Playlists, Porches and Trees
Bergthold finds hope amid tornado wreckage
by Abigail Hintz
“For we are fallen like the trees, our peace
Broken, and so we must
Love where we cannot trust,
Trust where we cannot know,
And must await the wayward-coming grace."
“A Gracious Sabbath Stood Here,” by Wendell Berry
Trees are overlooked. They’re taken for granted. They’re mourned when they fall but not thanked while they stand.
On Easter Sunday, Laini Bergthold learned the importance of trees.
Early in the ...
“Star Wars” That Fans Love: Looking Back at “The Mandalorian” Season 1
by Hunter Johnson
“The Mandalorian” is returning for a second season, which means fans are gearing up for an explosive return of the first live-action “Star Wars” television series ever made.
Last year, Disney released “The Mandalorian” as the flagship series for its new streaming service, Disney Plus. Not only did the show succeed but it was also largely responsible for the over ten million subscribers the service received on the day of its launch.
The show abandoned the ...
Fake It Till You Make It: Episode Two Sure Wants to Say Something
by Breanna Beers
“You don’t have a rocket problem. You have a people problem.”
“The papers like these guys. And people read the papers.”
“People will want to know how this story ends. And people vote.”
And what’s gonna make all our problems go away? What do votes mean, Bob?”
“Money.”
The second episode of Disney+ and National Geographic’s “The Right Stuff” begins to deliver on the trailer’s promise of addressing celebrity, but stilted writing combines with ...
The Builders of the Modern Blockbuster
by Ben Hiett
The term “blockbuster” originally referred to WWII aerial bombs capable of taking out entire city blocks. However, by the 1980’s, the word had come to be associated with the larger-than-life adventure, explosive excitement and widespread popularity of movies like “Jaws,” “Star Wars,” and the like. In more recent years, we’ve seen this trend continue, with blockbusters becoming an established pillar of the film industry. I set out to determine which directors have ...
Reasonably Good Stuff: Disney+ Original Space Drama Launches Unremarkably
by Breanna Beers
National Geographic’s eight-episode Disney+ original series “The Right Stuff” launched exactly as a rocket should: successfully, but uneventfully.
The first episode outlines the selection of the ‘Mercury Seven,’ with a focus on three: John Glenn (Patrick J. Adams), Alan Shepard (Jake McDorman), and Gordon Cooper (Colin O'Donoghue). The early part of the episode focuses on the first two, foreshadowing a rivalry that we can expect to develop over the next seven ...
Voting By Mail
Over 75% of American voters will be eligible to vote by mail this November as states scramble to adapt to a pandemic in the middle of one of the most controversial elections in recent history.
by Breanna Beers
Is voting by mail a good idea?
The benefits of mail-in voting are obvious, especially during a pandemic: safety, accessibility and public health. But what about the drawbacks?
Myths around voting by mail abound, most notably the claim that mail-in ballots are a major source of ...
Kingdom Diversity Committee
Group focused on promoting diversity, unity on CU campus
by Kathryn McDonald
Race. Gender. Equality. What do these words have in common? Each one has become increasingly tied to one of the largest hot-button issues facing students and young people across the country: how can we remain unified while embracing diversity?
In recent months, Cedarville University has worked to bring together a committee of leaders to address issues surrounding diversity on Cedarville’s campus. What began as a ...
Mental Health and COVID-19
Why raising awareness is more important than ever
by Zach Krauss
Few phenomena have changed the world like the COVID-19 pandemic. At Cedarville, the educational experience has shifted from an almost exclusively in-person learning format to a context in which online learning is commonplace, especially for students who are feeling unwell.
Students are now more stressed than ever about not only their health, but also the health of those around them. There is an everpresent chance of the ...
Political Grace
How to be a Christian in an election season
by Breanna Beers
You can be a Republican and be a Christian.
You can be a Democrat and be a Christian.
Shocking, I know. It seems like every year it gets harder to accept that, especially given [insert whatever horrifying thing the other side did this week].
The latest outrage, however, is just a symptom of a deeper problem: the system itself is structured to incentivize and benefit from our polarized tribalism. The people in power want no ...
Village Stories: Bringing the Opera House back to life
Audio story by Sarah Bean
Photos by Lydia Wolterman
The Cedarville Opera house has a long and storied history. Because of the COVID-19 pandemic its stage is empty for now. And while it waits, the building is getting a new roof.
