Daily Archives: April 3, 2017

It was the invitation that wasnt. Princeton Theological Seminary offered Timothy Keller its Abraham Kuyper Prize for Excellence in Reformed Theology and Public Witness. Hundreds of seminary students, alumniand faculty signed a petition protesting the award, after whichthe seminary abruptly rescinded the offer.

The seminarys invitation to lecture on campus still stands. Keller hasin the words of seminary President Craig Barnesgraciously agreed to keep the commitment to deliver the Kuyper Conferences keynote address, sans the $10,000 prize.

The sticking point, in Barnes words, is Kellers belief that women and LGBTQ+ persons should not be ordained, [which] conflicts with the stance of the Presbyterian Church (USA).

But that black-and-white assessment washes over the particularities of PCUSAs actual requirements for its ordaining bodies.It alsofuelsa misunderstanding of theologicalnuance that is being replicatedin media commentators reactions to the seminarys decision.

Media pundits have focused primarily on the headline-grabbing issue of LGBTQ ordination, rather than Kellers rejection of female clergythough that categorical dismissal is what actually stands in greatercontrast with PCUSAs presiding doctrine.Unlike LGBTQ ordination, about which some controversy remains, the ordination of women has the enthusiastic support of nearly every member of the PCUSA. Ordaining bodies within PCUSA may not categorically bar women from ordained service. In fact,The churchs 1990 Brief Statement of Faith declares that the Spirit calls women and men to all ministries of the Church, elevating the ordination of women to confessional status.

By contrast, whenPCUSAs General Assembly voted to begin ordaining LGBTQ people several years ago, it spoke of the need to maintain safe spaces for conservative dissenters who believe scripture prevents their presbyteries and sessions from ordaining those in same-sex relationships. As such, it draftedconstitutional language on this issue that is permissive rather than mandatoryindividual churches or leaders are not required to ordain LGBTQ people.

Keller, for his part, belongs to the conservative Presbyterian Church in America (PCA), which bars women from ordination to any ministry. He has been outspoken in support of his denominations views. Keller is also a noted proponent of complementarian theology, a conservative interpretation of the New Testament that requires husbands to assume the role of head of the household. He encourages married women to complement their men by submitting to their divinely-sanctioned rule.

But these crucial distinctions are all-but-erasedby the broad brush used to paint the terms of the controversy in mainstream media. In an op-ed forThe Wall Street Journal,Case Thorpcastigates the seminary administration for buckling underwhat Thorp calls identity theology, a term heappears to have invented, adapting identity politics to the theological realm.

Building on the conservative framing of identity politics as the resultof small, identity-based groups clinging to and trumpeting their collective uniqueness, Thorp fumes that identity theology perpetuates the Enlightenments failed promise in which true meaning rests within someones understanding of himself.

Those who cling to this mode of thinking leave behind a God-centered study for a radical focus on humanity, Thorp laments.

The concept of identity theology sounds suspiciously like that all-purpose complaint beloved of the right wing, political correctness. Charges of political correctness function as a useful tool for those who are weary of repeated invitations to rethink old prejudices. Identity theology is simply political correctness with a halo.

The seminarys misstep on the Kuyper Award is unfortunate, but its inaccurate to portray President Barnes decision to withdraw it as a snub of Keller, or of those who hold similar conservative views on the ordination of women or the role of women in the Christian household. Thorp made such a claim in his op-ed, as did Jonathan Merritt in a recent Religion News Service opinion piece.There is a difference between respectful ecumenical dialogue and endorsing opposing views, which is how many would understand the awarding of a theology prize.

In an article in Christianity Today, Fuller Theological Seminary President Emeritus Richard Mouwa previous Kuyper Award recipientreports hearing expressions of consternation and feelings of betrayal among his fellow evangelicals, now that PTShas withdrawn the award. Mouw differs from Keller on the ordination of women, but stands with him on the question of same-sex marriage. Is there a new litmus test? he wonders.

Mouws concern seems overblownsince the concern about womens ordination is by itself sufficient justification for the seminarys re-thinking of its decision.

The heart of ecumenical discussion is listening to one another, a dialogue the seminary will still foster as Keller visits the campus. Perhaps minds will be changed. Or perhaps not. But the conversation will likely proceed without any mention of identity theology, which is a good thing.

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Identity Theology: Political Correctness with a Halo - Religion Dispatches

I found myself mindlessly channel surfing the other night.

What else was there to do? The Phillies season hadnt started. Villanova made an early exit from the NCAA Tournament, decreasing my usually all-consuming interest in March Madness. And Ive seen every rerun of Everybody Loves Raymond at least a dozen times.

Suddenly I was stopped by a conversation about political correctness.

I have heard similar conversations before. Dennis Prager, the nationally syndicated deep-thinker of the radio waves, calls the hysteria generated by political correctness one of the most dangerous and destructive attitudes in America.

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Part of the discussion came from Nick Adams, the best-selling author who was born in Australia but was made an honorary Texan in 2013 by then-Governor Rick Perry. He is known as a champion of American exceptionalism.

His book Retaking America Crushing Political Correctness also identifies the PC movement as one of the most destructive forces in the country. In it he claims, Political correctness has ripped through America, turning life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness into lifelessness, suppression and the pursuit of mediocrity.

He was joined in the discussion by NYU professor Michael Rectenwald, who ventured deep into enemy territory when he launched an attack against political correctness at the radically liberal university. As a result, he faced a wave of discontent from other staff members for his incivility and claimed, They are literally pushing me out the door for having a different perspective.

In a major upset, after asserting his First Amendment rights, Rectenwald was reinstated and actually promoted from assistant professor status to full professor. Score a (very rare) victory for the politically incorrect. Despite a warning to faculty from Dean Fred Schwarzbach, reminding them to be respectful of opposing views, Rectenwald continues to be shunned, marginalized and even threatened.

This is the world in which we now live. The disciples of leftism, who spout a constant mantra of tolerance, are the least tolerant of all.

All of this gave rise to a lot of thought about the evolution of the political correctness movement which, according to Rectenwald, goes back to Maoism in Communist China. Here are some of the examples of changes in America, over time.

In 1981 Stanford University abandoned its long-standing nickname and mascot. The Stanford Indians were no more replaced by the Stanford Cardinal.

In other cases, it was just a matter of terminology.

The airline industry replaced stewardesses with flight attendants.

Midgets are now called little people.

Otherwise generally short people are said to be vertically challenged.

Janitors became custodians.

Orientals became Asians. By the way, is it still insensitive to refer to an oriental rug?

And what about the movement to remove keeping score from child sports? The goal is to keep the little snowflakes from being branded winners or losers.

Americas university campuses the national capital of leftism and radical thinking have taken the idea of political correctness to hysterical levels.

At many colleges it is now improper to refer to freshman. They are first-year students.

St. Louis University, a Jesuit college, was forced to remove a statue of a Catholic priest that had stood for more than 60 years on the campus. Jesuit priest Pierre-Jean De Smet was depicted praying over two Native Americans. Faculty and staff complained it represented white supremacy and demanded the racist statue be removed. The university caved.

After athletic teams at Susquehanna University were referred to as the Crusaders for more than 100 years, that nickname and mascot were dropped in 2015. The term was, supposedly, offensive to Muslims and Jews. The name is now the Susquehanna River Hawks. How long will it be before somebody worries about offending the birds?

And, each October, another storm builds on the college campuses over Halloween costumes. Yale University was at the center of the controversy. But the PC police also were surveilling other campuses. Dressing up as someone from another race was deemed particularly offensive.

Under those guidelines, say goodbye to all Trick or Treaters dressed as Zorro, geishas, belly dancers, samurais, Vikings, French maids, Pocohontas, Aladdin or even Spock (even if Vulcans do not have feelings). Throw out the grass skirt, the sombrero, the face veil and the Cossack hat.

In the world of politics, the war of words gets absolutely vicious.

Those who have not abandoned the terms global warming for climate change, illegal aliens for undocumented workers, and Islamic terrorists for radical extremists are in danger of a lifelong ban from any Kumbaya parties.

The important question that must be asked after these decades of intimidation by the political correctness movement: Are we better off?

Is America a better place to live now that we have changed all of these words, removed all of these offensive symbols? Or are we more divided?

We have created an army on the Left of perpetual victims. They stand ready to whine at the drop of a hat or a sombrero.

And the rest of America walks on eggshells.

The political correctness movement forces Americans to expend an inordinate amount of time, energy and money in order to do their bidding. And their bidding is the equivalent of picking fly poop out of pepper.

Tony Leodora is president of TL Golf Services, host of the weekly GolfTalk Live radio show on WNTP 990-AM and host of the Traveling Golfer television show as well as editor of GolfStyles magazine. He is former sports editor of The Times Herald. Send comments to tlgolfservices@aol.com.

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Leodora: The world of political correctness isn't perfect - The Times Herald