Posted on 05/08/2014 8:05:47 AM PDT by SeekAndFind
Students and faculty are reportedly clashing with the administration at an evangelical college in Tennessee after it recently changed its statement of faith regarding the creation of man, and Adam and Eve.
The Board of Trustees and President Stephen Livesay of Bryan College in Dayton, Tenn., have been receiving some criticism from students and faculty who argue the school's modified statement of faith is too narrow. The college has strong evangelical roots, as it is named after William Jennings Bryan, the politician who opposed the teaching of evolution in the famous 1925 Scopes Trial.
Back in February, the school's Board of Trustees agreed with Livesay to amend the school's statement of faith. The original statement read, in part: […] "that the origin of man was by fiat of God in the act of creation as related in the Book of Genesis; that he was created in the image of God; that he sinned and thereby incurred physical and spiritual death[.]"
The statement was then changed in February to read: "We believe that all humanity is descended from Adam and Eve. They are historical persons created by God in a special formative act, and not from previously existing life forms."
Since the statement of faith was amended, students have circulated petitions calling out the school president and the Board of Trustees, and earlier this year the majority of faculty voted "no confidence" in President Livesay's leadership.
According to the Chattanooga Times Free Press, students are primarily upset because the school will be losing 9 of its 44 staff members next year. Although they are leaving for multiple reasons, the local paper reports that many of the departures are related the changed statement of faith and Livesay's handling of the growing unrest.
The statement of faith is renewed every year and teachers are required to sign the statement to continue working at the school. Recently, two long-term professors at Bryan refused the sign the statement, and therefore their contracts were not renewed.
The Chattanooga Times Free Press also reports that students are dissatisfied with Livesay's handling of the situation. Although students have signed multiple petitions and sent multiple letters to the Board of Trustees regarding the statement of faith and the waning faculty, Livesay told the newspaper at a fundraising event in April that the issue had been blown out of proportion by the media, and that most faculty and students were pleased with the school.
"The reality is we are solid," Livesay reportedly said. Student Body Vice President Allison Baker then told the newspaper that "there seems to be an emotional disconnect with what we're seeing and how Dr. Livesay perceives things."
Kevin Clauson, vice chair of the Bryan faculty, told Inside Higher Ed that he found it "sad" some faculty members were leaving the college, adding "but the other side of the coin is that if Bryan is going to maintain itself as an evangelical Christian college, it has to make sure that it's doctrine is firm – that there's no slippage of doctrine."
Tolerant liberalism at work again. They would have been applauded if they’d said “Adam and Steve” instead.
Born again believers are forever at odds with the world system. High-minded types snicker at the historicity of Adam and Eve, Job, Jonah, et. al. Problem is that the NT Scriptures refer to them as real persons. If Adam and Eve were a “myth”, what exactly did Jesus go to the Cross for?
In so many cases, “education” is just as Ambrose Bierce defined it: “Dust shaken out of a book into an empty skull”
2 of my bros. graduated from this solid Christian college. Now Bryan is fighting for theological survival, much like the Southern Baptists in the 1980’s. Imagine a Christian college founded on the Bible and the legacy of William Jennings Bryan believing in a literal Adam and Eve and a young earth as the Bible clearly states.
I think most biologists would affirm an Adam and Eve. Whether they even had names is dependent on Biblical belief but there were undoubtedly a first man and woman. More liberal antiscience
The original statement read, in part: […] "that the origin of man was by fiat of God in the act of creation as related in the Book of Genesis; that he was created in the image of God; that he sinned and thereby incurred physical and spiritual death[.]" The statement was then changed in February to read: "We believe that all humanity is descended from Adam and Eve. They are historical persons created by God in a special formative act, and not from previously existing life forms."
Since the statement of faith was amended, students have circulated petitions calling out the school president and the Board of Trustees, and earlier this year the majority of faculty voted "no confidence" in President Livesay's leadership.
PFL
Have any of these fossils been found? Well er no, but, but...I don;t have time to discuss PROVEN SCIENCE(!!!!) with an ignorant Christian."
Thats generally how the conversation goes. I don't care how many degrees these evolution-touting "scientists" have. Stupid is as stupid does.
My daughter graduated from Bryan four years ago. From what she has told me, the situation on campus is more complicated than just a controversy over theology. If it were strictly theology, a majority would probably side with tightening the standards. However, the real issue is that the Trustees announced the change with no warning and close to the end of the school year so that professors who would be affected would not be able to find another job easily. Most in the faculty and student body protested due to the unfairness of how it was handled. The no confidence vote took place after the administration refused to revise the time table for implementing the changes.
It is a shame that such a good school had to go through such an upheaval. Not only did they lose more professors than they should have, they also alienated the student body and lost new enrollment due to the negative publicity.
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