What Are They Waiting For?
If the early church had waited for Jewish and Roman authorities to recognize and license the first Christians, they'd probably still be waiting today. So why do Christian students' groups on American college campuses have to wait for college authorities to recognize them before they can go about their business?
The Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (FIRE) is suing California State University at San Bernardino for refusing to recognize the Christian Student Assn. (CSA) "for requiring that its members be Christians and adhere to the group's statements of faith and sexual morality." See the Dec. 27 Agape Press article by Jim Brown, "FIRE: California School Curtails Christian Students' First Amendment Rights," http://headlines.agapepress.org/archive/12/272005a.asp. According to FIRE, "University after university has done this; FIRE has fought cases all over the country."
OK, the university's position is maliciously ridiculous. And we do have a Constitutional right of freedom of association. But should that mean that Christian students should not organize and should not be active, unless the college gives them a piece of the student activities fund? Did the local synagogue or the Roman magistrate have to fund Paul's infant churches before they could be active?
Constitutionally, it's important that FIRE win this lawsuit. But while they're waiting for that, the Christian students should go about their business without funding from the college, or formal recognition. Surely they can raise funds themselves. If the college won't give them a meeting place, let them meet somewhere else--a private home, or outdoors on a nice day.
There is no reason that God's work should stop for want of a nod and a stipend from the unbelievers.
The Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (FIRE) is suing California State University at San Bernardino for refusing to recognize the Christian Student Assn. (CSA) "for requiring that its members be Christians and adhere to the group's statements of faith and sexual morality." See the Dec. 27 Agape Press article by Jim Brown, "FIRE: California School Curtails Christian Students' First Amendment Rights," http://headlines.agapepress.org/archive/12/272005a.asp. According to FIRE, "University after university has done this; FIRE has fought cases all over the country."
OK, the university's position is maliciously ridiculous. And we do have a Constitutional right of freedom of association. But should that mean that Christian students should not organize and should not be active, unless the college gives them a piece of the student activities fund? Did the local synagogue or the Roman magistrate have to fund Paul's infant churches before they could be active?
Constitutionally, it's important that FIRE win this lawsuit. But while they're waiting for that, the Christian students should go about their business without funding from the college, or formal recognition. Surely they can raise funds themselves. If the college won't give them a meeting place, let them meet somewhere else--a private home, or outdoors on a nice day.
There is no reason that God's work should stop for want of a nod and a stipend from the unbelievers.
