Students, Alumni at University Want Pence's Commencement Invite Pulled, Say His Views Are Un-Christian
A group of students and alumni from Taylor University in northeast Indiana have started a petition to oppose Vice President Mike Pence speaking at the Christian school’s graduation next month.
The change.org petition — which appears to be open for anyone to sign — has garnered approximately 4,000 signatures.
“Inviting Vice President Pence to Taylor University and giving him a coveted platform for his political views makes our alumni, faculty, staff and current students complicit in the Trump-Pence Administration’s policies, which we believe are not consistent with the Christian ethic of love we hold dear,” the petition reads, in part.
Alex Hoekstra, a 2007 Taylor graduate, launched the drive for signatures last week after Taylor announced the former Indiana governor was the invited speaker.
Hoekstra encouraged people signing to the petition to write an accompanying comment identifying themselves as “alumni (note your graduation year!), faculty, staff, parent, current student, a member of the Taylor family or simply an ally letting the Taylor administration know how you feel.”
The petition calls for Pence’s invitation to be rescinded.
Amy Peterson — an adjunct professor at Taylor — wrote an Op-Ed for The Washington Post explaining why she and others affiliated with the university are upset.
“(T)he selection of Pence, a former Indiana governor, as the May 18 commencement speaker is deeply disappointing, for me, and for many of the faculty. It reflects a failure of the university’s leadership to live up to its mission,” she wrote.
That mission, the professor noted, is to “minister Christ’s redemptive love and truth in a world in need.”
According to Peterson, a vote among the faculty found that 49 professors supported Pence coming to the school while 61 opposed.
She recounted that one young sophomore woman texted her, “I’ve been shaking all morning.”
Peterson suggested it would have been better if the school had invited former President Barack Obama, because it would have sent a message of “reconciliation.”
By contrast, honoring the vice president makes it difficult to faithfully work through divisive political issues such as “racism, immigration policy and sexual ethics.”
“Inviting Pence reinforces the creeping conflation of ‘evangelical’ with ‘Republican,'” Peterson argued.
Kevin Holtsberry, a Taylor alumni, told Fox News on Monday he is pleased the university is sticking by its decision to invite the vice president.
“I was very nervous initially that the very vocal overwhelming minority might sort of sway Taylor to take a different stance so I’m very glad they’re taking that solid stance,” Holtsberry said.
Glad to have a chance to chat ever so briefly with @JedediahBila this morning on @Foxand Friends about VP Pence & @TaylorU https://t.co/7VJMzx3o51 Note to Self: next time drink more coffee …
— Kevin Holtsberry (@kevinholtsberry) April 15, 2019
“The vice president has very orthodox Christian beliefs — very traditional beliefs — that a vast majority of Christians believe,” he added.
“His political views are shared by a large section of America, so it’s not a radical choice, and I think people should be able to engage and disagree with his views and do it in a mature fashion.”
Taylor University issued a statement in response to the opposition to Pence’s participation in graduation.
“Since making the announcement of Vice President Mike Pence’s upcoming commencement speech, we have received feedback from people on either side of the issue. Taylor University is an intentional Christian community that strives to encourage positive, respectful and meaningful dialogue,” Taylor University spokesman, James Garringer, said in a statement.
“We look forward to hosting the Vice President next month.”
During the course of the 2016 presidential campaign and since, Pence has described himself as a “Christian, a conservative and a Republican” in that order.
Pence’s faith was in the news last week when Democratic presidential hopeful Pete Buttigieg criticized the vice president’s belief that marriage is between a man and a woman. This definition is consistent with how Jesus Christ defined marriage in the Bible.
“If me being gay was a choice, it was made far, far above my pay grade,” Buttigieg said at an event hosted by the LGBTQ Victory Fund, according to The Hill.
“That’s the thing that I wish the Mike Pences of the world would understand — that if you got a problem with who I am — your problem is not with me, your quarrel sir, is with my creator.”
“My marriage to Chasten has made me a better man. And yes, Mr. Vice President, it has moved me closer to God,” he added, prompting applause.
Pence has not raised the issue of Buttigieg identifying as a gay man and argued the mayor of South Bend is simply trying to raise his political profile.
“He said some things that are critical of my Christian faith and about me personally. And he knows better. He knows me,” Pence told CNBC last week. “But I get it. You know, it’s — look, again, 19 people running for president on that side in a party that’s sliding off to the left. And they’re all competing with one another for how much more liberal they are.”
The Associated Press reported, “During the four years in which they overlapped in Indiana politics, Buttigieg, the South Bend mayor, had a cordial relationship with Pence.
“The two collaborated on economic development issues. Buttigieg presented Pence with a South Bend promotional T-shirt that said ‘I (heart) SB.’ And at ceremonial events, Pence would lavish Buttigieg with praise.”
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