Good morning,
Up until yesterday I had never heard of Louisiana College. Then I saw a piece in the news about the school withdrawing from an association of Christian colleges and seminaries. I emailed the school in support of its decision, and got a reply that told me that later in the day there would be an article in the Baptist News. The link to this article is below.
Here is the thing, when "Christians" start using the same language as those who oppose God, who are particularly seeking to destroy the image of God (and make no mistake, we are facing an all-out assault) - then Christians legitimize the language. It is as if our State Department grants diplomatic recognition to a rogue group within another nation - once the recognition is granted the diplomatic landscape changes.
The spokespeople from the CCCU use pragmatic and utilitarian language to support their sad decision - they would rather compromise the Gospel and Biblical thinking than to risk persecution or, God forbid, risk the viability of their institutions.
It is a sad day when the CCCU and the NAE go down this route, and surely, in terms of the NAE, it undercuts any moral and ethical authority it may still have had.
I have witnessed the decline of Biblical theology, thinking, and language in ministries and institutions that have meant much to me over the years. In an effort to be "relevant" we are becoming irrelevant. When God's Word is no longer "relevant" to our thinking and practice I think we have a problem. When we no longer consider the Gospel to be the power of God for salvation, I think we have a problem. When we substitute the wisdom of the world for the wisdom of God, I think we have a problem. When we no longer need the Holy Spirit to exegete Scripture, but are content to rely on our "scientific" methods, I think we have a problem.
When acceptance by the "academy" is more important than obedience to Jesus Christ...we may just have a problem.
Louisiana College may be small in numbers, but it looks to me as if these folk are big in faith in Jesus Christ. Their position statement is gracefully firm and Biblically grounded. I think they are an example of having a monogamous relationship with Jesus Christ (2 Cor. 11:1 - 3).
I suppose it was only a matter of time before our scholastic dance with the "academy" produced such rationalizations as we see in the attached article - we may have gone to the dance with Jesus but we're going home with one who is not our Husband - I think the word for that is adultery.
When self-preservation becomes the basis for our decisions perhaps we should go back to the Cross and learn what it is to deny ourselves - and our institutions. Institutions and ministries ought to be willing to die for Christ just as individuals ought to lay down their lives.
When pragmatism and utilitarianism rule, the Christ of the Cross and and Cross of Christ are eclipsed.
Well, please forgive me, I forgot that we aren't to challenge anyone or offend anyone. Let's wrap the Cross in cotton candy and glitz and glitter and work on living our "best life now."
"But may it never be that I would boast, except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world." Galatians 6:14.
http://www.bpnews.net/52417/louisiana-college-quits-cccu-over-lgbt-policy
In the Cross,
Bob
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