What’s Happening to the World?

It’s no secret that the Cedarville bubble is seemingly impenetrable by news.

You may catch a glimpse of FOX News or ESPN as you walk by the SSC Info Desk or work out in the fitness center. You attend chapel and pray for the tragedies that hit close to home, the people who are suffering. You skim Twitter and Facebook, catching the breaking news and click-bait stories composed of cats and GIFs. You may “like” or “favorite” the post, but odds are you do so without reading more than the story’s headline.

But what you do read or hear in passing seems to be dreadful – hopeless, even. “What’s happening to our world?” you find yourself asking.

As a journalist, I keep up with the news fairly well, though the majority of news I read gets to me via Twitter. I think it’s important we’re aware of what’s going on in the world so that we can know how to make a difference for Christ and how to defend our beliefs as more than something based on the unseen.

Here’s a snippet of what has been making headlines.

Pope Francis

Pope Francis arrived in America the same day Ben Carson came to campus, Sept. 22. The Pope’s visit was his first visit to America and an event much anticipated by many in the U.S. The Pope made headlines earlier this year for releasing an encyclical on caring for the environment and climate change – something not often spoken about so boldy by a religious leader. Francis has been said to be more concerned with social issues and lean toward a more liberal ideology than previous popes, but that’s for you to decide.

The Pope made stops in Washington, D.C., New York City and Philadelphia during his six-day visit to the U.S.

John Boehner

Ohio native and Speaker of the U.S. House, John Boehner, announced his resignation (effective Oct. 30) the day after the Pope’s departure.

Boehner, who represents Ohio’s eighth congressional district and has served in Congress since 1991, is said to be a “cradle Catholic” who has invited a pope to address Congress for the past 20 years. Francis was the first who honored Boehner’s request.

Boehner’s resignation comes at a time of immense pressure from conservatives in the House to defund Planned Parenthood.

The race is now on for a new Speaker of the House to be elected.

Roseburg, Oregon

A gunman killed nine students and injured several others at Umpqua Community College Oct. 1. According to the latest reports by media, the gunman was a student at the college and killed students who stated they were Christians when asked.

The Oregon shooting reopens the doors for gun control to be harped on by politicians, parents and pundits. Presidential candidates for the 2016 Election have weighed in on both ends of the spectrum.

Longing for truth

Keeping up with the world’s happenings is tough. And living among them is even tougher.

As Christians, we’ve heard it said that we’re called to be in the world but not of the world, and we’re called to care for the least of these.

Among idols, death, corruption and sickness, there’s despair. But we can offer hope. There’s broken promises, but we can offer an unchanging God. There’s fear, but we can offer the God of all comfort. There’s confusion, but we can offer a God who surpasses all understanding – One who is omnipotent, omnipresent and sovereign.

I don’t have an answer for what’s happening to our world. I don’t have a measurement of how topsy-turvy our world is. It may be perfectly upright, pushing us to seek God more fervently, or it may be perfectly upside down, pulling us into sin.

Whatever it is, trust the God who’s constant.

Anna Dembowski is a senior journalism major and editor-in-chief for Cedars. She is learning to love coffee, spontaneity and Twitter. Follow her at @annabbowskers.