Championing Every Kind of Diversity—but Christian
January 26, 2016 By 21 Comments

Championing Every Kind of Diversity—but Christian

In light of recent regulatory actions, several Christian universities have applied for a government-established exemption from Title IX.  Most of the issues deal with gender identity, mission-fit hiring, and expectations regarding sexual behavior. Universities that apply for the exemption are being targeted by media and accused of doing everything allowable under the exemption.

According to the press, these universities are denying admission to pregnant mothers, expelling out-of-the closet students, and being homophobic to the Nth degree. I know a lot of Christian university presidents. This is neither the practice nor the desire of the ones I know.

So why are schools applying for the exemption?

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Filed Under: Current Events, Today's College Generation Tagged With: , , , , , , ,
10 Concerns About The Supreme Court’s Same Sex Marriage Ruling
July 9, 2015 By 55 Comments

10 Concerns About The Supreme Court’s Same Sex Marriage Ruling

**edited to add P.S. at the end of the post – 7/10/2015**

I’ve tried to listen, pray, and think about the impact of last month’s Supreme Court ruling that now allows for same sex marriage. It seems to be a coming-out celebration party for everyone who identifies as homosexual and for their friends.

Some have described it in the same vein as Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation. While I would not go that far, I do think many who have lived in the secrecy of public shame are emboldened that a public declaration makes them a little less sidelined and affords them a government-approved entrance ramp to marital bliss.

I’ve tried to imagine myself in their shoes. To be shamed for an orientation I did not choose, and to live with it secretly for fear of what others might think of me or do to me, would be a very heavy burden. So I do understand some of the “we-won” reaction.

However, the large majority of same-sex folk are not headed to the marriage altar. They just want their orientation “normalized.” And, like it or not in the church, this decision goes a long way in that direction.

To normalize brokenness is to consign us to save ourselves. #SCOTUSMarriage @drdanboone

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A decision that impacts something as foundational as the definition of marriage will take a while to create consequences. As I look ahead, I have concerns (and some predictions) about the impact of this decision.

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Is The Indiana Law About Discrimination?
March 31, 2015 By 23 Comments

Is The Indiana Law About Discrimination?

Before heading to Palm Sunday service this past Sunday, I was listening to George Stephanopoulos interview the Governor of Indiana on “This Week” on ABC. Their discussion was centered on the heated reaction to the Religious Freedom Restoration Act.  A pin-the-tail-on-the-governor game was underway. The goal of the game was to affix to the State of Indiana the culturally detestable label “DISCRIMINATION.” Of all the sins out there, this seems to be the unpardonable one.

So let’s look it up in the online dictionary.

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My Thoughts On The Recent Decisions at World Vision
April 2, 2014 By Leave a Comment

My Thoughts On The Recent Decisions at World Vision

My heart goes out to my friends at World Vision.

It’s been a week since they made a decision and then reversed themselves—probably due to an outcry of surprising volume. I agree with their reversal. And I commend the remarkable humility that accompanied their explanation. And I feel the pain that filled the boardroom. Those of us in large Christian institutions will all face this issue, sooner or later.

The news that Christians disagree over this issue is about as surprising as the statement that Washington, D.C. is broken. Nothing new here.  I have tried to address the issue in A Charitable Discourse: Talking About the Things That Divide Us.

My one addition to this discussion would be that public policy and Christian discipleship are two different things. In a democratic society, the voice of the people will eventually determine what is legal and what is not. It is apparent to me that gay marriage is on a very fast track to acceptance. The church has always taken stances calling the followers of Jesus to ethical expressions that run counter to accepted world standards. We’ve always been a bit odd. Which is why Jesus noted that the world will eventually hate his followers because they are not of the world. This is not our excuse for withdrawal but simply the recognition that we should not expect to be agreed with.

I wish we could recover a better understanding of human sexuality that would allow us to discuss an issue affecting about 3% of our neighbors with wisdom and grace. And for the other 97%, I wish we could recover the call to purity outside of marriage as an expression of faith in God. A great starting place would be a wonderful book by the Catholic author, Christopher West, Fill These Hearts.

World Vision is one of the great Christian organizations in our world today. I wish them well as they address human need while at the same time expressing a devotion to the story of Jesus that shapes us.

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