Cornerstone University Votes No-Confidence in President the Day Before Inauguration

Another example of how the “diversity” religion is extending influence in Christian education.

“Our current campus culture has become one of fear and suspicion. Faculty and administrators — many of whom have dedicated long years of faithful service to the university and our students — have simply disappeared without explanation.”

When Mohler came to SBTS, there was a similar reaction from faculty, alumni, and students who were committed to more liberal evangelicalism.

When White came to Cedarville, there was a similar reaction from faculty, alumni, and students who were committed to more liberal evangelicalism.

Whether Moreno-Riaño is successful in reshaping Cornerstone University will depend on the courage and steadfastness of Moreno-Riaño and the board of trustees.

Another example of how the “diversity” religion is extending influence in Christian education.

That was your first thought? Not that the incoming president brought his Pat Robertson-influenced Christian Nationalism with ties to the Charismatic side of Dominion Theology to Cornerstone U, and that he fired a bunch of professors and administrators based on what he perceived was their politics and/or that they were on the wrong side of the “culture war”?

Full Disclosure: I am an alumni of both Cornerstone U and Grand Rapids Theological Seminary. I’ve also taught classes on urban ministry and social justice over a decade ago, and I occasionally lecture at the Seminary on those same topics. The president came in creating a culture of fear among the professors and administration. One of my close friends who teaches there was pulled into the new President’s office as asked “whose side are you on?” When he said Jesus, that answer wasn’t good enough.

I am personal friends with several of the people who were let go and they weren’t Critical Race Theorists or Social Justice Warriors. With a few of them, I did not see eye-to-eye when it came to race and social justice. And I would’ve handled a few of their DEI approaches differently. I am blown away that Christians think that handling cultural issues is better done like a knight fighting in a medieval crusade (metaphorically speaking) where you cut your opponents down with a sword in order to win, without any regard to the casualties rather than a doctor performing a delicate surgery, where you are committed to “do no harm” even as you remove something that could potentially be harmful to the person.

No, Joel, what I posted was NOT my “first thought”, but it was ONE of my thoughts. My post focused on one issue: The rise of “diversity religion” in Christian education. Of course the problems at Cornerstone involve more than “diversity”. But the “diversity issue” is certainly part of what is happening at Cornerstone and many other Christian schools.

[Joel Shaffer] That was your first thought? Not that the incoming president brought his Pat Robertson-influenced Christian Nationalism with ties to the Charismatic side of Dominion Theology to Cornerstone U, and that he fired a bunch of professors and administrators based on what he perceived was their politics and/or that they were on the wrong side of the “culture war”?

I’m not a fan of Robertson, Christian nationalism, the charismatic movement, or dominion theology; however, when theological conservatives seek to return a formerly theologically conservative school back to conservative theology they are often described with the same accusations and rhetoric. Mohler faced it. White faces it.

The only thing missing in these articles is a claim that the new president is a fundamentalist. So, perhaps this carfuffle at Cornerstone is really about social justice issues and dominion theology, but based on past experience there’s probably a bigger issue invovled: a decision by the BoT to purge theological liberalism from the school.

….can be found in the original references. I don’t see exactly what Joel sees yet, but I do agree that the new President’s links to Pat Robertson are troubling. Robertson is many things, but theologically fundamental is not one of them.He is—charismatic who unrepentantly makes false prophecies—rather a great example of a person from whom fundamentalists ought to separate.

I’m not a fan of Robertson, Christian nationalism, the charismatic movement, or dominion theology; however, when theological conservatives seek to return a formerly theologically conservative school back to conservative theology they are often described with the same accusations and rhetoric. Mohler faced it. White faces it.

The only thing missing in these articles is a claim that the new president is a fundamentalist. So, perhaps this carfuffle at Cornerstone is really about social justice issues and dominion theology, but based on past experience there’s probably a bigger issue invovled: a decision by the BoT to purge theological liberalism from the school.

Cornerstone is more akin to schools such as Trinity University International or Wheaton (schools that either lean theologically conservative or middle of the road evangelical). It doesn’t have the SBC Bible-Belt culture engrained in them like Boice College or SBTS. its professors can either hold to young earth or old earth creation, they can be either complimentarian or egalitarian, or be pre-millennial, post-millennial, or a-millennial. Its professors can drink alcohol as long as its done in moderation.

However, to assume and publicly say that Cornerstone had somehow been infiltrated with theological liberalism is slander, Joe Stowell Jr. (the president for the past decade or so) was as theologically conservative as they come without becoming a theological fundamentalist or conservative SBCer. One professor I’m friends with came from North Park University to Cornerstone because he wanted to be part of a school that had theologically conservative convictions as opposed to actual theological liberalism that he experienced at North Park.

And as I mentioned before, another close friend was asked whose side are you on by the new President and his answer “Jesus” wasn’t good enough.

The new president also completely dismantled the counseling center at the college where GRTS counseling students did their practicums and internships closely supervised by some great Christ-centered licensed counselors. It served well over a hundred students each year. My wife (who is now a licensed therapist) not only gained invaluable experience counseling students with eating disorders, depression, anxiety, same-sex attraction, and trauma, but was able to help many students with their issues and lead them into a closer relationship with Christ.