April 8, 2014|12:53 pm

(Photo: http://geoffrey-goldberg.com)

Geoffrey Goldberg, a New York City-based performance artist, has been assisting Liberty University's theatre company in its production of "Mary Poppins."

Liberty University, the country's largest private nonprofit university, has issued a statement clarifying its hiring practices after a viral news report revealed that the conservative Christian school's stage company had sought the services of an "open homosexual advocate" for its production of "Mary Poppins."

"For decades, Liberty University has hired only faculty members who affirm the university's doctrinal statement," reads a statement from the Lynchburg, Va., school sent to Patheos bloggerBenjamin L. Corey. "The choreographer in question is an independent contractor supplied to the university through a third party association and has never applied for employment at Liberty University and has never been an employee of Liberty. Liberty has never required vendors who provide goods and services to the university to adhere to the university's doctrinal beliefs."

Corey, suggesting that Liberty's hiring of "someone who is openly gay and is a marriage equality advocate" could serve as an example for other Christian organizations, such as World Vision, pointed to a Christian News Network reportin which the Southern Baptist-affiliated university "basically shrugged their shoulders and said they hire people on the basis of their ability to do a job, not on the basis of their sexual orientation."

When questioned by the Christian News Network about the hiring of Geoffrey Goldberg to help choreograph its production of "Mary Poppins," Linda Nell Cooper, director of Liberty University's Alluvion Stage Company, told the publication that Goldberg was hired "based on his professionalism and his talent like everyone else."

In its statement to Patheos, Liberty University confirmed Cooper's remarks on its policies regarding independent contractors and insisted that it "has no plans to ever deviate from any of its longstanding policies and procedures for hiring," which include questioning prospective faculty and staff about their doctrinal beliefs and practices.

Some comments from online readers reflected a concern that the presence of an openly gay man on the Lynchburg, Va., campus would "expose" students to "adamant advocacy of homosexuality."

One commenter appeared appalled at suggestions that Christians and LGBT persons should not work together.

Link:

Liberty University 'Shrugs Off' Concerns Over Openly Gay Choreographer Assisting in Campus Production?