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Open Forum - Not faith, but fanaticism at Oxford University

berto - May 29, 2007 - 11:43 AM
Post subject: Not faith, but fanaticism at Oxford University
Oxford University -- and the Anglican Church in general -- should cut Wycliffe Hall and its intolerant bigots loose, says Giles Fraser, the vicar of Putney and lecturer in philosophy at Oxford’s Wadham College

Quote:
The college head thinks 95% of us are going to burn in hell. His new deputy believes it’s wrong for women to teach men. Insiders are complaining about an “openly homophobic” atmosphere. A third of the academic staff have resigned. Others are unwilling to speak openly to the press because they fear disciplinary action. Is this perhaps the notorious Bob Jones University in South Carolina, where rock music and mobile phones are banned, where men must have short hair and where women can’t wear trousers to class? No. Welcome to the University of Oxford.

Strictly speaking Wycliffe Hall is a permanent private hall of the University of Oxford, rather than a full college. But the difference is pretty academic. Wycliffe has control over its admissions policy and those who graduate do so with a full Oxford University degree. Which is why the thought that Wycliffe has been taken over by Christian fundamentalists is ruffling senior common room feathers all over the university. For having a cell of religious extremists succeed in claiming one of its precious institutions does little to enhance Oxford’s reputation.

[...]

What sticks in the throat, however, is that this new wave of reactionary evangelicalism is using the name of the university despite the fact that it has no love in its heart for the values of learning. Wycliffe is fast becoming a school for church planting that does little more than peddle the techniques of Christian salesmanship. As such, it is drawing upon a longstanding tradition of evangelical anti-intellectualism that originates in the great American revival of the 18th century - specifically, in the American churches’ desire to define themselves against what they regarded as the bookish sophistication of snobbish and decadent Europeans.

The theologian Mark A Noll, in his book The Scandal of the Evangelical Mind, argues that the low esteem in which many evangelicals hold academic inquiry is a function of fear, a lack of confidence that faith can survive rational scrutiny. And so they build walls around their minds and colleges, desperate to keep at bay the dangerous lessons of the Enlightenment. In such a context, theology and doctrine are replaced by training: leadership skills and strategies for church marketing. Places such as Wycliffe once had internationally renowned scholars - now they cling on to the university for its kudos. It’s all about image.

[...]

Of course, what should really happen is that the bishops of the Church of England stop using colleges like this to train its priests. Places such as Wycliffe are turning Anglicanism into a cult. But it’s a symptom of how bad things are in the C of E, and how frightened its bishops have become of the financial muscle of conservative evangelicals, that they won’t find the gumption to cut Wycliffe adrift.

Feral - May 30, 2007 - 12:39 AM
Post subject: RE: Not faith, but fanaticism at Oxford University
There is nothing wrong with believing that most people will "go to hell" (though my calculator says the figure is 99.9976%, not 95%) or that it is wrong for women to teach men. There is nothing wrong with believing that God will hate you for eating shrimp or calamari.

Problems arise when people who hold such beliefs take it upon themselves to act upon them. If you will treat some people differently than others based upon your (utterly misguided) perception of whether they fall in the 0.000024% or the 99.9976% then you will tread perilously close to violating a number of long-standing laws regarding religious discrimination (and a couple of new ones). If your views on the appropriateness of a woman's profession find expression in your behavior, I fail to see how you will not violate any number of laws regarding sexual harassment or gender bias in the workplace. A person may refrain from eating the abominable seafood to his heart's content -- why would I force anyone to eat shrimp? It's what such people think is reasonable to do to those who do eat shrimp that will cause trouble. You may not attack people in the streets because you think they are doing something that is an abomination. You may not reasonably protest such people with signs and slogans. You may not even reasonably 'instruct' the wicked shrimp-eaters on the inadvisability of their actions. Religious freedom grants anyone the right to refrain from eating shrimp. The same freedom allows anyone else to declare that shrimp are best marinated in balsamic vinegar before grilling because there is nothing religious about shrimp.
berto - Jun 02, 2007 - 08:01 PM
Post subject: RE: Not faith, but fanaticism at Oxford University
Wycliffe Hall Principal Defends Criticisms of Homophobia

Quote:
Writing in the Guardian newspaper, the Rev Dr Richard Turnbull has rebuffed claims the college is part of a “wave of reactionary evangelicalism”.

The principal also highlighted the college’s long record of academic achievement with many students winning academic awards.

He said: “Three-quarters of the social reforms of the 19th century have been directly attributed to evangelical Christianity.

“There is in fact a long history of both intellectual and social engagement. It won’t do to simply associate the evangelical tradition with anti-intellectualism.”

Responding to the claims of homophobia and misogyny, Dr Turnbull said: “I know of no homophobia or misogyny at Wycliffe. If there is any evidence then it must be produced.”

[...]

The fact that the comments have been criticised on the internet only recently may be linked to an investigation into complaints about his management of Wycliffe Hall, where it has been suggested that he has been driving out academic staff who do not conform to his theological viewpoint and beliefs.

Dr Turnbull is the Chairman of the Church of England Evangelical Council, which has led opposition to the ordination of openly gay clergy in the UK.

The council says that Christians in same-sex relationships should repent and give up sexual contact with one another.

The Wycliffe Hall principal was one of the most prominent signatories of the ‘Covenant for the Church of England’, presented to the Archbishop of Canterbury in December.

The document stated: "The Church of England is increasingly polarised into two churches: the one submitting to God's revelation, Gospel-focused, Christ-centred, cross-shaped and Spirit-empowered; the other holding a progressive view of revelation, giving priority to human reason over Scripture, shaped primarily by Western secular culture, and focused on church structures."

Feral - Jun 03, 2007 - 11:18 AM
Post subject: RE: Not faith, but fanaticism at Oxford University
Quote:
“I know of no homophobia or misogyny at Wycliffe. If there is any evidence then it must be produced.”


The Reverend Doctor should be careful of what he wishes for... such evidence, if it is found, might well be presented in a criminal court rather than in some rhetorical joust of little import.

But then, the Reverend Doctor no doubt rests quite easily... after all, he knows of no homophobia or misogyny at Wycliffe so the presumption of such evidence is, of course, entirely hypothetical.
berto - Aug 11, 2007 - 08:08 PM
Post subject: RE: Not faith, but fanaticism at Oxford University
Oxford gives warning to theological college

Quote:
One of the Church of England’s most distinguished theological training colleges has been placed on notice that it must improve its academic standards and not succumb to narrow conservative evangelicalism if it is to remain part of Oxford University. Wycliffe Hall, at the centre of a dispute between some staff and its hardline evangelical principal, has been told by the university that it must maintain the values of a liberal education and will be monitored to ensure it does.

Complaints of homophobia and misogyny have been levelled at Wycliffe’s leadership.

An internal report, drawn up by senior Oxford academics and accepted by the university’s governing council, will warn the 130-year-old college of concern about the narrowness of its theological teaching and doubts about whether it is offering students full intellectual development.

The findings, leaked to the Church Times newspaper, have come as part of a report into standards at the seven religious permanent private halls - also including St Stephen’s House, St Benet’s Hall, Greyfriars, Blackfriars and Campion Hall, and Regent’s Park college - which have become part of the university.

Although its 34 recommendations apply to all of them, there are particular concerns about Wycliffe.

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