Gay at Messiah: Part One
LGBT students discuss their views on college policy
Timothy Mackie
Issue date: 11/6/08 Section: News
Holland said he feels that the current practice accomplishes the purpose of promoting civil dialogue with as many students as possible without pigeonholing the school as conservative or liberal. Although he personally disagrees with the wording of the Community Covenant, he said that changing the policy would only serve to ideologically polarize the community. Holland prefers to confront the issue through personal interaction rather than policy. As a student of theology who has spent many years researching and personally contemplating homosexuality, Holland urges any student struggling with the issue personally or philosophically to contact him. "This issue is rarely resolved alone and in the dark" he said.
Unlike Holland, Paul, who recently came out as bisexual, believes that the college needs to change its policy before students can make meaningful decisions about sexuality. He said that so long as the official language invalidates a non-heterosexual lifestyle, no real progress can occur. Paul named views on homosexuality as "one of the few limits we have on intellectual freedom" stating that faculty who disagree with the school's stance feel pressured into silence.
Paul has labored ceaselessly for several months in trying to rally support for his cause. Although he found widespread solidarity among the student body, the faculty, and the administration, he discovered that the ultimate decision would rest with the college's Board of Trustees. Paul described the Board of Trustees as "invisible" since its members are impossible for ordinary students to contact and the only information on them openly available through the Messiah College website is their names.
Paul outlined a strategy for promoting dialogue with the trustees about the policy on homosexuality. He gave the document to President Phipps, asking her to pass it along to the trustees at their next joint meeting. After not hearing anything after the first attempt, he submitted the document again through the President. After this second attempt, he received a brief letter from Eunice F. Steinbrecher, Chair of the Board of Trustees. The letter commended him for "following the proper channels" but informed him that "[the Trustees] do not have plans to change or modify our policies." The letter did not mention homosexuality.
Unlike Holland, Paul, who recently came out as bisexual, believes that the college needs to change its policy before students can make meaningful decisions about sexuality. He said that so long as the official language invalidates a non-heterosexual lifestyle, no real progress can occur. Paul named views on homosexuality as "one of the few limits we have on intellectual freedom" stating that faculty who disagree with the school's stance feel pressured into silence.
Paul has labored ceaselessly for several months in trying to rally support for his cause. Although he found widespread solidarity among the student body, the faculty, and the administration, he discovered that the ultimate decision would rest with the college's Board of Trustees. Paul described the Board of Trustees as "invisible" since its members are impossible for ordinary students to contact and the only information on them openly available through the Messiah College website is their names.
Paul outlined a strategy for promoting dialogue with the trustees about the policy on homosexuality. He gave the document to President Phipps, asking her to pass it along to the trustees at their next joint meeting. After not hearing anything after the first attempt, he submitted the document again through the President. After this second attempt, he received a brief letter from Eunice F. Steinbrecher, Chair of the Board of Trustees. The letter commended him for "following the proper channels" but informed him that "[the Trustees] do not have plans to change or modify our policies." The letter did not mention homosexuality.
Viewing Comments 1 - 10 of 18
Khara H.
Khara H.
posted 11/06/08 @ 11:40 PM EST
This was a really interesting read, Tim. I'm glad you shared this story, to give the whole community a chance to see what's going on here and grapple with the issue of homosexuality on Messiah's campus. (Continued…)
Gavin Paul
Gavin Paul
posted 11/11/08 @ 3:08 AM EST
Why has this article been taken off of the front page, and been all but removed from the website? Is this censorship?
I feel like my voice is being taken away. (Continued…)
Brian Behm
posted 11/11/08 @ 1:47 PM EST
Of course they're censoring it.
Messiah always has done everything it can to bury this issue.
Thank you for shoving it into the spotlight, even if only for a minute. (Continued…)
Elizabeth Gager
posted 11/11/08 @ 2:08 PM EST
I loved this article whole-heartedly. Thank you, Tim for writing it..even if it got pushed to the side soon after. I think it did its job of bringing the issue into the light. (Continued…)
Michelle
posted 11/14/08 @ 7:22 PM EST
What is your Biblical basis for "allowing" homosexuality on campus? I've always been taught that as Christians, we are to not even have a "hint of sexual immorality"; homosexuality has been named many times in this category throughtout the Bible. (Continued…)
Khara
posted 11/14/08 @ 10:44 PM EST
Michelle, I won't say here the full extent of my views on homosexuality, because even in my own mind they are so complex I can't put them fully into words. (Continued…)
Ashley
posted 11/21/08 @ 4:22 PM EST
I found many things in this article to be very troublesome and frustrating. I agree that as followers of Christ we are called to love everyone, regardless of who they are or what they do. (Continued…)
Brian Behm
posted 11/25/08 @ 7:28 PM EST
Ashley,
I tried to post a more in-depth response but somehow it didn't post, or was deleted by the administrator. Anyway, I just wanted to try posting an important link again that you might find interesting. (Continued…)
Rev. John R. Kalis
posted 11/25/08 @ 9:05 PM EST
It is ironic that this whole dialogue is really targeted against the 'absolute' values of Christianity as found first in the character of God (He is pure and holy) and thereby reflected secondly in His Word, the Holy Bible. (Continued…)
James
posted 12/04/08 @ 10:16 AM EST
We talk about diversity for our classrooms, our student population and chapel services until we are blue in the face. I suggest that we ask for diversity in ourleadership. (Continued…)
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