Affirming the Dignity of Every Person and Response as a Christian Community
Spring Arbor University affirms the full humanity and dignity of every human being, regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity. Among the sins that the Bible clearly condemns is sexual immorality (I Corinthians 6:9-11). We recognize that there are individuals who experience same- sex attraction, and or confusion about gender within our community. They are loved and valued, and we condemn any malice directed toward them. As a university, we encourage the vigorous pursuit of truth. As a Christian university, we believe the Bible, as illuminated by the Holy Spirit, is true and reliable. We recognize that there are Christians inside and outside our community who have different interpretations of Scripture. The Spring Arbor University statement concerning sexuality is in line with the Free Methodist Book of Discipline. Regardless of one’s perspective or tradition, we encourage all of our community members to engage this issue with civility and respect.
Spring Arbor University’s position as communicated in the Spring Arbor University Student Handbook and Community Covenant:
We believe that the value of human beings does not depend on their marital status, but that human families were established by God to perpetuate humankind and to provide a stable community for nurturing faith and righteous living. Marriage between one man and one woman is the instruction of the Bible for establishing families, and physical sexual expression is to be confined to the marriage relationship.
Student Community Standard regarding sexual expression:
All students-regardless of age, sexual preference, residency, or status-are required to abstain from cohabitation, inappropriate sexual behavior, and any involvement in premarital or extramarital sexual activity.
We recognize that this belief and instruction may be in conflict with the practice or vision of the larger culture, as Christian beliefs have been in other times and places. That said, we hold to the historically biblical Christian position on this issue while being respectful of those who disagree with us. Students who violate our community standards regarding sexual expression will meet with an accountability committee and be treated in a loving redemptive manner throughout the accountability process.
Although in a fallen world certain medical anomalies are occasionally encountered, Spring Arbor University understands gender to be a matter of primary, overt sexual characteristics at birth, other than in cases in which these characteristics are ambiguous. We perceive the weight of the implications of Holy Scripture to guide us to reaffirm the birth gender of individuals (Matthew 19:4, Mark 10:6), although we acknowledge that there are persons who genuinely experience gender confusion.
We regard such confusion as evidencing at least some degree of spiritual confusion warranting pastoral care, though not necessarily any greater spiritual need than presents itself in other forms among our student and employee populations. That said, the actions and behaviors that sometimes result from gender confusion can be disruptive and contrary to a community seeking to exhibit and encourage in persons in our care an understanding of personal identity and holiness rooted in the truth of Christ.
Therefore, since college is traditionally a time of personal exploration and growth and change, we do not seek to exclude those persons for whom gender identity is an issue. However, we do reserve the right to terminate or deny enrollment of those whose influence upon our community should prove to be in our judgment intractably contrary to the best interests of our students, and commitments to our university and to our Lord. Therefore, Spring Arbor University will not support persistent or conspicuous expressions or actions that are deliberately discordant with birth gender and will address such matters within the appropriate pastoral and accountability processes of the university. Spring Arbor University reserves the right to examine situations on an individual basis taking into consideration the unique characteristics of a given issue or person while upholding the Doctrine of the Free Methodist Church, Spring Arbor University Statement of Faith, Community Covenant and Student Community Standards. The Spring Arbor University Board of Trustees has the final authority and responsibility for the interpretation of our Statement of Faith, Community Covenant and of the biblical principles that serve as their foundation.
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