Christian College Risks Accreditation Over Biblical Standards

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Gordon College in Massachusetts is facing pressure from its accreditation board over the college’s biblical standards concerning sexual activity by students.

Gordon is a Christian college who lists same-sex activity alongside other forms of forbidden student conduct. However, the New England Association of Schools and Colleges is investigating whether Gordon has violated the Association’s standards for accreditation in doing so.

John Stonestreet with the Chuck Colson Center for Christian Worldview writes,

“In late September, the higher education committee of the New England Association of Schools and Colleges, the body that accredits Gordon, met to consider whether Gordon’s inclusion of homosexual acts as a ‘forbidden practice’ ran afoul of the Association’s standards for accreditation. Note that the Gordon statement requires all students to adhere to sexual behavior standards. There’s no singling out of same-sex attracted folks, nor are there any prohibitions against admitting students with same-sex attraction. The stance has to do with sexual behavior, which falls in line with two millennia of Christian teaching.”

According to Stonestreet, Gordon College has one year to prepare a report for the Association defending the college’s policies.

Gordon is, essentially, being accused of discrimination even though all it is doing is proscribing standards of Christian conduct for its students. The implications of this situation are significant. If a college is free to profess a religious basis, but risks its accreditation by insisting its students adhere to some basic tenets of that religion, that’s a problem.

Stonestreet has prepared an excellent commentary on this situation and similar cases. You can listen to it below or read it here.

[audio:http://bit.ly/Zt3Y88|titles=John Stonestreet – The Jealous God of Tolerance]

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Referee Flags Player for Endzone Slide and Prayer

Religious Freedom,

The NFL has been in the limelight a good bit lately for its poor handling of domestic violence. The organization seems to be struggling in another area as well, however: Religious liberty.

Last night Kansas Chiefs free safety Husain Abdullah scored a touchdown against the New England Patriots. When he reached the endzone Abdullah slid on his knees and prayed. As a result, the referees threw a yellow flag, and the Chiefs were penalized 15 yards for unsportsmanlike conduct.

The Kansas City Star describes Abdullah as a devout Muslim who promised himself if he ever scored a touchdown he would bow in prayer.

The NFL does have a rule which states, “players are prohibited from engaging in any celebrations or demonstrations while on the ground.” However, the NFL typically makes exceptions for prayer–which is why players like Tim Tebow and others were able to drop to the ground and thank God in the endzone.

Some are alleging the penalty was a result of Abdullah’s slide on the ground–not the prayer. It seems difficult to distinguish the two, however.

(more…)

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Satanists, Atheists Passing Out Material in Fla. Public Schools

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The Satanic Temple and the Freedom From Religion Foundation have each announced plans to pass out their “literature” in public schools in Florida.

The New York-based Satanic Temple will distribute “pamphlets related to the [Satanic] Temple’s tenets, philosophy and practice of Satanism, as well as information about the legal right to practice Satanism in school.”

While the Satanic Temple says it has consulted with the Wisconsin-based Freedom From Religion Foundation, FFRF has released a statement putting daylight between itself and the Satanic Temple, saying,

“FFRF does not believe that satanists or Christians or even atheists should be distributing literature to public school students…FFRF does not endorse the New York based Satanic Temple’s literature any more than we would endorse the bible or think it should be given to students. However, Orange County Public Schools cannot legally prevent the temple from distributing its literature.”

So here is a question: If the Freedom From Religion Foundation does not believe “even atheists” should be distributing material to public school students, why are they handing out anti-Christian literature in Florida schools? (more…)

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