Calling Dr. Brock

Earlier today I was received a call from a close friend of mine who happens to be of the female persuasion, she is a fine upstanding member of her community, and has ** FIVE ** bachelor degrees not to mention two masters and a doctorate in microbiology. She is a atypical harvard graduate in that she is highly conservative and holds deeply rooted religious beliefs. She attends her local Baptist church regularly and for her that means about four trips a week. She teaches Sunday School, is the mother of four wonderful children all of whom attend the local Christian school.

When I sit back and think about her accomplishments, I cannot help but think that G-d has bestowed upon her a very large helping of blessings and abilities. She is one of the finest ladies I know. She has given very serious thought to moving to the upper midwest and would like to teach on the college level. Certainly she is more than qualified, and is, what I think most people would consider the quintessential definition of a moral and upstanding young lady (she is only 39). Yet, there is a problem.

One of the colleges she was considering applying to is Maranatha Baptist Bible College. When she was reviewing their website looking for information on any open positions and to whom she would need to forward her resume, she came across the following qualification:

• Faculty members must be fundamental Baptists by practice and conviction - Certainly meets this qualification
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• Individual life styles must be in conformity to Biblical teaching related to morality and virtue - No issue on this one either
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• The sanctity of the Christian home is guarded by never employing or retaining faculty or administrators who are or have ever been divorced - Here is the Problem!
.

She is divorced. Her husband left her and her children to fend for themselves and he initiated the divorce proceedings not her. She does not believe in divorce however her particular divorce was not of her own choosing, it was her husbands and with no fault divorce law she could not prevent the court from granting the divorce even if she had been so inclined.

I am saddened that a college of Maranantha's caliber which teaches forgiveness and that "sins" once forgiven are no more; can possibly conclude that she should be penalized for the rest ofher life for one singular mistake. It appears as though Maranantha believes that they are better than she is and that is something I truly detest.

Knowing that she would not be considered for a faculty position with them she gave up on the idea of actually presenting her credentials, she was hoping however, to gain an understanding why the college is so dogmatic on this particular issue. She sent a very polite and courteous email to Dr. John Brock, Vice President of Academic Affairs, for an explanation. Suprise suprise, no response. So she sent him a second email; again no response. She sent an email a third time and again after a week no response.

Dr. Brock will not even give her the courtesy of explaining the justification of the rule and on what biblical basis it was made.

It is this elitist attitude that makes my stomach churn. In absence of a response from Dr. Brock one can only make assumptions as to motives and I think everyone can agree that assumptions are generally incorrect, but as humans, we all make them.

Maranantha as a private college can set whatever standard they so desire for their faculty and students and I would never argue that they do not have that right - they do. I do believe that since they call themselves "Christians" and claim to to be forgiving and compassionate, they obligate themselves to at least explain their reasoning and allow someone to disagree as long as that disagreement is given politely and courteously.

Bob Jones University for many years prohibited their students from engaging in interracial dating; I disagreed completely with their standard, but I also acknowledged that as a private university where students attend by choice and with full knowledge ahead of time what the rules are, in regards to dating, they have the right to impose such a rule. in 2000, Dr. Bob Jones III, BJU Chancellor, acknowledged that the policy was not based upon any particular biblical principle and he was throwing the policy out. I applauded him for having the courage to take such action as it eliminated a contentious issue which took away from the universities excellent academic record.

So I call on Dr. Brock to step forward and explain the policy and what biblical basis it is supposedly based upon. If for no other purpose than to eliminate an issue which will take away from the Colleges excellent academic record.