Christian ministries in U.S. college campuses are facing a significant challenge to their “recognized” status. Student organizations are being denied access to campus facilities on the basis of new school policies that restrict them from implementing certain standards on leaders of their organization. In other words, school administration requires that no student be excluded from a leadership position on the basis of ideology or belief. For example, on principle, an organization of vegetarians cannot exclude a non-vegetarian from taking a leadership role.
While such policies do not exclusively target Christian organizations, Christian ministries are significantly affected by this development. For a ministry to be distinctly Christian, it is essential that it stays true to the gospel of Christ and faithful to biblical truths. Clearly, placing a person who does not acknowledge these things in a leadership position annuls the very reason for the organization’s existence.
In 2011 Vanderbilt University issued such a policy that resulted in the “unauthorized” status of InterVarsity Christian Fellowship (IVCF). They are no longer allowed to use campus facilities for their activities. Why? As a Christian organization, they require that their leaders embrace the basic orthodox doctrines of the faith. Anyone is welcome to participate in the organization’s events and activities, but not everyone may become a leader of the organization. The school claims that’s discrimination.
There are more such incidents. The latest development (with more far-reaching effects) is the decision of the California State University to enforce a similar policy that is to be implemented in all its 23 campuses. Unless organizations comply, they will not be able to use campus grounds or facilities for their activities
This school policy is absurd; it’s like saying that it is discriminatory to require that a math professor have a graduate degree in math. The policy is not direct persecution as such, but it still sets up a barrier to the ministries of Christian organizations in college campuses. They are faced with the challenge to find other ways to fulfill their God-given ministry.
This may be a wake-up call for Christian students to step up and bear witness to Christ as they engage fellow students and teachers while on campus. They still have the freedom (and privilege) to exercise their personal faith on campus. In the end, while the organization may no longer “enter” the campus grounds, it is the disciples’ day-to-day living out of the gospel on campus that will bring Christ to the campus.
—Keith Y. Jainga