By Calvin Hughes · Contributing Writer
Dear Editor,
Whilst perusing the latest issue of The Collegian, I came across Christopher Corbin’s article “Faith, Freedom and Hypocrisy.” I, of all people, certainly know Mr. Corbin is entitled to an opinion, but he is by no means entitled to the last word, a right I humbly reserve for myself.
I personally found his article quite irritating, for it attacked not only our august President Lingo, but also a primary reason I chose this school.
Nothing, nay, not even knowledge itself, is as important as salvation through Christ. While I do not expect my professors to promote salvation more than my pastors, I do expect them to refrain from undermining that salvation.
It has been the sad trajectory of many Christian colleges, even the one that shares my name, to fade into such undermining by letting their professors hold a variety of outrageous views on matters such as the literal truth of the Bible, the physical resurrection of Christ and the necessity of repentance for salvation.
It has been said that the reason liberal Christians achieved cultural dominance was that conservatives marched upon the White House, while liberals marched upon the English department.
If we wish to remain conservative, it naturally follows that liberals should not be permitted to march upon said English department.
Mr. Corbin sums up the accomplishments of the statement-of-faith issue in the singular word, “nothing,” and proceeds to lament the situation of an Episcopalian who would be barred from teaching by this very statement of faith. This is far from nothing!
Episcopalians are notorious in Protestant circles for three things: female ministers, liberal Christianity and the baptism of pets. I leave the accuracy of the allegations to the Episcopalians proper.
I dare say I don’t want such ridiculous ideas even referenced favorably by my professors during the most formative years of my life, no matter whose funeral they spoke at. Mr. Corbin also claims the statement of faith is “nakedly denominational,” a fine insult for a school founded by and for Presbyterians.
I have but one more complaint. Mr. Corbin describes the statement of faith as “an exercise in hypocrisy.” Merriam-Webster defines that final word as “a feigning to be what one is not or to believe what one does not: behavior that contradicts what one claims to believe or feel.”
If the goal of this entire operation is to throw out false teachers, then the college’s actions are not hypocritical, for they do that very thing.
We Christians must remain true to the gospel even if it costs us friends, community, unity, comfort or life itself, and if the college has too spindly a spine to lift that burden, then God shall break it.
To the trustees, the president and all involved in requiring the signing of the statement of faith, we Christian students salute you and thank you for the excellent service you have accomplished through this action. God bless you all, and God bless Grove City College.
–Respectfully,
Calvin Hughes (’30)
