In the past month or so, I've had time to think over all that has happened, before and after this announcement. I've had to navigate through hurt, anger, and sadness. I've felt lost and alone. I've had moments in which I've just wanted to shout out to the world how upset I was, in a not-so-Christian way. Through it all, I always held fast to my faith in Jesus. Romans 8:28 (NIV) says, "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to His purpose".
It may sound cliched, but I've found that Christ works through all things. No matter how terrible a situation is, there are always reasons for why He puts you in a place. I don't regret being at any place that God has placed me. That being said, these are the reasons why I quit attending bible college.
Sin Isn't Sin; It's Just Your Interpretation
When I first began studying at my former University, I was fresh out of high school. I was more than ready to learn all I could at college, especially about the Bible. So naturally, when one of my professors started teaching about Scripture in relation to gender, equality, feminism, and justice, I was completely sold. I started believing that many "progressive" secular beliefs aligned with Scripture.
My interpretation of the Bible became one that wasn't molded around what God wanted me to hear from His Word- it became me yearning to search for information in the Bible that would confirm my beliefs. I looked for verses for the sole purpose to prove that homosexuality wasn't a sin. To me, the Bible was another book to be read from a feminist lens. I dug into convoluted interpretations of Scripture. I adopted an "open and affirming" theology.
I was pleasantly surprised at all the positive feedback I received from those around me. I was prideful to be labeled as such a "good Christian". I was making people feel loved, accepted, and proud of who they were.
Diverging Theologies
As I advanced in my degree, I stayed happy as ever. I was sitting in another class (with the same professor I spoke about before), one that focused on the Old Testament. While this was a class that was meant to explore perspectives and review the teachings of the OT, I began noticing a troubling pattern.
My professor only taught one view of Scripture and pushed back against any perspective that was contrary to their beliefs. The book of Ruth was a Hebrew folk tale; Mahlon and Chilion's names were too perfectly fitting to not be a result of a literary work. The Exodus was a metaphor for escaping and resisting oppressive regimes. It went on and on.
At first, it started with assignments to rewrite stories in the Bible to fit our "current cultural context". I didn't think much of it since I loved to have another excuse to write (I know, I'm basically a textbook Education major). However, after hearing more of these teachings, something inside of me switched.
This isn't right. I thought to myself. This isn't what the Bible is about at all.
I struggled through this cognitive dissonance for a decent amount of time. What would happen if my friends found out I wasn't completely affirming anymore? How on Earth could I balance the truth of God's Word with love? Is it even possible to maintain a balance between the two? I re-examined my beliefs against Scripture. After a long amount of deliberation, I ended up dropping the class in question.
Saying Goodbye
That was just one of many encounters I had confronting progressive Christianity on my former campus. There were many more experiences that increased my desire to transfer to another school. I found that attending a small college wasn't my style. I realized that the University I thought I was attending barely associated with the ideologies it was founded upon. I wanted an education that would enable me to thrive as an educator. I left.
At the time, I knew there was the possibility of trouble on the horizon at my old University. I'd be lying if I said that didn't contribute to my desire to leave. I had known about the spiritual trouble at my school far before I heard about the academic/monetary trouble. While it may sound antiquated for me to say, I do think that it is natural for confusion over spiritual values and beliefs to bleed into other (more secular) areas, if not confronted.
There Needs To Be a Balance
The balance between truth and love is one of the biggest issues I see on the horizon for Christians. Our generation of Christ-followers will need to confront it- head-on. We cannot become engulfed by hatred for sinners, yet we cannot conform to the world and its standards for sin.
While I was preparing to lead a devotional group for my church's youth group today, I came across a verse that really struck me.
"Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of Him who is the head, that is, Christ." - Ephesians 4:15 (NIV)
We cannot stand silent when we hear the Word of God being twisted to fit our own selfish wants. Are we to continue encouraging our brothers and sisters in Christ to support theologies that go against what the Scripture itself says? Are we to let the Word of God fall to the wayside?
As for me, the answer to both of those questions are "NO!".
Love,
Jennifer xo
