Our previous posts about the Cornerstone University debacle have refrained from addressing the person and motives of President Gerson Moreno-Riaño (GMR). We have focused instead on actual events—GMR’s actions and the results of his policies. This has also been the practice of my friends VoiceofCU, Pastor Randy Powell, and Pastor Noah Filipiak. We have endeavored to speak truth in love as those who will give an account to the Lord Jesus.
Despite all this we are being accused of conducting a smear campaign in a recent Youtube video interview that features GMR’s views on handling adversity in leadership. This eye-opening video purports to advise others. In reality the video reveals why GMR’s leadership at CU has been so toxic.
The interview provides information that enables us to speak directly to GMR’s self-understanding and how it has led to the tumultuous events that have hurt so many CU personnel—administrators, faculty, staff, and students alike. GMR speaks of himself as a courageous and fearless leader, just like Joshua (Joshua 1:9). There is a vicious smear campaign against him, yet he responds to his enemies like King David did in the Psalms, by praying for protection. He even goes so far as to compare himself to Jesus, who was silent before his accusers during his passion. Really?
Is all this is true—if GMR is suffering in silence while under attack by enemies of God, just like Joshua, David, and Jesus—then Cornerstone University must have been a really rotten place when he arrived in July 2021.
Or is all this DARVO—Denying, Accusing, and Reversing Victim and Offender? DARVO is an acronym used by mental health professionals to describe narcisssistic, manipulative behavior that turns reality on its head by creating a false narrative that portrays the abused as abusers, victims as offenders. GMR is attempting to gaslight the entire community of CU stakeholders. For those on campus, it’s been “workplace gaslighting.” For those who’ve raised questions or signed a letter of no-confidence, it’s been “whistle-blower gaslighting.”
So far, GMR’s DARVO has been perpetrated with the full support of the CU Board of Trustees. But you have a voice that could help change that.
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If you are a Cornerstone University Stakeholder, concerned about the direction of your school, take a moment and read this letter which will be sent to the Cornerstone University Trustees later this month. If you agree with its contents, join me and many other CU stakeholders in signing this letter. Let your voice be heard!
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A Godly Leader Under Attack? You be the judge.
I hope you watch the above video. You’ll find a lot that sounds good initially. What could be wrong with two two seasoned Christian leaders talking shop and trying to help young aspiring leaders? They quote the Bible and talk about Christian worldview and a number of other important topics. What’s the problem?
The problem is that the conversation is divorced from reality. It presents a false narrative of what has really happened at CU since July 2021. Take a close look at the following points by scrolling directly to [minute:second] in the video. My addded comments are in italics.
- At an evangelistic meeting when he was in college, God gave GMR Joshua 1:9. He must be strong and courageous, like Joshua of old, in fulfilling his vision for CU. [1.00; 17:10] If we grant Joshua-like prophetic status to GMR, he is justified in firing everyone who doesn’t immediately fall in line with his vision. Joshua 1:21 tells Joshua to execute anyone who disobeys him! Joshua had marching orders directly revealed to him by God. GMR may think he has such orders, but he doesn’t.
- CU’s dross must be refined. Weak people who don’t belong must be removed. This is God’s will for CU. [1:30] In the Bible, the process of smelting metal to purify it by removing dross is typically a metaphor for the judgment of evil and removal of sinners. Look it up. To speak of the numerous faithful Christians who have been pushed out of CU as dross is personally offensive and professionally slanderous.
- GMR portrays CU as an old school, implying that it was drifting theologically and spiritually before he arrived. [1:45; 15:20] CU was in fact regularly pursuing new initiatives and programs before GMR’s arrival. This language smears the leadership of President Joe Stowell at CU from 2008 to 2021.
- GMR’s vision for CU is God’s plan. Based on Bill Gates’ vision of a PC in every household, GMR envisions a CU grad in every household. [3:50] CU is not Microsoft. A midwestern Christian university is not comparable to an international mega-business like Microsoft. The mission of Christian higher education isn’t a matter of grandiose visions of cornering the market.
- GMR makes much of the Cornerstone Worldview Statement and Confession that “we’ve created.” [7:00] Actually, these documents were crafted during Dr. Stowell’s administration before GMR arrived. CU also has a Beautiful Christian Community statement that GMR has consistently violated. This statement includes a biblically-based approach to diversity, equity, and inclusion. One wonders how mistreating people in violation of the second great commandment (Leviticus 19:18/Matthew 22:36-40) can be squared with anything remotely resembling a Christian worldview. What does a Christian worldview have to do with GMR’s polarizing the CU campus community over political/social/cultural issues?
- GMR identifies with Jesus’s silence on the cross. When GMR suffered, he wanted to defend himself. Yet he chose to be silent like Jesus. [11:40] This is the most outrageous point of the entire interview. When perpetrator of so much institutional turmoil and suffering shamelessly compares himself to the sinless Son of God who silently endured the blasphemous taunts of the crowd, it can only be described as blasphemy.
- GMR links his supposed suffering to King David’s struggles. He speaks vaguely of opponents who were planning to do unkind things to him at a board meeting early in his tenure. In fear he turned to Scripture and found a Psalm (59?) where David prayed for protection from his enemies. [20:15] David was God’s prophetically-anointed King of Israel. David’s enemies directly opposed God’s anointed king, and David dealt with them violently. GMR has no such prophetic anointing or regal status. Opposing his ideas through proper channels is not a personal attack that deserves presidential reprisal.
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CU alum Pastor Randy Powell has passionately and keenly analyzed this video conversation. I hope you will take the time to view his response here.
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Will the CU Board allow this to continue?
This recent leadership video gives us new insight into the root cause of the turbulent course of Cornerstone University over the last three years. GMR believes he has received a vision from God for CU. Like Joshua of old, he must courageously defend this good path against evil. In his mind, those who do not immediately fall in line are not loyal dissenters who need to be persuaded but enemies who must be purged. The 150 administrators, faculty and staff who are no longer employed by CU since July 2021 are dross—weaknesses and impurities who must be purged in order to refine the school.
GMR views those who have followed proper channels to express honest concern about his leadership as personal enemies who do unkind things to him. Like King David, GMR prayed for protection from these enemies. To top it all off, GMR compares himself to Jesus, who remained silent against his accusers when he was tried and crucified. It is astounding that the person who has abused his administrative power to purge so many faithful CU personnel views himself as passively enduring persecution just like Jesus did.
GMR’s ruthless treatment of faithful Christian profesionals at CU is necessary to fulfill his “CU grad in every household” vision for the school. At first blush, this vision may sound good to you. After all, isn’t God able to do more than we could ever ask or even think? Of course he is, but this is a question of wisdom and values, not divine omnipotence. GMR’s grandiose vision requires a quantity over quality approach that turns CU’s historic educational values upside down. CU has already started down this delusional path by firing its humanities professors and substituting quickie online classes for quality mentored classroom experiences. Striving for an unachievable goal with sub-standard methodology is madness.
Many CU stakeholders think the CU board hired GMR because he promised to grow the school while aligning it more consistently with social-political conservatism. Even if you personally resonate with a larger, shallower, more right-wing CU, can you stomach the measures that have been taken to achieve these goals? I hear cynical folks describe situations like this with the saying “you’ve got to break a few eggs to make an omelet.” But we’re talking about hundreds of broken hearts, not a few egg yolks. How we treat those who bear the image of God shows what we think about the One who created them.
As a CU stakeholder you can speak against the toxic leadership and delusional educational strategy currently in vogue at CU. Please read the pastoral letter to the CU Board soon. If you agree with it, sign on right away. Tell the CU board you don’t support their suppport of GMR!
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If you are wise and understand God’s ways, prove it by living an honorable life, doing good works with the humility that comes from wisdom.
But if you are bitterly jealous and there is selfish ambition in your heart, don’t cover up the truth with boasting and lying. For jealousy and selfishness are not God’s kind of wisdom. Such things are earthly, unspiritual, and demonic. For wherever there is jealousy and selfish ambition, there you will find disorder and evil of every kind.
But the wisdom from above is first of all pure. It is also peace loving, gentle at all times, and willing to yield to others. It is full of mercy and the fruit of good deeds. It shows no favoritism and is always sincere. And those who are peacemakers will plant seeds of peace and reap a harvest of righteousness. (James 3:13-18 NLT)
Isnt it interesting that the leaders of so many of our institutions are led by persons who take the DARVO approach. It must be something in the the psyche of the people who appoint these people.
I don’t intend to extrapolate from CU to other institutions, but there are a lot of DARVO discussions out there. Your second comment is quite thought-provoking. I hate to think that the CU board appointed one of their own, so to speak, but who knows? I’m reminded of Jeremiah 5:30-31.
David – what exactly is the problem with the Board?
I suggest that long before GMR arrived, the Board’s basic problem has been: (a) lack of expertise about Christian liberal arts. I’d be surprised if many (any?) of them have read any of the vast literature produced in the last forty years about Christian higher education); (b) lack of pastoral, missiological, or theological understanding (many have little theological or pastoral background); (c) lack of interest in the institution. In regard to (c) it was clear that under Stowell (and probably long before) they were happy to let the President tell them what to do (it’s just that Stowell as a more decent guy than GMR, albeit imperfect and with his own inevitable blindspots). They let Rex Rogers kill tenure only to then rescind their decision when they realized he’d not told them the truth (now they’ve let GMR kill tenure again, albeit in a more radical way).
Moreover, as Rick Ostrander’s recent book suggests, the Board have always been looking for a quick fix to get more student numbers and achieve something big, without really understanding what it is they want or how to get there, and without really having the expertise or time to devote to overseeing any such growth. They are tempted by people offering them quick fixes. GMR, with his theology of glory borrowed from the chimeras of right-wing politics and corporate vacuity, played right into their hands. He is their man, and they cannot hold him accountable without having to hold themselves accountable too. I pray that they will. I don’t believe that all of them would tolerate GMR if he was the head of the institutions (churches, businesses) that they are invested in, and I hope one or two have the courage stand up publicly and say so.
Sadly, you’re right about the board. I’ve made similar points in previous posts. And you know your CU history.
I used to think that the board made a quick, regrettable decision when they hired GMR. Lately I’m reluctantly coming to think that most of the board members got exactly what they wanted. GMR reflects their personal values and goals, so they have no qualms about his methods, firings, and whoppers. The question is whether there is a remnant of board members that still have a soul, and the courage to call this out. We shall see.
I appreciate your willingness to speak truth to power with grace.
Sadly, while watching the video interview it felt like I was tuned in to the PTL Network – theological positions and experiential Christianity expressed in woolly words. A privatized form of Christianity (just me and Jesus) set forth as noble. The interviewee emerging as the hero while the interviewer affirms that indeed he is. All of it seasoned with a dash of unctuousness.
It’s a question of hermeneutics. It’s like Back to the Future.
GMR time travels in and out of the Bible, imagining himself to be Joshua, David, and even Jesus, with no regard to the context. God gave those three true heroes their missions. God knows where GMR got his mission, but in his mind the end justifies his means.
Another balanced article based on synthesis and summary of the facts! You exemplify both passion and compassion in this treatise.
I pray that all of the efforts you and others have exerted to bring the truth to CU Stakeholders who have added their names to the letters to the board of this school will result in their repentance. It is clear what they need to do. They desperately need the courage to do it. May the Lord have mercy upon my Alma Mater and its board and preserve and restore it!
My takeaway from your post: “If you don’t go down with our sinking liberal arts ship, you must have mental problems.”
Thanks for the comment. Yet I have to say it is not a takeaway from the post but something you brought to the post.
This is not a binary choice—either go down with the sinking ship or throw the crew and cargo overboard. The CU ship was sailing successfully through troubled seas despite the headwinds. Public financial statements show regular six-figure budget surpluses. There is no financial exigency.
Even if there were financial exigencies, they would not justify the egregious violation of biblical ethics in the way people have been fired. There are just and compassionate ways of downsizing if it is necessary.
GMR’s vision remakes CU into a quickie degree factory, stamping out online students like mass-produced gadgets, cleverly marketed so that every household will buy one. The false narratives of financial exigency, mission drift, and smear campaigns against the president are all distractions that attempt to camouflage what is really happening on the campus.
Rethink what you said.