Since my previous post on Cornerstone University, I’ve talked with some of the eight fired prof’s. Additional online conversations are emerging. I thought this update would be of interest to CU stakeholders.
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To catch up on a dozen or so previous posts on Christian higher education, including four on CU, go to Seminaries at the Crossroads.
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Voice of CU
Sadly, CU Associate Vice President of Spiritual Formation & Christian Community Kevin Hall has apparently broken off his conversation with Voiceofcu, but new information continues to be posted on this site.
The new info includes the text of the “loyalty oath” that was floated to the faculty in late 2023. After much resistance, it was withdrawn. This document called on faculty to reiterate commitments they had already made when they signed their contracts for 2023-2024, and it laid additional obligations on them, calling for commitment to the new “shared institutional mission” that faculty had had no part in framing. The document also called on faculty to commit to working with the administration “as they seek to accomplish organizational change at a fast pace in order to meet market demands and challenges.” This and additional language would have silenced any responsible dissent from the rapid changes President Moreno-Riaño is unilaterally imposing on the campus. So much for academic freedom. The party line rules. The market demands it. Really?
It’s also sobering to read two faculty resignation letters (here and here). One of the letters speaks of the administration’s quest to increase its power by promoting a singular political ideology and seeking financial gain at the expense of educational quality. Another letter said “I do not support the creation of an environment in which a single, ideologically driven mindset is the only one allowed to be discussed,” and went on to suggest that the administration go about earning the trust and support of the faculty instead of demanding it. Note that the single mindset spoken of above is not a biblical or theological stance, but a political one.
Just as this post drops, Voiceofcu has posted a stunning piece that compares conditions at CU to a discussion of how to identify and address spiritual abuse. Here’s the catch—the discussion is posted on the CU website! Here’s a quote:
Spiritual abuse occurs when authoritarianism rises to the surface as leaders act out of a position of power rather than humble influence.
Current
On July 27 John Fea responded to a same day op-ed on Fox news by CU President Gerson Moreno-Riaño on his vision for the future of higher education. The president protests the silencing of conservative students on liberal campuses. Ironically, under Moreno-Riaño’s “conservative” leadership at CU, liberal students have been silenced. Shouldn’t a Christian university be a place where fellow Christians of diverse political opinions respectfully discuss their views with one another under the Lordship of Jesus Christ?
Moreno-Riaño suggests that universities “must have a singular focus (emphasis added) on preparing students for meaningful jobs and careers.” This smacks of the sort of secular economic pragmatism advocated by Mike Rowe. No disrespect to Mike—he doesn’t purport to be operating from a Christian worldview. Moreno-Riaño goes on to say that “much of the humanities are characterized by a turn toward a contrarianism and deconstructionism that emphasize moral ambiguity and skepticism,” taking a shot at prof’s like the ones he just fired at CU. It is interesting that Moreno-Riaño reiterates the language of Pastor Rick Koole (CU board of trustees chair ) in his recent letter to CU alumni. Or is it the the other way around in the CU echo chamber?
The op-ed does speak of character formation as an important factor in education, but apparently one that does not approach the singular importance of employability. Pursuing an economically successful vocation is the new primary goal of an education at CU. Any talk of character formation rings hollow at CU since Moreno-Riaño fired nearly the whole humanities faculty, the people who are heavily engaged in character formation and worldview training.
On a very different note, in another recent Current post Cornerstone alumna Amy Houskamp Nemecek, senior editor at Baker Publishing Group, has composed a poetic video elegy for the University. Her moving “Lament for Cornerstone University” focuses on the university’s financially driven mission drift at the expense of a quality education in Christian worldview.
As John Fea noted, both of these posts make us ponder anew the words of Jesus, “You can’t serve God and money.” CU was not experiencing financial exigency over the last two years, yet it shed roughly a dozen faculty. Seven-week online classes facilitated by adjunct prof’s will no doubt be cheaper, but will such classes inculcate the sort of spiritual formation and worldview excellence Cornerstone claims to stand for? This mode of course delivery does not facilitate a community of peer learning that is characterized by robust critical thinking. It does facilitate offering cheaper courses to unsuspecting students who will get what they pay for. Cornerstone’s treasure is not in the humanities, so neither is its heart. To put it crassly, CU’s money is not where its mouth is.
The Flip Side with Noah Filipiak
Noah Filipiak is an alumnus of both Cornerstone University and Grand Rapids Theological Seminary. He is currently involved in urban ministry in Grand Rapids. Concern for his alma mater led him to contact me about conversing on his Flip Side Podcast. We talked for over two hours! Noah edited the conversation into two more manageable pieces. You can catch the podcast audio here and the youtube videos here. I hope you agree that our deep-dive is warranted.
Our conversation began with the state of Christian education in general and then focused on Cornerstone University and G̶r̶a̶n̶d̶ R̶a̶p̶i̶d̶s̶ T̶h̶e̶o̶l̶o̶g̶i̶c̶a̶l̶ S̶e̶m̶i̶n̶a̶r̶y̶ Cornerstone Theological Seminary. We even discussed politics, and we’re still friends. Amazing.
Speaking of politics, you may have noticed that we’ve got a high-stakes political drama playing out right now in the USA. Cornerstone is not a stranger to this drama for the last three years. President Moreno-Riaño seems to be attempting to clone Hillsdale College on the corner of East Leonard Street and the East Beltline NE. No disrespect to Hillsdale, but their identity is not the historical identity and mission of CU. Over the last two decades, CU faculty and staff were welcoming a more diverse student body as a result of the Professional and Graduate Studies adult education initiative and the Urban Cohort Program at the seminary. The campus was looking more like the innumerable throng gathered from every nation, tribe, and tongue, worshiping the Lamb around the throne of God (Rev 5:1-14). One blessing of that diversity was greater realization of the relativity of human politics and greater appreciation for the beauty of the Kingdom of God. Making a narrow political stance the hallmark of a Christian university borders on idolatry.
Many anecdotal reports say that political discussions often lead to shouting matches. It may be that way in the world but it shouldn’t be that way among Christians. Maybe Noah and I hit on some ideas that will help all of us get away from the verbal fisticuffs mode of political discourse and into the seek first the Kingdom of God mode.
Jesus didn’t identify with the Herodians, who favored the political status quo (Matt 22:15-22). Among his twelve disciples was Simon the Zealot (Matt 10:4), who may have favored burning it all down. What would Jesus say about Christians shouting at each other and hating each other due to politics? We should talk politics with our fellow Christians as if we were doing so right before partaking the Lord’s Supper while sitting next them.
What’s Next?
I need to warn readers of this website not to be confused and misled by talk of contrarianism and deconstruction. A contrarian is a person who always takes a view that is contrary to a generally accepted view simply to be contrary. Teaching students to think critically sometimes involves taking a contrary view for the sake of argument, not just because it’s contrary to the party line. Deconstruction is a postmodern literary theory that attempts to dismantle the meaning of texts. It’s based on the theory that (1) no written text—including religious texts like the Bible—has an ultimate meaning, and that (2) attempts to establish ultimate meanings always result in the oppression of those who do not accept those ultimate meanings. There were and there are no deconstructionist prof’s at CU.
At this point there’s no indication that CU will rethink its present direction. The campus culture of administrative intimidation shows no sign of moderating. CU’s narrowing political/ideological agenda will restrict its appeal to many prospective students and faculty members. Removal of tenure will further deter potential faculty, even those who may share Moreno-Riaño’s socio-political agenda. Of course, some prospective students and faculty will agree with this agenda, and CU could become a center for this sort of thinking.
All these factors combine to convince us that CU will likely soon bear little resemblance to the school whose historic identity and values have been embraced by its faculty, staff, alumni/ae, and stakeholders since 1941. The name on the sign will remain the same but the inside will be hollow.
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Always be joyful. Never stop praying. Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus. Do not stifle the Holy Spirit. Do not scoff at prophecies, but test everything that is said. Hold on to what is good. Stay away from every kind of evil.
(1 Thessalonians 5:16-22 NLT)
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