An editorial in the New York Times titled “Evangelicals a Liberal Can Love”, written by Nicholas D. Kristof, commends conservative Evangelicals for their activism in greater social issues such as AIDS, poverty and climate change. In addition, The Colbert Report reported on the latest evangelical initiative to condemn global warming and encourage activism, albeit with a mocking reference to James Dobson’s response that “any issue that puts plants and animals above humans is one that we cannot support.”

The honour bar system at Trinity Western University’s three collegiums is not living up to its name. This system is currently running in the red, causing frustration and cutbacks in the amount of food that can be offered.

[Photo: Samantha Lowe]

Glenn Hansen, assistant director of Community Life, Commuter and Graduate Student Programs, says that although there have been dips in the past the current situation is more troublesome than usual. It appears that while some people are not paying for their food, others are stealing money from the bars.

Most of us have heard the term “community” used countless times throughout our Trinity Western University education. Overusing the word desensitizes us to the depths of what it actually stands for. Our community offers a sense of belonging and is made up of the daily interactions of the people at TWU and the life-changing relationships that are fostered here. It’s also broader than we might think and more effective in people’s lives we often realize.

In the medieval Christian tradition, relics of Christ, apostles and saints were cherished. Pilgrims made long journeys to get a glimpse of something so much as touched by a saint. Relics were often believed to have the power to work miracles.

In modern evangelical Christianity, the concept of a powerful relic is foreign. Yet Trinity Western University students will soon have a chance to encounter a replica of possibly the most famous relic of all – the Shroud of Turin.

The pressure of planning for life after graduation has not left fourth-year Human Services student Lauren Williams unscathed. For her, the process of figuring out a plan for the summer and the school year post-degree caused her to feel an array of emotions, leaving her “uneasy, stressed and anxious.” As time wore on, she came to the realization that she needed to make some serious decisions.

This resulted in her plan to travel overseas for a couple months and then pack her books for grad school at Fresno State in January.

Some people might think that ongoing anti-semitism in Egypt is a phenomena that is restricted to Muslims. That is not really the case. Statements by Muslim religious leaders have been widely covered by the press, but little attention has been given to the Coptic Church, which has had its share of anti-semitism.

Coptic Christian books are filled with anti-semitic remarks and stories, especially the “Sineksar,” the official Church book of Saints, in which you can find stories that include Blood Libel.

Being North American, white and middle class seems to be almost synonymous with egoism. Whether it is forcefully shipping our culture to all corners of the world or subscribing to ideas that place our individuality front and center, it is obvious that we are most interested in ourselves.

Within the Evangelical Christian community it can be seen through the self-absorption that prioritizes sustaining the immediate needs of the church body. Outreach is promoted only after the kid’s church schedule is filled for the year and there are an adequate number of greeters every Sunday. When we do reach out, it seems easy to tell others and lead them in our footsteps. But when reaching out to culturally distinct neighbours there is a large problem. One of the most salient examples of this is the relationship between North American Christianity and First Nations people.

[Photo: Austin Jean] Jonah Love’s arms have over 35 self inflicted wounds on them.

Self-Harm. It’s such a benign term on the surface, but what it implies has been of huge significance to my life and the lives of many around me. Many people assume that people who self-harm are suicidal. While this is true in some respects, it’s not the only reason people resort to cutting or any other method. I can personally attest to this, with over 35 scars littered across my arms spread over a period of four years. The end result I was seeking wasn’t death but something far more complex, something both logical and illogical.