In the process of liberalizing, we’re losing something

Posted by admin on Mar 10, 2009 in Issues & Ideas | 1 comment

Since its beginning, Trinity Western University’s Responsibilities of Membership document (ROM) has been the subject of much student interest and discussion. TWU has long required its members to submit to the covenant lifestyle in order to gain admission to the university, something that has caused much grief within the increasingly liberal culture that surrounds the campus.

The document is focused on ideals for Christian living. In many ways, it is impossible to live up to fully. Indeed, it has probably been broken from the beginning – much as the Israelites broke their own covenant with God from the moment it came down from Mount Sinai.

Just because the ROM document is impossible to fully comply with doesn’t mean that as students we should not aspire towards this ideal. Indeed, TWU has shown much grace towards those who break covenant with the ROM – arguably much more than we should ever deserve. Indeed, TWU’s covenant is much easier to follow than many comparable documents at other schools.

Perhaps the greatest thing that we should be grateful for as students is the lack of enforced chapel attendance – something that has never been enforced at TWU unlike other similar universities in North America.

At the same time, just as at other Christian universities, TWU’s covenant is written in a very Old-Testament style – much as a covenant between Israel’s people and their God. While I haven’t had the privilege of viewing TWU’s new covenant (although I did climb Mt. Sinai in the last week and I was surprised not to find it up there) it seems to me that such a document could very much be a more spirit-led model – a new covenant if you will.

While this is not a negative, considering the circumstances of undergraduate students one can certainly make the argument that an Old-Testament style legalistically-based covenant is much more appropriate to these circumstances. Though it certainly isn’t popular, an enforced legalistic ROM could be a true tool in creating a positive community within TWU.

With TWU becoming increasingly commuter-based, encouraging all to uphold the standards that are demanded of them is certainly a challenge – but wouldn’t it be good if one could expect such regard for the rules? Students coming out of this environment would have a true understanding of what it means to live fully within covenant community – and one could expect understanding of moral values to come out of this – something that is so much needed in our society today.

This semester, I am studying abroad in the Middle East in a program that has an even stricter code than what we are used to at TWU. Unlike TWU, however, rules are enforced here to the letter – as the risk of not following them is perceived as just too great. In essence, our every move here is watched by all of those around us. Even a supposedly minor breakage of our covenant here can carry enough consequences to be sent home.

What many of us at TWU don’t consider is that much of the outside world views us as Christian university students in a very similar way to the way I am viewed in the Middle East – as an ambassador for Christ, my community and my country. Is it not equally important that we advertise our uniqueness through our actions within our home context?

In many cases, I’m finding that the poor opinion of westerners here is on account of a single person’s actions – and similarly finding that the positive actions of a single person can also make a significant positive impact. Is the changing of the ROM to reflect more “modern” values and accommodations really going to be a positive step in this regard?

While I am certainly not against the modernization and perhaps simplification of language within the ROM, I think that TWU and the student body should take a firm look at this piece when it is released. One must realize that 18-21-year-olds are in many cases still not adults. Though it might not be the most popular thing in society, is it right to follow the trends at all times, especially in such significant issues?