Gay at Messiah: Part One
LGBT students discuss their views on college policy
Timothy Mackie
Issue date: 11/6/08 Section: News
Most Messiah College students have a fuzzy recollection of affixing their signature to an off-green slip of card stock in Hitchcock Arena during the summer-camp blur of Welcome Week. On this card was printed the Community Covenant, a document described by the Messiah College website as "provid[ing] a biblical framework and context for our community life." Those students who perused the text of the Covenant carefully might have noticed injunctions against "such sinful practices as drunkenness, stealing, dishonesty, profanity, occult practices, sexual intercourse outside of marriage, homosexual behavior, and sexually exploitative or abusive behavior."
In recent years, changing values of the student body have provoked some students to suggest rethinking some of the prohibitory policies espoused by the Community Covenant. The failed 2003 attempt by SGA to revise the alcohol policy to allow students to drink in moderation off-campus, provided they were of legal age, is one example. Currently, as the student body tends towards greater acceptance of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgendered (LGBT) people, some students wish to start dialogue aimed at reevaluating the college's prohibitory policy towards homosexuality.
Although united in the purpose of making Messiah College more supportive and inclusive of LGBT students, Gavin Paul and Rob Holland represent polar ends of the debate over how best to tackle this problem. Sitting down over veggie burgers, sandwiches, and fries in the Union Café, the two discussed their reasons for holding their respective views.
Paul, to put it simply, is an activist promoting change. A senior computer science major known for his energetic demeanor, characteristic dreads, and frequent appearances in coffeehouse with various vintage keyboards, Paul said he believes the current policy is hurting the community by demeaning students with non-heterosexual orientations. In contrast, Holland is a diplomat promoting compromise. Finishing his senior year as a theology major, Holland has also been involved in theater, including last year's Godspell, and is a regular member of the chapel worship team.
In recent years, changing values of the student body have provoked some students to suggest rethinking some of the prohibitory policies espoused by the Community Covenant. The failed 2003 attempt by SGA to revise the alcohol policy to allow students to drink in moderation off-campus, provided they were of legal age, is one example. Currently, as the student body tends towards greater acceptance of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgendered (LGBT) people, some students wish to start dialogue aimed at reevaluating the college's prohibitory policy towards homosexuality.
Although united in the purpose of making Messiah College more supportive and inclusive of LGBT students, Gavin Paul and Rob Holland represent polar ends of the debate over how best to tackle this problem. Sitting down over veggie burgers, sandwiches, and fries in the Union Café, the two discussed their reasons for holding their respective views.
Paul, to put it simply, is an activist promoting change. A senior computer science major known for his energetic demeanor, characteristic dreads, and frequent appearances in coffeehouse with various vintage keyboards, Paul said he believes the current policy is hurting the community by demeaning students with non-heterosexual orientations. In contrast, Holland is a diplomat promoting compromise. Finishing his senior year as a theology major, Holland has also been involved in theater, including last year's Godspell, and is a regular member of the chapel worship team.
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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