Posted on 11/29/2006 11:22:16 AM PST by Gamecock
The president of the Reformed University Fellowship says the university wasn't specific about why the group was suspended in the first place.
PROVIDENCE -- Brown University yesterday offered an olive branch to an evangelical religious group that had been banned from advertising or meeting on campus, saying the Reformed University Fellowship can be reinstated as an official campus religious group by following a set of rules laid down for other campus organizations.
"Brown University has a long tradition of respecting the right of every student to practice his or her faith," Michael Chapman, university vice president for public affairs, said in a statement. "Today 20 student religious groups of many different faiths and beliefs enrich the social and cultural life of the entire campus community."
"The university welcomes the contributions RUF has made to the spiritual life of the campus and has offered to assist RUF in taking the necessary steps to have its affiliation restored," said Chapman.
On Sept. 13, the group was informed via an e-mail from the university's chaplain, the Rev. Janet Cooper Nelson, that its status as a recognized student organization had been withdrawn.
Yesterday, Ethan Wingfield, president of the Reformed University Fellowship, said he was pleased at the Brown administration's decision. "I think it is fantastic. It is an absolutely positive step. I'm glad we are back in contact and talking and working on a resolution."
The campus religious group, which has about 100 members, is affiliated with Trinity Presbyterian Church, an evangelical congregation in Providence.
Restoration of the fellowship's status as a campus group means that its members can hold meetings on campus, advertise meetings and use campus space for speakers.
While Wingfield said he was pleased with the university's new tack, he said he is also disappointed because he believes the university wasn't specific about why the group was suspended in the first place.
"We still haven't been told why we were suspended," said Wingfield.
Leaders of the group say they were given different reasons for the action. At first they were told that Trinity Presbyterian, the local sponsor, had withdrawn support, which it had not, according to the Rev. David Sherwood, Trinity pastor.
Then they were told that it was because the group's former leader had been late in submitting the paperwork required to be established as a campus organization. The third reason given, according to fellowship leaders, was the most puzzling, they said. The Rev. Allen Callahan, Protestant chaplain, asserted they were "possessed of a leadership culture of contempt and dishonesty that has rendered all collegial relations with my office impossible."
The Philadelphia-based Foundation for Individual Rights took up the fellowship's cause, publicizing it on its Web site and attracting attention from national media outlets.
The Rev. Ms. Cooper Nelson has laid out four steps that the fellowship must take to be reinstated, including filing forms on time and communicating with "full transparency" to the Rev. Mr. Callahan.
Wingfield said the standards set by the Rev. Ms. Cooper Nelson are not onerous and are pretty much what is expected of other campus organizations which seek university sanction and use of university facilities. "All we want to do is be on campus," said Wingfield, who said the fellowship is looking forward to reinstatement, "as soon as we can get this resolved."
Brown has been doing a lot of backtracking lately, no??
On Sept. 13, the group was informed via an e-mail from the university's chaplain, the Rev. Janet Cooper Nelson, that its status as a recognized student organization had been withdrawn.
Interesting that a female pastor would ban a group from a denomination that doesn't ordain women.
YEA!!! I love PCA!
I like your FR name, goodnesswins. Amen. Goodness does indeed triumph, as does mercy over justice.
CAUTION: other groups in other locations have been given this kind of option...only to find out that ithe "options" included allowing non-Christians into leadership positions. That cannot be acceptable.
Best to dust off the old sandals and move on.
The bottom line is they don't like having those pesky Calvinists stirring up the pot of "tolerance."
"communicating with "full transparency" to the Rev. Mr. Callahan."
Obviously they weren't transparent enough.
I believe the PCA is fairly conservative and probably not inclusive of gay and women pastors. That's the likely reason they were kicked off campus.
But the University couldn't say that because their Muslim chapters won't allow gays and women in leadership positions either.
They we're caught between a rock and the hard place.
I'm speculating of course.
"Brown University has a long tradition of respecting the right of every student to practice his or her faith"
Why does this remind me of the rabbi in "Fiddler on the Roof" who, when asked if there was a blessing for the Tsar, said, "The Lord bless and keep the Tsar...far away from us!"?
Thanks.
I am a PCA deacon and you are mostly right.
We are not "inclusive" of unrepentant, practicing homosexual pastors (teaching elders)or officers (ruling elders and deacons).
FWIW, we are considered one of the fastest growing denominations in the country.
I am a PCA elder, and I agree with gamecock.
PS. We also do not allow women elders and pastors.
"...The Thursday Night Interfaith Supper (TNS) 2006-2007 series continues this Thursday, November 16, from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m, at the home (directions below) of the Chaplain of the University, the Rev. Janet Cooper Nelson. The presenter Annie Doran, a member of the board of directors for Fairloom, an organization that serves to enrich the lives of the international community through the cultural exchange of knowledge, crafts, and stories (with a particular focus on communities in northeast Brazil)."
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