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Chimes Online
| Calling male feminists to abandon 'macho' |
 | At first, the term ``male feminist'' might seem an oxymoron, like ``jumbo shrimp'' or ``tuition break.'' But Calvin's campus, fervent as it professes to be about transforming culture, should be full of male feminists. ... |
| Seeking the true church |
| Being a casual observer of trends among my fellow students, I think I have noticed one. In this age of denominational uncommittedness, I have noticed not only the larger trend of students becoming interested in more charismatic denominations, but - surprisingly - students becoming interested in the high order, orthodox and catholic parts of Christendom. I am curious what it is about Calvin students that incites denominational searching. Is it as simple as people rebounding from their religious upbringing; those from liberal denominations seeking conservatism, and those from conservative denominations seeking liberalism? Is it students genuinely seeking the best place or form to allow their faith to manifest itself, or is it merely a fascination with the other? Most likely it is a host of reasons, not just one. Perhaps there is a sense that Christian truth overrides denominational commitment, or a general open-minded attitude regarding religious expression as being somewhat unchained to our fundamental faith structure, allowing for freedom of exploration. ... |
| Stepping east, experiencing a city on a hill |
| The east campus architectural project has tilted heads and tickled ears. An article in these pages judged the new DeVos Communication Arts and Sciences building and Prince Conference Center to be a thin stretch from the philosophy of William Fyfe, Calvin's original architect. Yet, after discussing the project in depth with Calvin's present architect, Frank Gorman, I see the new buildings as potentially very sensitive to Fyfe's philosophy, and perhaps much more promising than they seem in their incomplete phase. ... |
| Dialogue: fostering facilitation or artsy elitism? |
| Community is in large part a dialogue, and for lively dialogue to occur, there must be lively differences. To insist upon conformity as a condition of acceptance and as a criterion of membership in the community, will ultimately destroy the dialogue upon which genuine community is based and which is its lifeblood. It will create strangers where there might have been neighbors, because they will have nothing to discuss.... |
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