By: Aaron Bratt
Disclaimer: Letter to the Editor does not represent the viewpoints of The Whitworthian, members of the editorial board or Whitworth University.
Dear Editor,
As of late, there has been considerable buzz surrounding the hiring policy at Whitworth. I am a white, cis-gendered, heterosexual man who was raised in the Christian Reformed Church. I recognize the limits of my experience here. But I am a current Whitworth student and an ally who understands how Christian communities operate. It has been time for me, and people like me, to raise my voice for a while now.
I posit that this is not a “theological discussion” as many purport. If the reader is left craving a scriptural touchstone, look to 1 Timothy 2:4, which states in no uncertain terms that God bears love and salvation for, “all people.” Instead, our institution is barring an entire population from becoming faculty and staff members, and simultaneously creating spaces where queer students feel unwanted and unsafe. The idea that queer inclusion on Whitworth’s campus is a zero-sum game is misguided. This exclusion does not embody the sacrificial love of Christ, which lead Him to suffer unthinkably for people who did not love, look, think, or believe like Him. I know no better model for Christian love. This exclusion is, ultimately, cowardice.
I propose a different choice. Whitworth claims all are welcome to live in constant dialogue on its campus. This kind of living is surely uncomfortable, but it is a much heavier discomfort to admit that in refusing to change. Whitworth would also refuse to fulfill its mission. It is time for Whitworth to choose Christ’s love over dogma, and to change into the institution it says it already is.
With Love,
Aaron Bratt
Class of ‘23