Tag: christian

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On American Christianity and Its Failures

By Paul Claydon

Everything in life carries a scent. My mother’s town, home to a sugar factory, was burdened by a pervasive odor. But over time, its residents grew accustomed to it. This is a phenomenon known as nose blindness. Our senses, whether they detect smell or sound, often tune out habitual stimuli. Just as city dwellers become immune to traffic noise, American Christians have developed a form of theological nose blindness. Enveloped in a belief system centered on individuality—my will, my heart, my experiences—this faith tradition can overlook the profound, comforting work of Christ.

American Christianity has become a realm where the focus subtly shifts from Christ to the Christian. This shift is grounded in theological assumptions that many believers accept without question. However, there exists an alternative perspective: one that regards the Bible as both true and divinely inspired, offering clarity and comfort through its teachings.

When discussing American Christianity, I’m not singling out any specific denomination. This term is much broader than Southern Baptist, Wesleyan, or even American evangelicalism as a whole. Across American Christianity, four significant errors have emerged: Revivalism, Pietism, Mysticism, and Enthusiasm. Each in its own way diverting attention from Christ and his words of comfort and life.

Revivalism champions the idea that the Christian journey starts with a personal choice to follow Christ. It elevates the role of emotions, often seeking to stir a decision through orchestrated experiences. However, this approach contradicts the biblical teaching that humans are “dead in sin” (Ephesians 2:1). Salvation is portrayed as a gift from God, not a reward for human choice (Ephesians 2:8-9). In American Christianity the Christian receives Christ as an act of their own will. In Biblical Christianity, Christ receives the Christian as an act of God’s will. Life and faith should not be built on the foundation of your decision but on the foundation of grace given to you by God as a free gift.

Pietism identifies the Christian life with the progression of good works. It emphasizes personal piety as the hallmark of true faith. Yet, such emphasis can overshadow the gospel’s core message: that Christ’s work, not our own, assures salvation. The purpose of the law is to show us our sinfulness and highlight our need for a savior. The gospel is the good news that our savior has come and paid the penalty for our sins. Pietism focuses on the law and neglects the gospel. 

Mysticism claims believers can experience God directly, without mediation. While personal spiritual experiences are valuable, elevating them above Christ’s mediated work on the cross can lead to an inward-focused faith. I’m sure you’ve heard phrases like “I’m going through a drought, I’m just not feeling it in the spirit”, “I’ve lost my passion”, “I feel far from God” and many others. Mysticism causes Christians to base their faith on feelings. As a young person, I would go to church camp every summer and feel deep sorrow and conviction about the way I was living my life. I would go up to the altar during service and cry, having people praying over me and I would commit myself to living a better life for Jesus. But every year after camp ended, I would slowly go back to the way I was before. I felt terrible, especially when my mom would say things like “was camp really for nothing”. This is what happens when you base your faith on your feelings. The Bible never guarantees we will be able to feel the Holy Spirit, but that doesn’t mean he isn’t there. Mysticism only offers comfort through experience and if that experience isn’t there then the comfort is gone. It teaches that God is there and he loves me through my feelings but when those feelings aren’t there I’m left to conclude that either he’s not there or he doesn’t love me. 

Enthusiasm teaches that spirituality is chiefly an inward journey. It prioritizes personal spiritual experiences over the communal and doctrinal aspects of Christianity. The problem with this is, enthusiasts look for God for his certainty, for his truth, for his comfort and for his spirit only on the inside. Enthusiasm fails to see that the Lord’s work is chiefly on the outside. Enthusiasm is bad because it takes our focus off of Christ and puts it on to our hearts. Jeremiah 17:9 says “‘The heart is more deceitful than all else and is desperately sick; Who can understand it?” Our salvation isn’t found in our hearts, in our feelings or anything inside of us. Our salvation is found only in Jesus Christ, his promises and the grace gifted to us through the word and the Holy sacraments.

The teachings prevalent in American Christianity can be heavy and burdensome, contrasting sharply with Jesus’ invitation to find rest in Him: “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28). The true yoke of Christ is light; it is centered on forgiveness, mercy, and loving-kindness. The core of Christian faith should pivot on these aspects rather than personal determination or emotional experiences. There is a profound comfort and assurance found in trusting God’s promises over our own efforts.

In conclusion, American Christianity, in its various expressions, has drifted towards a self-centric theology. To address its shortcomings, believers might embrace an approach that prioritizes the grace and promises of Christ over individualistic interpretations. By doing so, they can rediscover the rest and assurance that the gospel promises, and center their faith back on Christ, where it rightfully belongs. ★

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Opinions

In Defense of Ring by Spring

By Caleb Choate

Tonight, I cut my son’s hair for the first time. At twenty-five, I have never cut anyone’s hair save my own. As I fumble with a pair of dull sheers, slowly hacking away at thin whisps of sun-bleached toddler-mullet, Juliana scrapes bacon fat from a pan into a jar. Lawson watches an old re-run of Little Bear, practicing simple sentences like, “Father Bear is fishing” and “Duck is really loud.” Next month, Juliana and I will celebrate our third wedding anniversary. Last month, we celebrated Lawson’s second birthday. 

Our small, young family grows out of a phenomenon found in Christian Liberal Arts institutions known as “ring by spring.” It’s a tradition true to its name: before graduating, many students will get engaged and will marry shortly after commencement. It is a phenomenon familiar to Houghton: many of you will experience this first hand. 

A quick Google search of the term “ring by spring” reveals that the tradition is polarizing. Articles (published by college presses at other Christian universities) with titles such as “Rejecting Ring by Spring,” and “Beyond the ‘Ring by Spring’ Culture” rise to the top. 

I don’t get the hate. 

Heading into our third anniversary, we can happily say that getting married young and starting a family right away is the best thing we have ever done. We feel this way because we recognize marriage isn’t merely a social choice, a “next step” in a relationship, or a contract. Marriage is a vocation.

By “vocation,” I don’t mean marriage is simply a job (though it requires work). I mean it in the religious sense: vocations are lifelong paths to holiness that God calls us to, and these vocations are most perfectly lived out in humble service to others. Vocations, in this sense, have the power to shape our entire perspective: they define who we are, and they inform how we engage with the world around us. Vocations become among the truest ontological realities known to us. They become central to our concept of what it is “to be.”

This is why I think marriage is good for young people: it sets our priorities straight.

Our culture tells young people to live for themselves. The buzzword of our generation is “self-care.” Society would make you believe that you’re failing to live up to your potential if you aren’t chasing a lucrative career, enrolling in graduate school, or traveling abroad.  These three things are all good things. But they aren’t everything. They don’t define us. They aren’t “vocational” in the truest sense.

When you get married young and start a family (and yes, I do assume that the call to marriage and the call to raise children according to God’s timeline are divinely inseparable), you quickly realize just how insubstantial other pursuits are. When you become a spouse and a parent, the concern you once had for your well-being shifts, and you find yourself driven to provide for the other. There is sanctifying grace in saying no to myself and yes to my spouse. There is sanctifying grace in the 2:00 A.M. shift of trying (and often failing) to console a wailing newborn.

Thomas Merton has a beautiful quote that captures this reality. He says, “Love seeks one thing only: the good of the one loved. It leaves all the other secondary effects to take care of themselves. Love, therefore, is its own reward.”

If I am a husband and a father, and if what I say about vocation is true, then imagine how I might live my life if at the center of my self-concept is the conviction that I ought to live as a gift for my wife and my son. Imagine how small the sideline desires in one’s life might become when striving to love your family well becomes both the hard-fought struggle and daily reward.

Imagine learning selflessness in your early twenties.

I believe raising Christ-centered families is the antidote to our generation’s self-infatuation. That is why I am a proponent of “ring by spring.” Now, here’s what I am not saying. I’m not saying that everyone ought to get married and marry young. For some, God truly is calling them to singleness. And that, too, is a vocation. As a single person, you are more free and available to be the hands and feet of Christ than I am as a married man. That is a beautiful and powerful thing. For others, the desire to marry young is there, but things just don’t play out that way. Others yet do get married young with the intent to raise children but suffer infertility. God is present and working in the midst of all of these scenarios.

Not everyone is called to marriage. But to those who are, ignore what the world would say about starting a family young. Living your life for your spouse and children is the best thing you could do for yourself. And remember the ending of the prayer of St. Francis of Assisi: “For it is in giving that we receive, it is in pardoning that we are pardoned, and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.” ★

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Opinions

God Calls Us to Testify

By: Dr. Natasha Davis

Testimony. Have you ever heard someone’s testimony? Of course, throughout the Bible we read many accounts of people sharing their testimony of how God transformed their lives, but I’m speaking of a testimony by someone you know. Maybe you heard someone’s testimony in church or in class, recounting how God has worked and moved in their lives. Or maybe you have shared your own testimony. God reminds us as believers that we are called to testify. 1 Peter 3:15-16 says, “But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have.” So, with that, I am going to share my testimony and I pray that it will bless you in some way.

I’m going to take you back to a time when I was in high school, a senior in fact, and I was ready for the next chapter of my life…college! During my high school years, like most teenagers at that time, I was an active student, always involved in a variety of things both in and out of school. I was also very involved in my home church serving on the Young Adult Usher board, singing in the Young Adult choir for a short time (where I quickly learned God did not intend for me to be a singer), attended Sunday school and church every Sunday, never missed church revivals or homecomings, and participated in church trips. God was a significant part of my life, and at an early age I gave my life to Christ and was baptized. 

So, as an excited and ambitious teenager in my Senior year, I was ready to take on the world and to see where God was going to lead me next. Imagine my surprise when someone I trusted told me one day, “You will never amount to anything.” Unfortunately, there were more negative words to follow that I won’t divulge here, but I’d like for you to let those words sink in for a moment. Say those words out loud and see how it feels. Heavy statement, right? Here I am, a teenager thinking I’ve accomplished so much in preparation for college, academically and personally. This person saw how hard I worked, so where did that statement come from? But yet for some reason, when this person looked at me, instead of seeing my God-given potential, they only saw unworthiness. 

In that moment, time stood still for me as those words sunk right down to my soul, crushing my spirit. Was this person right? Did they see something in me that God didn’t see? Maybe this was God’s way of telling me not to pursue college because I was not smart enough or there was something I lacked. So many emotions were felt at that time that I walked away from this person feeling defeated, angry and broken. In that brief moment in time, I went from a joyous teenager to feeling that I somehow failed God by not being good enough, that someone felt compelled to tell me I would never amount to anything. 

So, after walking away, you’re probably wondering what I did next after that encounter. I went home and told my momma, that’s what! Through tears streaming down my face, I recounted for my mother what this person said to me, and in all her infinite Christian southern momma wisdom, my mother gently replied, “So are you going to believe that one person’s opinion about you or what you know to be true of what God says about you? Are you going to let them define your life for you or are you going to define it for yourself according to God’s will for your life?” And that was that. The tears dried up, and with a renewed spirit, I understood that I could not and would not let that person make me think less about myself. That not only was I smart enough to attend college, but after earning a bachelor’s degree, two terminal degrees and several certificates, I thrived in college! 

In all honesty, after telling my mother what happened, I almost halfway expected her to find this person and bless them with a good ol’ piece of her mind, but that was not the case. Instead I was taught a very valuable lesson that changed my life: never allow someone’s opinion of you to overshadow what God knows and says about you, and that’s my testimony. 

As crushing as it was to hear that statement, it was also my God-given fuel to always lean into one of my favorite Bible verses. “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future” (Jeremiah 29:11).

Reminder. HIS plans for you, not others; what HE thinks of you, not others.

What is your testimony? Have you shared your testimony with someone who needed to hear it? If not, I encourage you to do so and write them down in a testimony journal. Whenever you can, share His goodness to encourage others that He can do the same for them. That moment in my life strengthened my relationship with God. Now at this time in my life, knowing how far God has brought me spiritually, personally and professionally, is why I always carry an attitude of gratitude for everything HE has done in my life. For the truth is, just because that person thought I would never amount to anything, is the reason God used me to show and prove, that according to His plan, I actually amounted to everything. 

May God bless you always and in ALL ways!

Witness to God’s goodness,
Dr. Natasha Davis

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Opinions

 Chapel can be Worth Your Time

By Will Allen

Have you ever felt like attending chapel is a chore that you get little out of? Do you find yourself stressed or preoccupied during worship and distracted during the sermon? I sure have, and I have an idea or two about why this is and how we can get more out of chapel.

Ah, junior year, when my first class on MWF was chapel. Oh, the dreams I dreamed of productive mornings… but after evenings (and nights) of intentional procrastination, in which no homework was done, I would wake at nine and languidly spend an hour preparing myself for the day. The stress would hit me at ten as I worked feverishly to complete my many German assignments. And in order to get everything done, I had to study for Frau Meilaender’s dreaded bi-weekly “vocabletest” (if you know, you know) in chapel. 

Cut, Copy, Paste, and that’s most of my junior year. I got the chapel credit, and I passed the tests, but I remained stressed and tired, and I sure can’t tell you what “washing-machine” is in German or many other words for that matter. In short, my time became contaminated, and as a result, I was stressed and learned nothing. And that makes for a pretty hollow college experience. Ideally, I’d want to be not stressed and to have learned a lot, but because I refused to focus on one thing, I got the worst of both worlds. 

By the grace of God, I passed German, and this year, I decided to not do homework in chapel. Instead, I’ve used some chapel skips to finish assignments, and doing so has helped me focus in chapel. I’m glad to say that it’s been a much more fruitful experience, not because I remember the message of every sermon but because putting aside my homework and its accompanying stress has helped me open space in my mind for God. However, to make space for God, I’ve had to do more than let go of external stressors like homework.

I also often struggle to overcome internal stressors affecting my focus. My own doubts, worries, and feelings of inadequacy tempt me to use chapel as a pick-me-up. When I look to chapel to fill me up with comforting emotions, my soul acts like a vacuum that takes everything and judges it as useful only if it makes me feel good. The focus shifts from praising God to comforting myself, thus making the methods I use to do so idols that I worship shadows that bear only the connotation of an open and reverent heart. Even closing my eyes and folding my hands can become an idol when I allow my need to feel the comforting feeling I’ve felt before while worshiping to overshadow and steal my focus away from the real purpose of worship, which is honoring God. 

So what should I do? Should I give up on good feelings? Well, this situation reminds me of something Jesus once said. “If you grasp and cling to life on your terms, you’ll lose it, but if you let that life go, you’ll get life on God’s terms” (Luke 17:33 The Message). So the way I see it, if we’re just willing to let go of our desires and focus on the goodness of God, we’ll receive the comfort we were ignoring God to get in the first place. 

Whenever I find myself needlessly criticizing the worship because I don’t like the song or phasing out during the message because I think it’s boring, I just remind myself that chapel is not about me getting my desires gratified. It’s not about us. It’s a chance to encounter Emmanuel – God With Us, if we trust Him enough to let go of our stressors and focus on Him. When we offer God space in our lives, God enters that space and fills it with His presence. And God’s presence assures us that we are loved unconditionally, giving us real rest from the stresses we face. And in turn, this assurance helps me trust God enough to tune back in.

I think this quote from The Message sums it up nicely.

“Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.” Mathew 11:28-30

Chapel can become an unforced weekly rhythm of rest that reminds us that we are God’s Beloved Children. If we give God a little bit of space and a little bit of focus, we can find in Chapel an emotional security from which we can face the rest of the day. 

So, in summary, if you want to get something out of chapel, put away your phone or homework and focus on God, not on your own needs. You’ll get so much more than you would if you were distracted by your responsibilities or only focusing on whether your experience is satisfying. 

Focusing on God can take some focus. It may be a yolk, but the yolk is light, and the burden is easy. It fits us and refreshes us more than we could ever on our own. Perhaps according to the Community Covenant, chapel is technically a forced rhythm, but we all know that it’s oh-so-easy to hit the “scan and scram”. I think missing chapel isn’t so much a punishable offense as it is a missed opportunity to let God reassure us that He loves us no matter what. And on the flip side, going to chapel does not make us righteous, but it might be a real opportunity to recover our lives as individuals and as a community in Christ. ★

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Stories In Focus

Freshmen Diversity on Campus

By Rebecca Dailey

The 2023-2024 school year brings in 272 Freshmen, the largest freshman class since 2016. 

Thereasa Villnave (‘27) says, “It’s been really good because teachers seem to really care, are willing to make appointments and understand you as a person.” 

Villnave hopes to play a sport and is looking forward to the unique options for classes. 

Freshman class representative Grace Hall (‘27) says, “I hope to get involved and engage with people. Everyone is so nice and the campus is beautiful.”

Grace Hall partakes in Monday morning bible studies and student council.
Hall is “Super excited and grateful for the opportunity to be voted class rep for the freshman class. I am excited to serve my class and hope to make an impact for Christ on our campus. I am thankful that there are many opportunities to engage in worship on campus. Koin has been great. I love worshiping with other believers. I am so grateful for the beauty of Houghton. This campus is gorgeous and we are so blessed to live here. God has been good and faithful. I am expectant that He will do great things with my class!” 

Her brother, Carter Hall (‘27), is “Excited to see what the future holds and create stronger relationships.” 

Carter Hall has been given the opportunity to help with Koinonia, and has been invited to join other studies which look at the scriptures as well as encouraging singing and worshiping.

“College/University is the time where we must, if we have not already,” Carter Hall states, “make our faith our own. If you look, those opportunities are all around. This can include Bible studies, student led ministries and fellowship on and off campus.” 

Jackson Collins (‘27) stated, “The way we perceive things and the different [C]hristian perspectives is important. I didn’t expect to be so busy, there is definitely a balancing act between friends, family and spiritual life.”

Collins participates in Koinonia, Mercy Seat and is on the cross-country team. 

Collins says, “God has given me the gifts of music and I am certainly called to the musical ministry of Koin and Mercy Seat. From my observation, there has been a large spiritual awakening and desire to follow God and honor him through music, Bible studies, and a strong community. Koin and Mercy Seat mean a lot to me, since it is a way I can honor God and grow in community.” 

Samantha Renken (‘27) didn’t expect “how supportive everyone is and they’re so nice even if you don’t really know them.” 

Renken hopes to continue to grow with the people.

Collins “didn’t expect how busy he would be or how strong and diverse the Christian community is.” 

Dean of the Chapel, Michael Jordan sent the 2027 freshman class off with, “Stay curious, freshmen have a wonderful way to look at the world. I hope they keep loving Houghton and growing their faith.” ★

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Campus News

Sophomore Leadership Conference Returns

By Elise Koelbl

It was gone but not forgotten. After a year of strict COVID-19 guidelines forcing its absence, February 4 marks the return of the Sophomore Leadership Conference, just in time for it’s 5th year. The Sophomore Leadership Conference is an event for sophomore students to further understand their strengths and show them their abilities as a leader. This year’s theme is titled “Activate: Leadership, Gifts, and the Kingdom of God,” which is notably different than in past years where the theme was “Oh The Places You’ll Go.” This continues to be a program designed to promote leadership in young students.

The person in charge of organizing the event is Rachel Wright. When asked about the decision to direct this event towards sophomores, she stated, “This event has focused on the Sophomore year as students near the time to officially declare their major and there were already existing opportunities like Transitions, Senior Seminar courses, etc. for students during other years. Because of the pandemic, the event was canceled in 2021, so we are opening this year up to those who would have been Sophomores last year.” The event itself goes from the evening of Friday, February 4 to all day Saturday, February 5. There will also be an exclusive dinner with Kindschi Faith and Justice Symposium guest Rev. Dr. Soong-Chan Rah on Monday, February 7 for all of the conference attendees.

Adelaine Morgiewicz (‘24), who is currently a sophomore, plans to attend the event. Like many sophomores, she received an email from Houghton’s Office of Vocation and Calling informing her of this event. As someone who is still undecided in her major, she is excited to attend to gain a better understanding of herself as a leader. 

Highlights of what is included at the conference with the $20 registration fee include: participants completing the Clifton Strengths Finder Assessment; students completing a Positive Change Project during the event, which can feasibly be enacted during their time as students; as well as Conference swag; and Saturday meals. 

Guests this year include Dr. Greg Bish, the Keynote speaker, who is also the Chief of Staff at Houghton College; Dr. JL Miller, the Associate Dean of the Chapel at Houghton College; and the Strengths Coach, Dr. Ellen Marmon, a Professor of Christian Discipleship and the Director of the Doctor of Ministry Program and Asbury Theological Seminary, who will be Zooming in to the Conference; Sharon Mulligan, the Director of Academic Support and Accessibility Services at Houghton College, who will be leading an Ideation Session; and Rev. Dr. Soong-Chan Rah, a Robert Boyd Munger Professor of Evangelism at Fuller Theological Seminary, who will be having dinner with Conference participants on Monday.

The administration is excited the Sophomore Leadership Conference was able to return after its absence last year. With a variety of guest speakers, attendees will experience a helpful and informational event. ★

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Stories In Focus

FEATURE: The Writing Center

By Jacqueline Johnson

One of Houghton’s wonderful academic resources is the Writing Center. Located in the Center for Student Success in the Chamberlain Center, the Writing Center assists students on any writing assignment or paper. They are open from 3:30 P.M. to 5:00 P.M. on Mondays and Thursdays, and 3:30 P.M. to 7:30 P.M. on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. During these times, Students can book slots with their choice of four wonderful student consultants: Megan Brown (‘23), Rachel Huchthausen (‘23), Jacob Lajza (‘23), and Elaine Starling Leeli (‘22). 

The Writing Center is designed to assist students at any point in the writing process from the planning stage to finishing refinements. Whether it be gathering ideas and organizing thoughts or reviewing any stage of draft, the Writing Center consultants are there to help with many different types of assignments, from formal research papers, to personal essays, to lab reports. In addition to a variety of assignments, the Writing Center is also well-versed in a number of styles including MLA, APA, and Chicago. 

The Writing Center is advised by Professor Laurie Dashnau, who is also one of the writing professors here at the college. Professor Dashnau expresses her joy of the Writing Center, along with high praises of the consultants on both their writing skills and their encouraging nature. 

Jacob Lazja (‘23), one of the Writing Center consultants, talks about some of the benefits that he has seen through working in the Writing Center. “Consulting allows me to collaborate with my peers, not only to produce an A+ paper but to produce lifelong writing skills.” He continues by saying, “Our goal at the Writing Center is not to proofread, edit, and send you away. Instead, it is to guide you through strategies and improvements that will, hopefully, be helpful throughout your college career and beyond.” 

The Writing Center has recently welcomed Rachel Huchthausen (‘23) as its newest addition to the consultant team. She is eager to begin helping people hone their writing skills. “I am looking forward to discovering the writing processes of the individuals who come to Houghton’s Writing Center and learning how to tailor each session to each person’s own areas of strength and areas of growth.” Huchthausen has also expressed how her experience with the Writing Center so far has expanded her insight on the writing process and everything that goes into making the Writing Center what it is. 

The Writing Center is truly something that can help any student improve and hone their writing craft. From advanced writers to those who are just starting to develop their voice, any student who walks into the Writing Center will be met with kind and encouraging student consultants who are there to help you along the way to reaching your writing goals. ★

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Campus News

Center for Sustainability Hosts Open House

By Megan Brown

On a bitterly cold Friday afternoon in late January, while most students were heading back to their residences or leaving campus for the weekend, I trudged up Roth hill on my way to an event occurring on the third floor of the Chamberlain building: the Center for Sustainability Open House.

As I entered this cozy room in Chamberlain, decorated with recycled paper chains handcrafted by Mary Chichester (‘22), an intern at the Center for Sustainability (CFS), I was greeted by a room full of people playing an environmentally-themed game of Kahoot, eating cookies, and getting to know each other. Both the space and the people were welcoming. The large windows revealed a bright and beautiful winter scene outside, framed with a variety of plants perched on the windowsill. In the corner, a bookshelf was full of a range of items, from an impressive collection of literature about sustainability and social change to Russian nesting dolls. Music gently played in the background. The room not only serves as an office for the Center for Sustainability but also provides a delightful hangout space for students and interns alike. It additionally serves as the office for Brian Webb, who heads the CFS.

When I asked what he loves most about his job working on issues of sustainability on campus, Webb remarked “I love Houghton students, getting to work with them, and building connections with them, both in and out of the classroom.” He acknowledged the many difficult challenges that our planet is facing, but noted that “the passion our students have for sustainability and protecting God’s creation gives me hope for the future.”

The first CFS intern with whom I engaged in conversation was Clayton Hardiman (‘22), clad in his signature ball cap and sipping a steaming cup of hot chocolate. He encouraged me to help myself to the array of snacks being served, and he even offered me a bottle of local honey. On the down low, he also invited me to take one of the mugs that the coffee and other hot beverages were being served in. Hardiman serves as the Garden Coordinator for the CFS, a position that he noted mainly consists of planning during the winter months. When asked about what the CFS means to him, he shared that the CFS “brings the issue of ecological care and creation into a Christian perspective.”

After chatting with some other interns and students attending the open house, eating some delicious cookies, and drinking a hot cup of coffee, I left the CFS with a complimentary bottle of honey and a smile hiding behind my mask. Next time you’re on the third floor of the Chamberlain Center, I encourage you to also stop by to visit the fine people at the CFS. You can sit down to parooze a book about environmental issues, have a meaningful conversation about sustainability with people who are well-versed on the subject, and perhaps have a spot of tea. ★

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Letter to the Editor Opinions

Covid, Community, and a False Sense of Spirituality

By Haylee Conrad

On March 13, 2020, Houghton College sent out an email that marked the change for the rest of our lives. Now at the start of year three, we would think things would be different; the pandemic would be over, we wouldn’t need to wear masks anymore, but look at where we are.

When that email was first sent out to campus, I was down in North Carolina at a three-day-long Women’s Holiness Conference. I was there with Dr. Derck, Dr. KLP, Katie Allen, and Olivia Flint. The night we received the news that we would be sent home when we made it back to campus didn’t feel real. It turned out to be the night I would feel closest to God in a really long time. I was in the same room with over 500 other women, each who loved God and each who wanted to show God’s light in the world through ministry. The band had gotten special permission from Kari Jobe to play her new song, at the time, “The Blessing,” which was so new, it hadn’t even been released on Youtube yet. I know that song is well overplayed by now, but it has become my absolute favorite worship song. That’s because when I heard it for the first time, the women in that room were singing it. It was real, it was true, and it was genuinely filled with love for one another and for God. That is what true Christian worship is: gathering together to worship God and to love those around you.

In September, we started gathering in chapel twice a week, each week, shoulder to shoulder as if Covid wasn’t still running rampant all over the globe. This semester, we were told that streaming chapel was no longer being offered and online classes are slowly becoming less accessible. Houghton College is forcing a reality of normalcy in a world where normal is no longer an option. There are thousands of people dying on a daily basis. There are hospitals so full, people who need medical attention for heart attacks and strokes can’t be seen. There are schools where all their classes are being taught by subs because every teacher has Covid. Yet we’re expected to go back to normal just because it’s Houghton College and we’re a “community”?

I am, according to medical professionals, in the “high-risk” category. I know many other people on campus who also fit into that category. The new expectations on campus make us uncomfortable and make us feel unsafe. I get anxious about getting food from the dining hall to take it back to my room and eat. Imagine how I feel having to sit in a building with poor ventilation, surrounded by people I don’t talk to on a regular basis, to listen to speakers who seem not to recognize the reality of this deadly virus. As a member of Houghton’s so-called “community,” I do not feel safe or cared for. As a member of this so-called “community,” I wish the situation surrounding Covid was taken more seriously. 

As Christians, we are called by God to love those around us. Right now, in the situation we’re in, loving your neighbor means pulling your mask up above your nose. It means giving the people who aren’t comfortable being in chapel the permission to watch it synchronously or asynchronously from a different location. It means being gentle with those who don’t feel safe in a world that is putting their health at risk. Yet Houghton doesn’t seem to think the same thing. Instead, they are putting the mental health and physical well-being of their students at risk just to maintain a false sense of spirituality on campus.

Houghton College wants its Christian campus to go back to “normal,” but how far will they go and at what cost? ★

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Spider Man: No Way Home (2021)

By Caleb Tiedemann

MAJOR SPOILER WARNING!

Spider-Man: No Way Home was one of the most hyped-up and anticipated Marvel movies to come out this year. All of this was primarily thanks to the rumors and the advertisements that Marvel practically forced down your throat until you could not go anywhere without hearing or seeing it. After a year of average Marvel, I was starting to feel burnt out and hoping the future would be b6etter. Little did I know that Jon Watts was going to drop one of the best Marvel films of all time right into my lap, to cap off 2021. I arrived home for Christmas break and caught church and breakfast with my friends. Then we went to the mall and mentally prepared ourselves for better or worse. Two and a half hours later, we all came to the same conclusion, “WOW!” I do not think it is too far to claim that Spider-Man: No Way Home is nothing short of a masterpiece.

No Way Home picks up right where Far From Home left off: Mysterio revealing Spider-Man’s identity to the world. With Spider-Man/Peter Parker’s (Tom Holland) friends and family at risk, he seeks help from Doctor Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch). When Strange tries to cast a spell that makes the world forget Peter Parker is Spider-Man things go horribly wrong and dangerous foes from alternate dimensions appear to put him to the test. In the end, Peter learns the true cost of what it means to be Spider-Man. 

Similar to the other movies I review, there are many amazing details to go over. Let’s start with the elephant, or elephants in the room, the names that everyone wants to hear. The appearances that made the people in my theater scream, clap, cry and shout: Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield. The appearance of these characters sent me into an insane frenzy of love and joy. Being one of those 2000s kids, I grew up with Maguire and Garfield, and seeing them back in their titular roles was jaw-dropping and nostalgic. Their intro was not superb but I loved it way too much to be annoyed. Tears and shouts of joy filled the theater on that day. A moment and feeling that cannot be matched. I felt young again, I felt nothing but joy to see them back in action.

You could tell that Maguire and Garfield were both thrilled to return to their roles as they both acted with all their heart, making it seem as if they never left. Tom Holland gives his ultimate performance in this film as Peter is driven to the edge of his sanity, broken and beaten, by trying so hard to be the friendly neighborhood Spider-Man. Alfred Molina’s return as Doc Ock is another smile-inducing moment. When he is turned good, he is so wholesome and happy, being able to truly be Alfred Molina instead of Ock. Then there’s the other villains: Rhys Ifans’ Lizard, and Thomas Haden Church’s Sandman. Both get further personality development and fun moments as classic villains. Jamie Foxx’s Electro also stood out as an awesome performance. Despite not being blue or balding, Foxx was given a great opportunity to make amends for the previous butchering of Electro. 

Now, we get to talk about the MVP- Green Goblin. Willem Dafoe returns as the titular Spider-Man villain, the one who started it all. Dafoe’s performance was nothing short of legendary. He truly brought his crazy back without a second thought. I personally loved him so much more through this movie as he adopts a very similar personality to that of Heath Ledger’s Joker. The way Goblin tanks punches all while smiling and laughing is one of the most bone-chilling scenes. It gives off the Batman/Joker interrogation scene vibes from the Dark Knight. Instead of having an ulterior motive, the Goblin just wants to break Spider-Man in any way he can, and he almost does. He kills one of the people closest to Peter, driving him nearly mad with grief and instilling vengeance within him. Similar to how Maguire and Garfield had to learn to deal with the grief of losing Uncle Ben and Gwen, so must Holland. Due to the Goblin, Peter is brought to the edge of his sanity, almost losing who he truly is along the way. This was one of the most heartbreaking, surprising, and emotionally well-done things in this movie.

Visually, this movie is stunning. The CG is believable and works well. The Doctor Strange fight is beautiful. Getting tossed back into the mirror dimension is always a visual treat. The cinematography is jaw-dropping. The humor was also fantastic. The interactions between the villains are funny, and the interactions between the three Spider-Men are hilarious. The movie does an excellent job of balancing humor with heart. The humor never feels out of place and never overstays its welcome. Small little details can be revealed in the shortest of sentences. They even got Willem Dafoe to say, “I’m something of a scientist myself,” again. I mean, come on, how could you not like this movie?
Now, for the plot. Previously, the Spider-Man movies have been nothing but fun and adventure, with no real stakes and no real character.  . This does not mean they are bad by any means, but it makes them lesser than, especially if Peter is the exact same after six movies. In this movie, there are stakes and so much development, and not just development for Peter, development for a whole cast of characters from the last twenty years! For once, Spider-Man can’t just get out of trouble by swinging away and making a quip. He is stuck, trying to help everyone and balancing the weight of the world on his shoulders. In the end, he has to make the ultimate sacrifice and let everyone forget he is Spider-Man to save the universe. The ultimate sacrifice that really cemented his reign as a legendary hero. 

Grade: A+