Yes…
to a sixteen page Bagpipe, and sixteen days until summer.
No…
to anything resembling term papers or exams.
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When Americans think of Islam post-9/11, it is far too easy to think solely of radical extremists who wish to destroy the United States along with anything else Western. In an effort to counter this way of thinking, Islamic scholar Salem Salem al-Hasi was invited to Covenant to lecture on the legal fundamentals of his religion. Over 100 people packed into Mills 270/280 to hear him speak on March 26. Mr. Salem earned his master’s degree in Islamic Studies from the Graduate School of Islamic and Social Sciences in Leesburg, VA. He has participated in numerous seminars and workshops related to Islam and Arabic and spends much of his time lecturing to non-Muslim audiences about the fundamentals of his faith. Junior Gareth Jones, President of Covenant’s Pre-Law Society, worked to bring Mr. Salem to campus. “I’ve noticed a lot of interest in Islam on campus,” Jones said, “but also a lot of ignorance and misunderstanding about what Islam is really about. By bringing in an Islamic scholar who is himself a Muslim, I hoped to give students a clearer perspective of just what Islam is about.” Professor of Education Daphne Haddad echoed Jones’ feelings in her introduction to the evening. “Most of us are fairly ignorant of Islam,” she warned. “We are here to be learners, not to demonize.” As the evening progressed, all of Mr. Salem’s remarks and student questions seemed to coalesce around a central issue: who gets to speak for Islam—and, for that matter, for Christianity—the radicals, or the moderates? Mr. Salem began by addressing the frustration many Christians experience when the American media interviews Christians who poorly articulate their faith. This frustration goes both ways, however, as the American media often unfairly portrays Islam as backward or medieval. He emphasized that Sharia is not a medieval law, but rather a divine law which is sadly applied by some radicals with medieval methodology.
Dr. Lendol Calder, a professor of History at Augustana College in Rock Island, Illinois, is better known around here as “that guy who ripped a dollar bill in half during chapel.” He came to Covenant to speak at the 2010 Covenant College WIC Lectures. The WIC lectures are a yearly lecture series made possible by a gift from the group Women in the Church (WIC) of the PCA. Over a three-day period he spoke in chapel twice, and gave three four-hour lectures to those who had signed up for the class. His series bore the exciting title When Resistance Seems Futile: Following Christ in a Consumer Culture, in which he spoke on the history of consumerism in America. Dr. Calder showed himself to be an able speaker, engrossing his audience with his great story-telling ability and his dry humor. “That guy could be a standup comedian,” I overheard a girl saying to her friend as they exited chapel after his first talk. “I have never spoken in a chapel before,” Dr. Calder admitted at the beginning of his talks. I can confidently say it was just as unique an experience for us listening to him. Those who attended his three four-hour lectures were given the opportunity to better understand the consequences of living in “mammon’s territory,” as Dr. Calder put it. Freshman Kara Gahagen speaks for us all when she admitted that the lectures were “exhausting” and that it was pretty hard to stay focused for so long, especially for the Friday evening and Saturday morning sessions. However, Dr. Calder kept our attention well, interspersing small group sessions, discussions, and video clips throughout his lectures. Professor of History Jay Green described Dr. Calder as “a very thoughtful man, who chooses his words carefully,” and his lecturing powerfully demonstrated this as he forced us to question our presuppositions about money, consumerism, and the American Christian community. Using the texts Land of Desire by William Leach and Walden by Henry David Thoreau, Dr. Calder defined Consumerism, gave an overview of its history in America, and considered the different critical responses to consumerism that have been presented in a particular literary genre called Jeremiads. Finally, he presented the question: “for the Christian, is resistance to consumerism futile?”
Inspector Spratt shut the door. “Sir Eustace Barrow, I must insist that you have a seat.” His voice was firm, even stern. “But I don’t understand!” Sir Eustace paced the Blue Room, one hand on his hip, the other raking his hair. “Inspector, I will confess everything I can. Everything! But you must find it!” “Sir Barrow, sit,” said Inspector Spratt. His eyes were fierce. Sir Eustace sat. “Now, Sir Barrow, did you, or did you not, steal your own knife?” Spratt clasped his spindly fingers behind his back, and bent his elongated form close to Sir Eustace. Sir Eustace sighed. “I did.” “Why?” “Because I wanted to discover the thief.” “No enigmas, please.” “Remember the note? ‘Look to your own, the thief is near’? I thought that by stealing from myself (which I hope you know is not really stealing), and then by calling the police, I might deter the would-be thief from carrying out his plan.” Spratt nodded and contemplated the carpet. “And of course in the process you have formed your own opinion of the identity of the would-be thief.” Spratt straightened and crossed to the window. “Sergeant Commins didn’t find the knife during his search of the house.” “No,” said Sir Eustace. “I concealed it on my person until the search was complete, and then put it in the vase.” He smiled. “Rather clever, don’t you think?” Inspector Spratt ignored him. He took out his pipe, lit it, and took a long pull. Sir Eustace followed him with his eyes. “Inspector, what made you suspect me?” “You did. You’ve been very eager about this case. In fact, you’ve been quite comfortable being in charge of it. But if you’ve noticed, no one seemed to know what the knife actually looked like, except you. Perhaps some one could have been lying, but I decided to take their word for it.” “And not mine?” asked Sir Eustace with an arch smile. The Inspector smiled back. “Exactly.” “But now what?” Sir Eustace asked. The Inspector puffed. “I must confer with Sergeant Commins. Be completely silent on this new development until you hear from me again. A knife is not a harmless object. It has a sharp point, you know. I don’t like this turn of events. Tomorrow I will propose a course of action.” He took out his pipe and set it on the side table. “Hand me that vase again.” Sir Eustace did so, and the Inspector studied it. “It has water stains on the inside,” he remarked. “Is this vase very valuable?” “Oh no, or else it wouldn’t be stained!” said Sir Eustace. “Well, I must go talk with Commins,” said Spratt. “Good afternoon.” *****
Three hours later, Inspector Spratt remembered something. He had forgotten his pipe. “Ah! I must have set it down to examine that vase!” he thought. Upon returning to Barrow Park, and receiving no answer to his knock, he went in and hastened to the Blue Room. The light was dim. Spratt noticed a tea tray on the side table; its contents had obviously been used. Then he noticed a leg protruding from behind a chair. He went to investigate. And there was Sir Eustace Barrow, sitting slumped on the floor, with a little puddle of blood growing between his legs. Inspector Spratt pushed the body back against the chair. A blue-handled knife was lodged in the baronet’s chest. Suddenly, Sir Eustace’s head lolled back and he opened one eye. “Inspector,” he said groggily, “Get this infernal knife out of me.”
While students of Covenant College were enjoying holiday festivities, the college administration purchased the Bradley property for $1 million. The administration is excited about the newly-purchased property, which they have been waiting for years to obtain. The property had not been on the market for over two decades. “The opportunity to purchase land that in future years will allow the college to expand its facilities is exciting. I am confident that we will make good use of the thirty-three acres and house. I’m grateful for those who have given unrestricted funds that can be used for such a purpose,” said alumnus J. Render Caines ‘69, a member of the Covenant College board. The Bradley property will add to a large portion of land which the college has accumulated over the past several years. The administration plans to use this property for future development. The Bradley property, across the street from New Scotland Yard, consists of 33 acres which border Covenant College’s campus. A house sits on the property, the lower floor of which Covenant will temporarily use for storage. Why did the college spend $1 million on a 33-acre piece of property, currently unused? “In the long range, it’s a good decision, even a hundred years from now. It’s really a good idea for the people who come after us,” said David Northcutt, Director of Facilities Management and Planning.
“Spacing is a big part of this; we have to look at all the pieces. The north end of campus is tied together, and as you go south, it comes unraveled, spreads out,” Northcutt explained. “As you drive up from the south end, when you arrive, we want it to be very well-defined so you know you’re here.” The construction of an entire interior corridor would require Scenic Highway to be re-routed. Covenant College currently owns the land necessary for such a project, in addition to the recently acquired Bradley property. Because re-routing Scenic Highway would be such a tremendous feat of funding, safety issues, and cooperation with the state of Georgia and the college’s neighbors on Lookout Mountain, it is currently still in the “dreaming stage,” according to Troy Duble, Vice President for Advancement. While the highway rerouting may still be 10-15 years down the road, Duble and Northcutt share a vision for a campus core, planning the campus around the spine of the mountain. Northcutt is excited about the new build-able land in the Bradley purchase. Northcutt’s role is to help Duble and the administration know the benefits and liabilities of projects like a highway rerouting. Covenant also has a campus planner to help provide advice about opening up the campus core to future developments. The question to be asked now, said Duble, is “How can we best use this gift, and steward the grounds at the same time?” The Bradley property is a prime example of a gift which Covenant College must steward until it can be used for development, according to Duble. “As administrators, faculty, staff, and board, it is important to care for Covenant’s mission and purpose today to prepare for the fulfillment of our vision in the future,” Duble said. |
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