast my line into the water And while I was waiting for the fish to bite, I peered into the face of the deep, I entered into a trance. I thought of the ripple effect Which the circling eddies had on the entire surface Of the pond. At this moment I thought of Jesus and His time on earth— His mission to stop the ripple. My focus returned to the pond, And of the twelve apostles. I was reminded of the calling each And every one of us has to stop the ripple. We are all called to ease the pain and burdens of others In the name of Christ. I suddenly realized my role in stopping the ripple. -
Shane Dickie
Maybe it’s just me. Maybe it’s just me, having grown up in a family that turns off lights constantly to save energy, who doesn’t like it when people use the wheelchair button on doors unnecessarily. Maybe it’s just me, but I was always told not to use wheelchair parking spots, not use wheelchair bathrooms, and not use automatic door openers.
Maybe it’s just me, thinking of the people who can’t walk seeing us lazy people not hold the doors for others and just push the button because of their being slothful. Or maybe it’s you thinking you’re saving a bit of extra time. Maybe it’s you thinking you’re kindly holding open the door for the many people behind you. Maybe it’s you believing the button is for the use of everyone, not just people in wheelchairs. And maybe no matter your reasoning, there’s no right or wrong answer. -
(S)He who shall not be named.
Out a Window & Under a Tree while Snow Covers all Now Brother Earth still stands And from my window behind the trees, I see no stir but gentle breeze. Minds me how my heart to freeze Here beneath the guarding trees. The white devils tumbling down Crossing wires, lacing leaves With sweet mercies, all around. Tumbling down to seek and find To bless and greet their turbid kind. The green guards marching forth Shooting out stout sacred limbs Content with their covering. Beneath them lurks the darksome night The wiry bending of the light.
The slow wind bores The old and new Searing black and ancient yew. The slow wind blows The snow still falls. - Austin Jones
Gods’ Grandeur The world is charged with the grandeur of God. It will flame out like shining from shook foil; It gathers to a greatness , like the ooze of oil Crushed. Why do men then now not reck his rod? Generations have trod, have trod, have trod; And all is seared with trade; bleared, smeared with toil And wears man’s smudge and shares man’s smell: the soil Is bare now, nor can foot feel, being shod.
Left hand, off land, I hear the lark ascend, His rash-fresh re-winded new-skeined score In crisp curl off wild winch whirl, and pour And pelt music, till none’s to spill nor spend. How these two shame this shallow and frail town! How ring right out our sordid turbid time, Being pure! We, life’s pride and cared-for crown, Have lost that cheer and charm of earth’s past prime: Our make and making break, are breaking, down To man’s last dust, drain fast towards man’s first slime. - Gerard Manley Hopkins
My Farewell
I’ve edited the Beacon in some capacity now, for 3 years. For me it has always been about giving all And, for all this, nature is never spent; students a voice and having a positive dialogue about whatever issues we might have. It has truly been my There lives the dearest freshness deep down delight. I am, however, almost done my final year at things; Crandall. So, I wish to offer a farewell to the students And though the last lights off the black West went here, my friends, and the faculty who have made Oh, the morning, at brown brink eastwards, Crandall what it is. It is easy to forget, or not even recognize, how much we change over time and it’s springs— good to take moments, like right now, to recall and Because the Holy Ghost over the bent reminisce about the past while looking to the future World broods with warm breast and with ah! and enjoying the present.
bright wings. - Gerard Manley Hopkins
The Sea and the Skylark On ear and ear two noises too old to end Trench – right, the tide that ramps against the shore; With a flood or a fall, low lull-off or all roar, Frequenting there while moon shall wear and wend.
My hope for the Beacon and the Shallnot is that new student voices will rise and replace those that are moving on. That those with true ideals, pure hearts, and youthful optimism will question everything in search of a better tomorrow. My thanks to those I have worked with, and my prayers for those who come after. -
Austin Jones
P.S I hope everyone enjoyed all the googly-eyes that I put up around the school.
Shallnot exists to express the views of all students from all walks of life. If you or someone you know has something to say—whether through pictures, essays, short stories, cartoons, poetry or any other form of art—please contact us at crandallbeacon@gmail.com with submissions. All content unless otherwise stated is property of the original author and was reproduced with permission.