Trampling on the Oppressed in the Name of Religious Freedom and "Love"

LGBTQ Students at Biola University receive the following response from its President, Dr. Barry Corey regarding ten Biola professors who signed the Nashville Statement:

Dear Erin, Thank you for your email. Andr Stephens and I valued our time with you a few months ago processing issues of human sexuality and biblical honesty. You are a thoughtful person, and I appreciated that conversation. Regarding your letter to me, I am happy to respond as it relates to the Nashville Statement. As an academic institution, individuals within the community including faculty may hold various viewpoints on a variety of issues. We care deeply about living within a biblical framework where we can express opinions in the spirit of civility and diversity of thought.At the same time, we have common covenants that hold us together, and these include our biblical understanding of marriage and sexual ethics. Above all, we desire to treat all members of this community in the spirit of gentleness, grace and truth, respecting each others dignity as God's image-bearers while also honoring our commitment to biblical orthodoxy. As a learning community, I know that we must continue to work on living with our differences, responding to each other with humility and grace, and commit to a deeper devotion to these Christian virtues. I am trying to lead Biola in this spirit. Thank you again for your thoughtfulness, Erin. Sincerely,Barry H. CoreyPresidentBiola University

Dr. Coreys letter leaves the LGBTQ with many unanswered questions as well as exposes more problematic situations which are highlighted in the below response of Biolans Equal Ground Executive Director, Erin Green:

Dear Dr. Corey,

I greatly appreciate receiving a response from you. I too thoroughly enjoyed our conversation a few months ago. It clearly left me with certain impressions which I was delighted to relay back to the LGBTQ Christian community at Biola.

Although I am grateful for you taking the time to respond to my open letter, I, and the others in my community are still left with some confusion. First, I think it should be noted that the content of the letter sent to you is not hinged only by my personal sentiments, but by the sentiments of many at Biola. That was why the letter to you was created.

Second, your response to the Nashville Statement is one in which you protect the freedom of thought and expression which privilege the Biola professors who signed the statement.

I want to point out a glaring issue with this; I have contacted several professors at Biola who do not agree with the Nashville Statements claims. I have tried to find out ways for them to vocalize their thoughts regarding this. The difficulty is that they all expressed fear of the loss of their employment at Biola. Its a shame that a handful of professors should receive special protection for such a destructive statement over and above the very community subjected to it.

This isnt a questions about biblical marriage, nor is it one about sexual ethics. This is a question about Biola professors in a position of privilege usurping power over God to determine and proclaim which kinds of people are eligible to be Christian. In this case, the Nashville Statement is clear that identifying as gay and Christian or transgender and Christian is not an option.

If, as you remark, your faculty may hold various viewpoints on a variety of issues and where living within a biblical framework where we can express opinions in the spirit of civility and diversity of thought, actually exists, then there should be a platform for those who stand in solidarity with LGBTQ Christians; acknowledging their self-conception.

At the very least, Biola should be able to disavow these portions of the Nashville Statement which belittle and undermine LGBTQ Christian membership within the kingdom of Christ. Your response conspicuously avoids these harmful specifics within the Nashville Statements claims. The eradication of the LGBTQ Christian coupled with the fact those two identities can and do dwell together starkly contrasts Biola policy. In this way, the ten professors commit a form of erasure and cancellation of the LGBTQ Christian community residing at Biola. They may have the right to do so personally, but they do not according to your own policies.

Additionally the affirmation of having Sustinere as an LGBTQ Christian entity housed at Biola contradicts the Nashville Statement itself, yet you did not address that in your response.

As a gay Christian and former student of Biola, I can attest that the professors who signed the Nashville Statement causes nothing but shame and ostracizes my community. Most straight people won't understand this, but I share it with you so that you might perhaps hear the voices of the oppressed in the Biola community. We feel suffocated and your unwillingness to address these specifics only makes it worse. You have the power to stand with us as marginalized people. We ask that you would do so. We also ask that you acknowledge the obvious stifling of freedom of speech and expression among your faculty and staff who do not agree with all claims made in the Nashville Statement.

Blessings,

Erin Green

Executive Director: Biolans Equal Ground

The Bible is fraught with the theme of protection for the marginalized and oppressed spanning throughout the Hebrew Bible and the New Testament. We and others who stand with us will continue to uphold this command in love.