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A toxic learning environment: One foot in the world, the other in Christ

A toxic learning environment: One foot in the world, the other in Christ


A toxic learning environment: One foot in the world, the other in Christ

Christian parents and donors are being advised to closely examine schools of higher education that claim the name of Christ – because some of those institutions are, in fact, not holding to scriptural truth.

As AFN reported last week, Promise Keepers was planning to host an event this year at Belmont University in Nashville. It was to be one of the stops of the ministry's "Daring Faith" events, including locations such as Houston, Memphis, and New York City. But after the men's ministry rejected "Pride Month" and made clear it holds to the biblical definition of marriage – one man and one woman – Belmont abruptly broke the contract, saying its values don't align with those of Promise Keepers.

During a recent interview with the Christian Broadcasting Network, PK president Ken Harrison said many Christian colleges are hiding their unchristian values (see related article).

"The reason they do this is because they show up [claiming] 'We're still Christian' because their donors – [some of whom] are 70 and 80 years old – are giving back to schools that they think are teaching scripture," said the ministry leader. "Then over here they're teaching absolute garbage – critical race theory, gender stuff."

Harrison, Ken (Promise Keepers) Harrison

Harrison is warning donors and parents to do their homework. "There are lots of people giving tens of millions of dollars to these Christian schools that are not teaching Christ. [Instead] they're polluting the minds of our youth," he charged.

Schools like Belmont, he added, need to make up their minds – either they're Christian or they're not.

"[The Book of] James says, 'Don't you know that friendship with the world is hatred towards God?' [The Book of First] John says, 'Do not love the world or anything in the world. Anyone who loves the world does not have the love of the Father in him.'

"If we're loving, then we take scripture seriously – and we teach the whole Word of God," Harrison offered.

At least one observer argues Belmont deserves to be disgraced – and sued – for breaking its contract with Promise Keepers. The ministry has reached out to Belmont for what it calls "a broader conversation about the influence of social norms and popular culture on the values of Christian institutions," but is still awaiting a response.