PART 1 OF 2:
BIOLA UNIVERSITY EXPOSED FOR ABUSE OF STUDENT, DIANA JIMENEZ, EXERCISING RIGHT TO FREE SPEECH:
Jill Stanek reports here: http://www.jillstanek.com/2013/06/christian-university-retaliates-against-pro-life-student-for-showing-graphic-reality-of-abortion/.
Pictures in question displayed at Biola:
Biola President Barry Corey, et al:
On May 22, Dr. Susan Elliott wrote a letter to all nursing faculty barring them from writing a letter of employment reference for Diana Jimenez, nursing student. See above article.
Biola University Response to Recent YouTube Video of Student Demonstration
Biola abhors the destruction of innocent life through the brutal practice of abortion on demand, and we support student efforts to raise awareness and advocate for biblical convictions. However, there are numerous ways to go about activism on this issue, especially on our pro-life campus. The public displaying of very graphic, disturbing images — for whatever purpose, even one so in line with Biola’s heart — is not an appropriate venue of student expression on our campus.
At issue in this situation is not Biola's commitment to biblical fidelity and the pro-life cause, which we steadfastly uphold. Biola has always been and will always be committed to supporting the pro-life movement and accommodating campus dialogue on the subject, and this has been communicated to students. (For more information, please read this overview of some of the ways in which the university advocates for the sanctity of life.)
This issue is about the appropriate free expression of views on these issues on our campus. As outlined in our Student Handbook, all student assemblies and forums are subject to approval by the office of the Dean of Students. In this instance, the student sought approval to display graphic imagery on campus and she was denied. Student Development communicated clearly with the student on the matter, explaining that the photos were not allowed because they would be disruptive to campus activity. Student Development expressed to her that she would be free to share information on this issue on campus through other methods (a table with handouts, a panel discussion, etc.). Even after multiple discussions with Student Development personnel, the student continued to disregard these discussions, chose to violate peaceful assembly policies, baited our Campus Safety officers, filmed when asked to stop, and continued her attempt to display these images on campus. Because she violated our policies and ignored our concerns, Campus Safety intervened. It is unfortunate that the situation has been misrepresented.
We are continually in prayer for our community: faculty, staff and students who care deeply for the needs of our society and who seek earnestly, with respect and integrity, to serve our Lord Jesus with conviction and courage. Thank you for your continued understanding and prayer on this matter."
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PART 2 OF 2:
Biola University's drift toward Catholic "contemplative mysticism":
Quote from this article about Biola adopting Catholic contemplative mysticism and recommending Catholic retreat centers. Scroll down to Biola heading:
“‘Go to a retreat center that has one of its purposes the provision of a place for individual sojourners. Try to find a center that has gardens, fountains, statues, and other forms of beautiful artwork. In our experience, Catholic retreat centers are usually ideal for solitude retreats. … We also recommend that you bring photos of your loved ones and a picture of Jesus… Or gaze at a statue of Jesus. Or let some thought, feeling, or memory run through your mind over and over again” (The Lost Virtue of Happiness, pp. 54-55).
“We recommend that you begin by saying the Jesus Prayer (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jesus_Prayer), about three hundred times a day. ...
When you first awaken, say the Jesus Prayer twenty to thirty times. As you do, something will begin to happen to you. God will begin to slowly occupy the center of your attention” (The Lost Virtue of Happiness, pp. 90, 92)."
See: http://lightingtheway.blogspot.com/2006/09/biola-embraces-contemplative.html.
See: http://apprising.org/2008/10/20/biola-university-now-drifting-from-evangelical-protestant-roots/.
See: http://www.lighthousetrailsresearch.com/Colleges.htm#B. Biola/Talbot School of Theology listed.
See: http://www.lighthousetrailsresearch.com/blog/?p=1436.
See: http://cct.biola.edu/about/news/article/2013/mar/31/announcing-2013-2014-cct-award-recipients/,
which is Biola's Center for Christian Thought's "Psychology and Spiritual Formation" research theme:
Spiritual Formation (Institute) - Talbot School of Theology,
with list of courses and requirements for students:
http://biola.catalog.acalog.com/preview_entity.php?catoid=8&ent_oid=382&returnto=209&print; and
http://www.biola.edu/spiritualformation/programs/courses/.
See: http://cct.biola.edu/about/news/article/2013/mar/31/announcing-2013-2014-cct-award-recipients/,
which is Biola's Center for Christian Thought's "Psychology and Spiritual Formation" research theme:
Spiritual Formation (Institute) - Talbot School of Theology,
with list of courses and requirements for students:
http://biola.catalog.acalog.com/preview_entity.php?catoid=8&ent_oid=382&returnto=209&print; and
http://www.biola.edu/spiritualformation/programs/courses/.
Spiritual Formation Under Attack at Biola
October 27, 2008, 11:30 am » Brett McCracken
Last week, a long-running smear campaign against "spiritual formation" at Biola University kicked it up a notch. An organization called Lighthouse Trails teamed up with Apprising Ministries to unleash a torrent of criticism and insults about Biola, claiming that Biola is drifting from its strong biblical roots and embracing "apostate Roman Catholic mystical spiritual formation"…
I haven't the energy to summarize the smears, but if you want to follow it thus far, read the following posts: Biola University Now Drifting from Evangelical Protestant Roots? (Oct 20) Biola University Student Reports on Contemplative Chapel Services - Warns Parents to Avoid Biola (Oct 20) Biola University Contacts Lighthouse Trails – Accuses of Libel (Oct 21) You'll be shocked when you find out just what it is that these people are up in arms about… Contemplative prayer! That's right, they are worried about Biola possibly being apostate because in chapel we dare to introduce students to ancient methods of contemplative, meditative prayer. We dare to engage the students in Lectio Divina, an ancient method inherited from the Desert Fathers of deeply reading and meditating upon a scripture. It's not new-agey or mystical; it's simple, quiet, and meaningful. The bible takes center stage. What is wrong with that? Evidently these critics of Biola are worried that by having an entire chapel service of silent meditation, there is somehow a movement of apostasy being birthed in the students' minds. It's wrong, they suggest, to have a scripture read without a pastor or speaker there to unpack it and give it some context. Todd Pickett, Associate Dean of Spiritual Development at Biola, has a different opinion. He believes that students today are "over-messaged" and need more time to just contemplate what they've already been hearing, learning, experiencing in Christ. "I hear from students that they need more time for processing and reflection," he told The Chimes, Biola's student newspaper. "They feel overwhelmed sometimes by the amount of information that comes at them. That makes sense to me, [and] at the very least, we need to allow a little time and a little room to listen to what God is doing. [We need to] take some of the things we hear and talk to God about them. I am trying to build that into the rhythm of chapel." As someone who was a busy college student myself not too long ago, I resonate with every word of what Pickett is saying. Time for reflection is the number one need of students today. Apparently the folks at Lighthouse Trails and Apprising Ministries don't agree, however. To them, Pickett, along with people like Richard Foster (who they label "neo-Gnostic"), Henri Nouwen, and Dallas Willard (who, for the record, gave a very philosophical and helpful lecture at Biola's Torrey Conference last Wednesday), represent an unbiblical mysticism that masquerades as "spiritual formation." It baffles me that "spiritual formation," which to me looks like a positive, healthy thing from every angle, is being so aggressively criticized. Even more baffled that Biola is being singled out and smeared for their commitment to it. But then again, Christians tend to be the most critical of all people, unfortunately. So I guess it shouldn't surprise me.
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Biola's Gay and Lesbian Student group called "The Biola Queer Underground":
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