Friday, February 01, 2013

MI Univ. Boots Christian Club for Being Christian

The University of Michigan told the Asian chapter of InterVarsity Christian Fellowship to either start accepting atheists, Muslims, anti-Christian homosexualists, etc. to lead their club or suffer elimination from campus.
“We want to model a lifestyle of integrity. Holding the Bible as the inspired, divine word of God and seeing the commands for us to choose leaders who have a vibrant faith in Jesus – is obviously something very important that we want to continue to uphold.”
-- Sara Chang, InterVarsity staff member at the University of Michigan
UPDATE 2/4/13: Univ. backs down, accepts InterVarsity Christian-only leadership

For background, read Colleges Ban Student Groups for Christian Beliefs and also read U.S. Supreme Court Forces Atheists into University Christian Clubs as well as University Strips Crosses from Students' Chests


-- From "University of Michigan Kicks Christian Club off Campus" by Todd Starnes, Foxnews.com 1/31/13

A University of Michigan spokesperson released a statement saying that all registered student organizations must agree to “sign the university’s standard non-discrimination agreement” and “submit their constitution for review.”

In order for students to be InterVarsity leaders they must sign a statement of faith. But the university said that requirement violated their non-discrimination policy.

“I can’t imagine the Muslim Student Association saying you don’t have to be a Muslim to help lead our group,” [Greg Jao, InterVarsity’s national field director,] said.

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

From "Univ. of Mich. Removes InterVarsity Chapter from Campus" posted at CBNNews.com 2/1/13

The pressure on college ministries to abandon faith-based leadership requirements has increased since a 2010 Supreme Court decision.

In Christian Legal Society vs. Martinez, the court ruled that a public college may enforce an "all-comers" policy on a religious group without violating the First Amendment, as long as it applies the policy to all campus groups.

Greg Jao, national field director for InterVarsity wrote in Christianity Today last month that the organization has contested the policy on dozens of campuses in the last semester.

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

Also read Federal Court Rules out Christian Beliefs at University