It’s business as usual at Cornerstone University. Fall has arrived. New students have come; old students have returned. People whizzing by campus on the East Beltline don’t notice anything different. They don’t know about the eight faculty members who were summoned to video conferences and summarily fired last summer, despite having signed contracts in their hands. They don’t know that this was only the most recent and egregious example of administrative malpractice that values pragmatic program makeovers more than people made in the image of God.
We’re told to pray for the school, and of course we should. But it’s time to do more than pray.
Cancelled by Cornerstone (and other news from the East Beltline)
I have well-meaning Christian friends from outside the Cornerstone orbit who advise me to get off this negative topic. I’m inclined to take their advice, but then I meet a Cornerstone person at a church event, or at the grocery store, or I get an email from an alumnus/a. It’s uncanny how they all say the same thing, “Keep on writing about the school, someone has to tell the sad story.” So here I go again.
Discover the Word: Prophecy, Prophets, and Jesus
What comes to mind when you hear the words “prophet” and “prophecy?” Often we think of someone who is a spiritual meteorologist who forecasts history and writes it down before it happens. But bottom line, prophets and prophetesses in the Bible delivered a message from God that many people weren’t very excited to hear. Jesus was Israel’s last prophet. How will we respond to his message?
A Stakeholder Analyzes the Closing of Clarks Summit University
This post features the detailed, candid analysis of Pastor Lee Kliewer (with his permission). CSU constituents who want to better understand what happened to their school will do well to read Kliewer’s discussion. It serves as a cautionary tale to higher education professionals, and to all who keep abreast of the current difficulties faced by evangelical institutions of higher education. “Wounds from a sincere friend are better than many kisses from an enemy.” (Prov 27:6 NLT)
Cornerstone Conversations Continue
This is not going away soon. Cornerstone conversations are continuing. They focus on the administration’s culture of intimidation, politically-oriented values, and market-driven strategy. As this continues, the new CU will soon bear little resemblance to the school whose historic identity and values have been embraced by faculty, staff, alumni/ae, and stakeholders since 1941.
Wendy Widder’s Daniel Commentaries
Daniel was written to encourage Israel during its exile in Babylon. That original message of encouragement still speaks powerfully to God’s pilgrim people today. Though they live in a different sort of exile, they still look forward to a city whose builder and maker is God (Heb 11:8-16). You will find no better guide to Daniel than Wendy Widder’s two volumes.