Speaking of Samford…
Blues reader Lisa pointed out this article in the Alabama Baptist, covering the Soulforce Equality Riders’ visit to Samford University last week. The Riders had been harrassed and arrested at previous stops, but Samford administration and students welcomed them with respect and forums for dialogue.
The stop was part of Soulforce’s second nationwide Equality Ride, in which 50 of its members split up on two buses, one traveling on an east route and the other a west route, to visit more than 30 Christian colleges and universities in a two-month period.
At Samford, 27 riders engaged in organized discussions with students and faculty, a sharp contrast to previous stops that have resulted in trespassing charges.
Members of the group have been repeatedly arrested during the tour, including multiple arrests at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Ky.; Baylor University in Waco, Texas; Mississippi College in Clinton; and Oklahoma Baptist University in Shawnee.
No arrests were made at Samford. When Soulforce first announced its plans to stop at the school, President Andrew Westmoreland and other Samford administrators elected to allow Soulforce members to dialogue with students in a controlled setting rather than bar them from campus.
Showing love and hospitality to strangers — can’t get much more biblical than that. I don’t agree with Samford’s official stance on homosexuality, but the folks there have good reason to be proud. The Equality Riders agree:
Jake Reitan, founder of Soulforce’s Equality Ride, said the day was marked by honesty and respect.
“We all (both Samford students and Soulforce riders) entered into the conversations in love, seeking truth,” Reitan said. “At the end of the day, we might still disagree on what that truth is, but the conversation is too important to turn away.”
April 5th, 2007 at 11:43 am
Why would a university have “an official stance” on a person’s sexuality? That makes zero sense to me.
April 5th, 2007 at 12:27 pm
The student handbook lists homosexual activity as an offense. It includes any sexual activity outside of marriage as well. Of course, when one can’t marry, that makes all sexual activity an offense. Catch-22.
April 5th, 2007 at 1:39 pm
this does not surprise me. westmoreland is a good man.
i wonder, though, what the beeson crowd thought.
April 5th, 2007 at 2:15 pm
When I was a student at Samford, all sexual activity was prohibited. I presume that remains the case. However, I think that the prohibition against homosexual activity also includes things such as kissing, whereas that would be generally permitted for heterosexuals. When I was a student, you couldn’t make out in public, though, even if you were straight. That was inappropriate public display of affection.
While I vehemently oppose Samford’s general stance against homosexual behavior, I do think that the university takes a very broad position within the context of its specific religious culture.
I’m sure the Beesonites were furious!
April 5th, 2007 at 5:09 pm
My interactions with Samford — the preparatory music department and the Christian Women’s Leadership Conference — have been consistently positive. I was glad to see my impression confirmed.
April 5th, 2007 at 9:47 pm
A school needs to worry about what the students learn in the classroom, not in the bedroom.
Why can’t you be a moral and kind person that does good in this world AND still knocks the boots?
And why does everyone else care?
April 5th, 2007 at 11:33 pm
I have a friend who has been on the faculty at Samford for many years, and she said the experience was truly uplifting - both the Soulforce people themselves and the welcoming response from the Samford faculty, students and administration. it was a bright spot in the darkness of intolerance we’re all seeing lately.
April 5th, 2007 at 11:39 pm
Chris, that’s good to hear.
April 6th, 2007 at 12:25 pm
Here’s an audio report of the Soulforce visit to Samford: http://www.samford.edu/groups/wvsu/downloads.html
April 6th, 2007 at 4:53 pm
My father graduated from Samford. Really is a good school. It was my first choice when I was going off on my flavor-of-the-month teaching kick. Somehow, and I don’t remember how, I ended up at Montevallo instead.