Soulforce is on the move

Over the weekend I received a letter from the president of the college where my son Ezekiel is a sophomore, notifying all parents of the impending "visit" to Wisconsin Lutheran College of a busload of gay, lesbian, transgender, and straight-ally students on March 12-13. According to Soulforce's web site, they intend to visit college campuses that are the "darkest" in their homophobia in order to challenge their "misinterpretations of Scripture." One bus is heading west and has already caused disruption at Notre Dame, forcing the administration there to call the police and arrest trespassers. From South Bend they are traveling to Wisconsin Lutheran College, so I am hoping that Zeke will give us an eyewitness account of the goings-on in Milwaukee on Monday and Tuesday.

Wisconsin Lutheran's president, Dr. Tim Kriewall, wrote:

On March 12 and 13, a group called Soulforce plans to visit WLC to attempt to promote their gay rights agenda. Although the college respectfully declined their visit, we have received confirmation from their representatives that we will be the second stop on their western bus tour of college campuses.

The President's cabinet discussed the issue at length with campus pastor Nathan Strobel, the Religious Studies department, and our district president for the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod, the church body with which we are affiliated. After much prayerful consideration, the decision was made to decline their request to visit campus. Just as we would not enter into a perceived "debate of public opinion" with another religious body on issues to which we believe Scripture clearly speaks (although we would always be ready to witness what we believe), we are not interested in entering into a dialogue on this religious matter with Soulforce representatives.

We have made it clear that we will not allow any disruption of classes or regular student body activity. We have asked that they restrict themselves to public property off campus, though it is possible that they will come on to campus anyway. We have agreed amongst ourselves to let them wander the outdoor areas of campus, but in an effort not to disrupt school activities, we will not let them enter buildings. To this end, on March 12 and 13, access to all campus buildings will be only with the campus ID card. We will have security personnel inside all doors as an added precaution.

In hopes that they could be somewhat mollified, we have agreed to organize a meeting at a neutral site between members of their group and representatives of our student body, staff, faculty, and administration. We do not expect to win any arguments, but will use the opportunity to witness just the same.

We have held several Bible studies on campus for students and staff to communicate and clarify where the Bible stands on the issue of homosexuality. We have also counseled students to treat the Soulforce group with respect and Christian love, even though we do not agree with them.

Of utmost concern is the safety of our students and that these two days do not disrupt the education we have a contract to provide. Finally, please remember our student body, faculty, staff, administration and the Soulforce group in your prayers as we prepare for this visit. We know that in all things, God works for the good of those who love him.

When I was visiting college campuses with Zeke during his senior year, we encountered many secular campuses and theatre programs that were populated with members of the "gay, lesbian, and transgendered community." At Western Michigan, Zeke's dance audition was led by a "Gay black Frenchman." At Oakland University, the theatre department was proud to produce "The Laramie Project." Although Zeke realizes that, as he pursues his dream of a career in the theatre, he will invariably need to work with gay men, he chose to attend a Christian college of our denomination where the theatre professors support the Biblical teaching regarding sexuality, namely, that all sexual activity outside of marriage is sinful. Since God made Adam and Eve, not Adam and Steve, it therefore follows that all homosexual activity is condemned by God as sinful and contrary to his holy will for his gift of sex.

The more that Soulforce and other groups like them put pressure on Christian colleges like Wisconsin Lutheran, the more that the media paints Spring Arbor's dismissal of a "transgendered" professor as an example of bigotry and intolerance, the more pressure there will be to conform to the worldview that "God made me this way." I'm providing a link to Focus on the Family's story about Soulforce. On that page are a number of links to resources that are useful for a Christian in giving clear testimony about God's will regarding human sexuality. Check them out, bookmark the resource pages, and file them for your future reference. The day you find yourselves on campus exchanging dialog with Soulforce or other activist groups is not far away.

UPDATE: Here is a link to the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel that describes the Soulforce event. Sounds relatively uneventful and disappointing from the gay perspective.

UPDATE 2: Here is the news release from Soulforce itself. It seems as though they are disappointed that the school's administration would not "dialogue" with them on their issues, but were happy that some students went to "talk" with them. They seem proud of getting arrested, too.