If you haven’t listened to Albert Mohler’s “The Briefing” podcast today, you need to. He covers two stories that need to be front-and-center for every person who cares about marriage and religious freedom. You can download the audio here or listen below.
The first one is about a chaplain who was recently ousted as a volunteer at a Kentucky Juvenile Detention facility. He had been mentoring young men in the facility for over a decade. But the state forced him out because he wouldn’t change his religious views on homosexuality. The letter that Kentucky sent to the chaplain (who is also a Baptist pastor) said this:
“Please be advised that your participation as one of our Religious Services volunteers must conclude. We sincerely appreciate your years of service and dedication to the youth served by this facility. However, due to your decision, based on your religious convictions, that you cannot comply with the requirements… regarding the treatment of LGBTQI youth, I must terminate your involvement as a religious volunteer serving the youth in this facility.”
The second one is about Union University’s recent withdrawal from the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities (CCCU). Again, the issue is same-sex marriage. The CCCU has so far permitted two member schools to recognize gay marriage as legitimate. A VP at Union, Bob Agee, comments:
“I was frankly heartbroken. The CCCU board has simply chosen not to deal with it, not to take a stand on a moral issue, and it weakens our position.”
Both of these stories are big, and you need to know about them. Mohler gives you the entire run-down and commentary.
5 Comments
Ian Shaw
This is exactly Douthat’s argument turned around here. PP claims that we must deal with the abortion side of things, to allow the “good” services to continue at PP. But in this case, all the “good” and years of service this gentleman has given to these teenagers is all for not.
On the one hand, society/culture (PP) makes the case that even if abortion isn’t a “moral” good, it should still be allowed to happen because of all the other things deemed “good” they offer to women.
On the other hand, you have the state saying that even though this pastor has done “good”, his viewpoint on a moral subject clashes with what society feels is “good”, you must therefore stop any and all of your work here.
So it works one way, but not the other? Fascinating….
Gus Nelson
I don’t want to be persecuted, nor do I wish to seek it. Moreover, I don’t enjoy reading the comments of so many out there who see these kind of developments as Christians getting their just desserts (their language is typically less becoming). Yet there is something exciting about seeing this happening, as it draws a clear line between real Christianity and the faux religiosity practiced by so many in the name of Christ. Being a Christian is starting to actually mean something beyond being relatively moral, and middle class or better.
buddyglass
Does the CCCU require its members to exclusively hire Christians? If not, then it seems like Union overreacted.
buddyglass
W.r.t. the chaplain, I wonder if he could in good conscience agree to abide by the rules and then recuse himself from counseling LBGTQ youths in order to avoid violating his beliefs.
Mary Gray Moser
In the 50’s when I was doing social work I was told that I needed to be willing to counsel for abortion. I told my supervisor that I would not do that. I was liked despite my departure from the bureau’s policy and so I was smiled at and told to just refer those needing abortions to a counselor who would facilitate abortion. I laughed and told her that I wouldn’t do that either and I often openly spoke against abortion to any staff member.. Still I wasn’t fired, but I was never assigned a case that could involve abortion. I have never changed my mind but I have wondered what, if any, good I did for anybody on staff.