[Mrs. Don-o]

Reminds me of Silence by Shusaku Endo, which tells about the Catholic missionaries and Catholic converts in 17th century Japan, who endured persecution in the time of Kakure Kirishitan ("Hidden Christians").

When caught, they were ordered to trample on fumie, which were carved wooden figures of Jesus Christ. If they refused, they were tortured to death. This happened to thousands and thousands of Japanese Christians.

That's not what this university did, of course. But it's the idea that Christians can be pressured by symbolic acts to betray their Faith in Christ... a faith which is no longer tolerated by the power structure.

[Elsie]

That's not what this university did, of course.

But it's a START - to see what can be gotten away with...

[Timber Rattler]

James Clavell depicted this in Shogun too.

[Rebelbase]

Verbally renouncing Christ has eternal consequences. Trampling pieces of wood doesn’t.