I am convinced that when I was born, my parents decided to raise me in a political vacuum. The TV was never set to the news channel, I was never sent to fetch a hastily thrown paper from the lawn, and I really had no idea if we had a king, prime minister or president. I had no opinions on the world except for the ones my parents had. But to me this was normal, this was life, and I accepted my small sheltered world for it was.

When I asked students what they thought of the word “politician,” answers ranged from “polyester suits” to “scum of the earth.” With this in mind, a new question arose: is it possible to be a Christian politician? Ranelle Massie is one such politician, taking a stand for her faith in a predominantly secular government. Massie graduated from TWU in 2004 with a degree in General Studies and a minor in Political Science. Working in a largely secular government has given her unique insight being a Christian in the political arena.

Chris Anquist: How would you describe what you do from day to day?

The university, at its beginning, was an arm of the church, instructing those that were suitable for further education. There is a fundamental difference between what this education brought to the students and what post-secondary education means to us today. The medieval education centred on the discovery of one truth: the language of “the good.” This truth focused around the single goal that only the nine muses of the liberal arts could reveal: the beauty and wonder of virtue.

Tell me and I’ll forget. Show me and I may not remember. Involve me and I’ll understand.­­­
         — Native American Proverb

The First Nations of Canada have endured great suffering and turmoil. This history left the majority of the minority in an existential identity crisis. Lost ­­­in a mix between their traditional cultural heritage and the reigning multiculturalism of present day Canada, First Nations have become alienated on their very soil. But, there is hope.

The future of IDIS 102 is a controversial issue at Trinity Western University. Many people misunderstand the goal of the course. To set the record straight: the vision of IDIS 102 is to introduce students to what is expected of them by this university and faculty. It gives them an intellectual history of the university and a framework for the rest of their academic career. This allows students to be interdisciplinary in their thinking, even as they specialize in their respective majors.

Editor’s note: After the all-campus assembly last week, announcing uncertain times for TWU’s future, many people were deeply concerned. Some questions rushed to mind: what will this mean for the administration? How will this affect my studies? What does this mean for the school’s reputation?
As I was thinking about these things at the assembly, I found comfort seeing Professor Szabo sitting on the gym floor next to the students she teaches, the custodial staff shoulder-to-shoulder with those they clean up after, and the Wellness Centre staff supporting the student body they doctor. Overall, this school is not about what happens in the administration, my degree, or where TWU will be 20 years from now. It is, however, a community of faith, reliant on the providence of God, believing in a common vision. In this article, Jeff Hamel gives us a background to this vision and how TWU takes part in it. –Jeremy Hutcheson

Footsteps running down the hall, a voice over the intercom: “Emily! If you still have my pink shirt, I want it back!” I jam my feet into my slippers and shuffle down the hall toward breakfast… and my job. Later today, I’ll bake eight-dozen cookies and make seven-layer dip for snack. Heather Marsh (’03), my fellow Trinity grad and coworker, is washing ten loads of laundry. She gives me the thumbs-up and we grin at each other. Tuesdays are always fun.
It’s 9:00 and I’m still in my pajamas. Once we send the girls off to school—and take showers—we’ll have a staff meeting about the Mafia-themed party we’re throwing for some students on Friday. Should we attempt to make tiramisu or not? Heather wants to know, how do female mobsters dress? The boys all have dark suits, but what should the girls wear?

When I was younger I thought that growing up must be a little like learning how to dance. I thought that maybe life was some sort of pattern of rhythmically planned out steps and growing older was just learning where to move your feet and when.

I learned how to dance in my junior high gym class. Two-step. Fox trot. Swing. My 13-year-old classmates and I would move awkwardly in jerky steps as our gym teacher would proclaim in time with the music: “slow, slow, quick-quick; slow, slow, quick-quick: now isn’t this FUN everybody?”
Sweaty palms. Nervous laughter. With my female partner towering a good four inches over me and my body’s unfortunate fondness (despite my mind’s vigorous protest) for stomping enthusiastically on her toes when my teacher encouraged us to “feel the music”: No. It wasn’t fun.