On March 15, fifty students, guests, and a handful of professors made their way towards Block Hall for the much anticipated presentation of Trinity’s Philosophy Society: a joint lecture by Doctors Archie Spenser and Chris Morrissey titled “Reconsidering the Analogy of Being: An Ecumenical Dialogue.”

Living up to the weighty title, Acts Seminary professor Archie J. Spenser took the floor first, and proceeded to deliver a powerfully convincing support of Karl Barth’s frequently misunderstood rejection of the ontological predication of God. This rather thick topic was delivered with Spenser’s usual auditory gusto, unapologetically denying the traditionally Thomistic interpretation of the analogy of being. Barth based this rejection on his conviction that Catholic Thomism contained deeply problematic philosophical presuppositions, as well as serious theological limitations, such as the placement of the Catholic definition of causality at the core of Thomistic analogy.

I was raised in a Pentecostal church. My church had a well-groomed, well-tanned pastor who had a stereotypical pastor’s wife with rock-hard hair done up with an entire bottle of hairspray. Every Sunday morning I would go and observe 500-plus people raising their voices and hands to the heavens, worshipping God. I didn’t understand. In all my years at that church, the one thing I learned was that people go crazy on Sunday morning, and Jesus loves me. I didn’t learn about theology, eschatology, the nature of original sin, the doctrine of the Trinity, or any other theological concept central to Christian faith and praxis.

Nothing is more important than understanding the world around us, analyzing the moral and political issues our world faces. One of the most important issues of our world is the death penalty.

Historically, the death penalty has been utilized in almost every civilization. Cesare Beccaria’s 1746 book, On Crimes and Punishments, started a death penalty abolition movement that has since proven to be highly influential. Not only is capital punishment debated, but it has also been officially abolished in many countries, including Canada.

What is “academia?” Perhaps the answer to this question may depend on who is being asked. One definition I found is, “the milieu or interests of a university, college, or academy.”

Within the context of my studies here at Trinity Western University I prefer a more specific definition, something along the lines of, “the realm where the life of the mind and that of the heart intersect.” It is with this personal definition in mind that I begin my confession.

Do arguments for truth have relevance for today’s culture? Does applying method to language through systematic frameworks legitimately persuade an individual, or is the intentional manipulation of language violate the integrity of truth and meaning?

It seems that truth can fluctuate according to its cultural climate. With the progression of time, language acquires new frameworks of meaning, constantly morphing: discarding superfluity and creating new expressions. Does this mean that truth also changes? The relationship between meaning and language remains a seemingly irreconcilable stalemate.

The debate over religion and free speech has erupted on YouTube. Nick Gisburne, an atheist on YouTube, recently published a video entitled “Islamic Teachings: Cruelty From the Qur’an.” YouTube staff took down the video, citing its “inappropriate nature,” and both of Gisburne’s YouTube accounts were permanently disabled.

This situation has provided an opportunity to examine the implications of “new media” for the old conflict between religious freedom and freedom of speech. It also shows us the need to articulate a space on the internet for the public good, and how in the absence of any real constitution, basic human decency can go a long way.

WINNIPEG (CUP) — The environmental sustainability of university campuses is becoming an important issue, and universities across the country are taking on a wide array of initiatives to achieve that goal. Recently, both major Saskatchewan universities announced projects that will go a long way toward reducing energy consumption on campus.

“It’s becoming increasingly clear that globally, sustainability is the issue of this generation. And I believe that universities are a very logical starting point,” said Margret Asmuss, sustainability co-ordinator at the University of Saskatchewan. “We have a lot of influence . . . we have much of the best research capacity in the country, and so if universities can’t do it, nobody can.”

Generation Y is known as the technological generation. Our world has become increasingly complicated, and we are the first generation to intuitively navigate the complexities of a technological world. Described as an inherently skeptical generation obsessed with change, Gen Y has more educational opportunities and financial support than any preceding generation.

But has infinite access to information and technology created a cultural climate that values speed and flexibility, yet has lost the appreciation for reflection and meditation?