University located in
Greenville,
South Carolina. It is advertised as a
Christian school, but it is more a university for
Protestant Christians--ideally,
fundamentalist Protestant Christians. They have come
under fire because of
adverse publicity of some of their
policies, specifically their
statements against
Catholics and their
rules against
interracial dating.
Here's what their
website (www.bju.edu/response.htm) says about some of those charges...
Concerning the university as an
issue in the 2000
Republican primaries:
"Is there a spiritual warfare being waged daily against the people of God and is what is happening to BJU currently a part of that warfare? How do you explain the sudden hatred and bigotry the University is subjected to by the media and the political "three tenors," McCain, Gore, and Bradley, who sing the same off-pitch tune of the liberal left? Isn't it really a compliment to Bob Jones University that the likes of John McCain, Al Gore, and Bill Bradley seethe and fulminate against us? Would we not be embarrassed if they, with their philosophies, spoke well of us? The great divide is between our biblical world view and their humanistic world view."Regarding
interracial dating and
interracial marriage:
"Students of all races attend here and live in racial harmony and respect for one another as Christians. If there is discrimination in the policy, which race is discriminated against? Black, white, or yellow? Each person dates within his own race. For there to be discrimination, one race would have to be treated differently from the other."More on
interracial couples:
"Is there a Bible verse or passage that teaches against interracial marriage? No. Is there a Bible principle upon which the University's interracial dating stance is founded? Yes. The one-world principle--every effort man has made, or will make, to bring the world together in unity--plays into the hand of Antichrist. This first began at the Tower of Babel, and it will culminate at Armageddon when the Lord returns to establish His rule of peace and harmony for a thousand years. Bob Jones University opposes one world, one church, one economy, one military, one race, and unisex. God made racial differences as He made gender differences."A bit more:
"At the Tower of Babel, God used language to disrupt man's plans for a one-world government. As a result of this disruption, the people were scattered, and the races were polarized. One thing is clear: God wanted a divided world, not a federalized world. Based on this biblical account (Genesis 10 and 11), the University wishes to give God the benefit of any doubt and avoid pursuing any direction that would give assistance to the renewed efforts of man to create a one-world community consisting of one religion, one economy, one government, and one race. The biblical account of Babel and God's response to it are historical fact."And a bit more:
"Does the University believe that those who choose interracial marriage do so out of rebellion against God? No. It does believe, however, that often the promoters of it do so out of antagonism toward God because they are often the same entities that promote homosexuality, abortion, and other forms of social radicalism."And on the
origin of their dating policy:
"Did the University's dating policy originate to regulate black-white relationships? No. It was first stated in the mid-1950s when dealing with an Asian-Caucasian dating couple. At that time, Christians nationwide understood that interracial marriage was best avoided."On
Catholicism:
"We love the practicing Catholic and earnestly desire to see him accept the Christ of the Cross, leave the false system that has enslaved his soul, and enjoy the freedom of sins forgiven that is available for any of us in Christ alone."On the modern church:
"The shameful departure from the Scripture by that which calls itself the church so that it might mirror unregenerate society has become profound in the last 40 years. The University exists as a valued training place for Christians who are conformed to Christ and His Word, who refuse to be conformed to the world. The University's refusal to compromise and contemporize makes it the object of ridicule and hatred by those on the other side of the Cross."