The title of an article in Christianity Today, published in August, read “The Wrong Kind of Christian.” The student leader of Intervarsity Fellowship at Vanderbilt thought she was “an acceptable kind of evangelical.” She explained that she was “not a fundamentalist. My friends and I enjoy art, alcohol, and cultural engagement.”
On many of the social issues, she would agree with most of the prevailing views on a secular campus. She said, “We value authenticity, study, racial reconciliation, and social and environmental justice.” Nevertheless, Intervarsity was kicked off campus simply because the university demanded that the leadership of every student organization be open to any beliefs.
Her article illustrated two points that are relevant here. First, she learned that it is hard to be “an acceptable kind of evangelical.” In previous commentaries, I have talked about the naïve assumption of many younger evangelicals that they can stand for justice issues and still fit in with the secular culture. They talk about poverty or sexual trafficking. Although it seems like they are taking a stand, there isn’t much of a cost. How many people in America are for poverty or for sexual trafficking? Trying to be “an acceptable evangelical” means avoiding the hot buttons issues like abortion and same sex marriage.
Second, we should expect more of this not less. This last week, the California State University system announced a similar policy. Ed Stetzer says that is an example of “the continual sanitization of unacceptable religious voices from the universities.” He wonders if “people of faith [are] no longer welcome as they continue to hold the belief they have held since their foundation.”
The lines in the culture war are being drawn. Christians aren’t picking these battles and drawing these lines in the sand. It is being done by those who oppose Christian values. We can try to avoid confrontation. We can try to be “an acceptable evangelical.” But we will still face opposition. So let’s stand for biblical truth in the midst of this opposition.