An interesting situation is developing at Wheaton College in Illinois.  A professor there, Larycia Alaine Hawkins, an associate professor of political science, has been placed on administrative leave and may face dismissal over comments she has made and actions she has taken in relation to Islam and Christianity.  The full facts are not out yet, but here is what has been reported:

“I stand in religious solidarity with Muslims because they, like me, a Christian, are people of the book,” she wrote on Facebook, in part, on Dec. 10. “And as Pope Francis stated last week, we worship the same God.” (New York Times, January 6, 2016).

In addition, she has apparently appeared in a Muslim head-covering, which she said was in solidarity with Palestinian Muslims.  The college says the actual wearing of the hijab was not the reason for the disciplinary action, but rather her statements about religion quoted above.  The college issued a statement which reads in part:

“Some recent faculty statements have generated confusion about complex theological matters, and could be interpreted as failing to reflect the distinctively Christian theological identity of Wheaton College.” (New York Times, December 16, 2015).

So let’s assume that Wheaton College is actually concerned that Ms. Hawkins has deviated from the doctrinal standards of the college.  On the other side, some have argued that Ms. Hawkins’ rights of free speech and academic freedom are being violated.  I will address this issue assuming the facts as stated thus far.  First, I do find it more than a little ironic that some on the Left have complained that Ms. Hawkins’ free speech rights were being violated when at many college campuses across the United States the same Left-leaning people want to stifle speech they don’t agree with.  Oh well.  At any rate, the free speech issue is not relevant here, as Wheaton is a private college.

As for the theological issues, this is the nub of the problem.  Do private Christian colleges and universities have the right to enact doctrinal standards, require adherence to them and potentially terminate employees who deviate from those standards?  My answer is unequivocally yes, both legally and ethically.  Legally, of course they have the right to do that.  Ethically, many will say that a college ought to allow faculty some leeway on doctrinal standards.  But most colleges already do allow slight deviations on non-core issues.  Moreover, even if they didn’t I argue that a private Christian college should always have that right to treat its doctrinal standards as it wishes—that is, as clearly written and interpreted, with a process for addressing perceived problems.  By that way, I do not advocate firings upon hearsay evidence or no evidence at all, but rather a fair process.  But if, at the end of that process, the individual has clearly and unrepentantly violated the theological standards of the college, then it has both a legal and ethical right, but, I argue, a duty to terminate the person.  Why?  There are at least two reasons.  First, if that blatant violation is allowed to continue, it tends to taint the teaching of students and tends to lead to perverse influences on the campus over time.  I have seen this insidious process at work.  Second, if allowed to continue, it may well send a message to those involved in hiring that these views are acceptable.  The hiring process then is affected negatively over the course of time.  After some period of time, say 10, 20, 30, 40 or more years the college finds it has drifted as a whole theologically from its positions.  The evidence here is overwhelming (see studies by Burtchaell and Marsden, among others).

Now this does not mean a college must maintain every detail of its doctrinal standards forever.  But that is a decision for the Board of Trustees, (and I would argue even there it ought to be taken with substantial unanimity) not any single person.  Moreover, any such changes ought always to be in conformity with the Scriptures as the primary standard.  But within those parameters, it is not a good idea for Christian colleges to be opening up their theological standards for pretty much anything that is new and “innovative.”

Let’s get back to Ms. Hawkins.  I do have significant problems with what she said.  It is especially disturbing that she said that Christians and Muslims worship the same god.  This is simply not the case, as any scholar of Islam and Christianity would know and is not difficult to determine by a reading of the Quran.  If one begins with such a mistaken statement, many other theological issues flow from it and are also distorted.  I should note that the college has said it has spoken to Ms. Hawkins on at least four occasions to try to resolve the problem, but could get no resolution.  That is trying pretty hard I would say.  But it cannot capitulate on that fundamental issue of God Himself.  He is the God of the Holy Scriptures, not the same God as that of Islam.  Ms. Hawkins must affirm that truth or she goes wrong at many other places.

I am more than sure that some readers will criticize my position as primitive and stupid, certainly not in line with modern enlightened thought.  But in a certain important sense, I am not a “Modern” but a “Pre-Modern” who rests his theological views on such a foundation as Scripture, not man’s attempts at autonomous reason.  I do not apologize for that, for I am convinced it is the only ultimately right way to think.

Wheaton College is no bastion of conservative Evangelicalism, but I do applaud their current stance. I hope they stick to their resolve and do not give in.  I also hold out some (but unfortunately not much) hope that Ms. Hawkins can be convinced that she was wrong.  Christian colleges should keep an eye on this situation.