Tattoos and Christianity: Tattoos are Leaving their Mark on Christianity
By Maggie Walker
Tattoos---hate them or love them, the art form is now prevalent in America. In 2020, over a third of Americans aged 18-29 had at least one tattoo. What used to be controversial has entered the mainstream. What thoughts do people have about tattoos today?
Emma Waywood, a senior Social Work major, has gotten several tattoos, starting with a colorful wrist tattoo when she was 16 years old.
“I wanted it to be a reminder to me about God’s providence in my life. It has ...
Streaming Services: The Binging Revolution and Its Consequences
By Josh McClain
Fifteen years ago, binging referred to the overconsumption of alcohol, money or other abusable substances—not something most Christians take pride in. Now, teens and young adults use the same word to describe watching through hours of the latest movies and series on streaming platforms like Netflix or Disney Plus. Just as word connotations morph over time in response to cultural change, the “binge” revolution represents a response to the emergence of accessible streaming ...
Memorable Traditions: Thanksgiving may be a Day, but its Traditions Live on for Generations
By Michael Cleverly
Thanksgiving is an American holiday that holds an important spot in the year. However, it seems to hold a less important spot with Christmas occupying people’s minds. Despite this many Thanksgiving traditions remain memorable.
“Before the Thanksgiving meal we’ll go out and play football,” said Josh Burns, a Cedarville University student and RA of Marshal 1. “After the meal we’ll settle into the living room. The people who want to take a nap lay down behind ...
The Making of a Franchise: Why Some Succeed Where Others Fail
by Janie Walenda
It feels like everything is a franchise nowadays. Every movie sets up a sequel, and more often than not, it gets one. Few franchises, however, are truly successful. Most fizzle out thanks to underwhelming sequels that drag on far beyond where they should.
What about those few franchises that are both long-lasting and successful overall? What makes them succeed where so many fail?
First and foremost, the movies are usually connected. Though seemingly obvious, ...
Matt Papa: Artists-in-Residence Uses His Talents to Pour into Cedarville Students
by Kathryn McDonald
On July 13, 2021, Cedarville University was excited to announce that Matt Papa will serve as the Artist-In-Residence for the coming school year. Cedarville students had the opportunity to hear him speak and sing in chapel, teach in certain classes and even interact with him personally.
Papa is a two-time Dove-award nominated Christian music artist and songwriter. He is best known for his recent songs “His Mercy is More,” “Come Behold the Wondrous Mystery” and ...
Just Sayin’: On New, Nomadic Roots
It started because of COVID, for me. The polite kick-out we received in March 2020 sent everyone into a frenzy as we tried to figure out plane tickets and carpooling partners. Where would we go? For how long? What was happening?
I answered these questions from my then-boyfriend’s basement in Cincinnati, a suitcase of clothes and textbooks (and a cardboard box of my plants) the only company I could bring from my dorm.
Four days later, I continued answering those questions from my ...
The Spike of COVID-19
By Anna Harman
Since March 2020 with COVID-19, Cedarville students were ready to get back to normal on campus this semester.
For the first week on campus, all students attended chapel and classes without COVID-19 protocols set in place. Then on August 24th, 2021, Cedarville announced that masks were once again strongly encouraged in all indoor public spaces. Chapel would not meet, students who tested positive for COVID-19 would have to isolate themselves at home and outdoor activities ...
Analysis: Christians and Horror Films
By Sam Acosta
As believers, discernment in entertainment can be a daunting task, with the seemingly endless amounts of music, shows and movies to filter through and pick from. It’s an important task, however, as Phillipians 4:8 instructs us to be careful about what we dwell on and let into our minds.
Right off the bat, there are some fairly obvious rejects, such as the “Fifty Shades of Grey” series. Other properties are more controversial: some Christians refuse to watch “Harry ...
