Bob Jones University regains nonprofit status

[Jim]

Not so conclusive that BJU was racist:

By this definition: “a belief that race is the primary determinant of human traits and capacities and that racial differences produce an inherent superiority of a particular race”

BJU was wrong on their policies (as they now publicly admit), but I don’t believe they viewed blacks as inferior

I would say they had a flawed theological view on anthropology which they have corrected.

There is no doubt at all that that the BJ’s were racist in that they felt that black people were inferior to white people. An obvious example of that was the letter that BJ Jr (I believe) wrote to a black person telling him that he was more fit for serving in the kitchen. I don’t remember the exact wording but the letter is documented in a book online. Perhaps someone will remember where.

I have the pamphlet. It’s entitled “Religious Freedom Imperiled: The IRS and BJU” (1982). It deals with the court case and the dating rule and cites the figure of $800,000 spent in court cases over 12 years. In it DB III says on page 2 “Since the rule is part of the University’s religious beliefs,……….” On page 11 he states “The rule is based on a sincere religious belief.”

The booklet also quotes the rules “Students who become partners in an interracial marriage will be expelled”. And “Students who are members of or affiliated with any group or organization which holds interracial marriage as one of its goals or advocates interracial marriage will be expelled. And “Students who date outside their race will be expelled.” (page 10)

I’m glad this ugliness has been owned and repented of. But it also helps me understand why some people cringe when they’re told that it was only “cultural” and was “no big deal”.

In 1972, I was the leader of a BJU Summer Ensemble (now called Ministry Team) to the northeastern states. I was coached in how to respond to those who asked about the school’s racial policy. The textual support was Acts 17:26: “And He has made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth, and has determined their pre-appointed times and the boundaries of their dwellings.” The point to be made was that God appointed Negros to live in Africa, and if in America, to live in communities of their own kind. I had a real struggle with this, as I had an ethical duty to properly represent the school, and yet I did not believe that this text supported the school policy, nor did any other Biblical text, properly interpreted. I believed the text actually teaches the opposite, that there is only one race, namely, the human race. I had several awkward moments during that tour. In short, I said, “This is the statement given by BJU to support its policy.” Sometimes that ended the discussion. At other times, I was then asked, “Do you believe this?” In such cases, I had to honestly answer, “no.”

That said, I can also testify that the tour was a wonderful time of learning and maturing which enabled me to move into pastoral ministry shortly thereafter. I thank God and BJU for giving me that opportunity.

Then there was the paranoid first year grad student in 1981 who was afraid to hold the hand of the Chinese girl next to him in chapel when all of us were singing “God Be With You Till We Meet Again” before we left for Christmas break.

A member of my extended family who came to BJU from Hawaii (his folks were missionaries there), along with his Hawaiian girlfriend, had to declare himself Hawaiian, so as to continue to date his girlfriend while at school. They eventually married and returned to Hawaii.

I’m a Buckeye by birth, and my wife is a troll or “looper” from Michigan. I think I’ve got Jim beat! :^)

And that is where B3 lost all credibility by lying directly to those of us who were there when he preached the message.

Not only that, but I remember picking up a little booklet at the Information Desk on a visit when I was either in 7th/8th grade or during High School. This would have been late 80s or early 90s. I missed that someone linked to this already, so..

I’m glad for BJU. I’m sure that this will help them with their mission and their fundraising efforts, and I hope that they are able to build a very healthy endowment that will protect them from financial difficulties down the road like those that befell so many other Christian schools.

As for Aaron’s statement here:

Charity means we look for ways to understand and sympathize with those in positions that require extremely difficult decisions—even when we believe they made the wrong decisions.

Amen to this. I don’t think anyone is out to ‘get’ BJU by throwing this in their face - the sense I’m getting from the other participants is a sense of relief that BJU finally made this issue right in the ’90s. I hope that trend continues, and continue to be encouraged and optimistic about Steve Pettit’s leadership there.