Dr Tom White *the Benevolent* is reinstated by CU’s Board of Trustees
Dr Daniel Akin, President of SEBTS, is not impressed and quits the Board of Trustees
Mark Vroegop, lead pastor of College Park Church in Indianapolis, Indiana, and Council member of the Gospel Coalition, concurs
The Council of Biblical Manhood and Womanhood quietly removes White from their Board of Directors and their Council. His wife, Joy, continues as a member of the council.
Some observations:
- Special thanks to Todd Wilhelm and Brent Detwiler for discovering this information.
- Tom White writes regularly for 9 Marks and we don’t expect that to change. More on why that is in a future post.
- Dr White’s actions in bringing Dr Moore was not benevolent. Dr White showed absolutely no regard for those who were victims of Moore or potential victims of Moore. That is not benevolent. Who writes this stuff?
- Dr Akin was correct in his assessment of Dr White’s poor handling of Dr Moore’s hiring as well as the execution of the so called *restoration plan.*
We’re sure our readers will have some interesting insights. However, I (Dee) have one important insight. There have been a lot of attacks on bloggers recently. It was a blogger, Todd , who brought the facts of this situation to light. I would imagine that there are a few people out there who are quite glad that there are folks out here whio are trying to keep Christian institutions honest.
1
re: ” trying to keep Christian institutions honest.”
I suspect that for many of these institutions, that horse left the barn a while ago.
For many of them, it’s “trying to shine light on the dishonesty, in hope of pressuring them in the direction of repentance and change.”
It’s a prophetic ministry, and we know from history that prophets rarely get much honor in their own time. But they are vindicated in the sight of later generations.
Just to be “fair”, I have seen plenty of “slaps on the wrist” to big shot administrators that would get peons fired…..
But given, as TWW routinely shows, “Christian organization” continue to demonstrate they have LOWER standards, how could this outcome be any different?
I will grant the two resigning Board of Trustee members much credit, however. Nicely done! ( being serious now).
This is horrific news.
In reinstating Dr Thomas White, the Cedarville trustees are knowingly and willingly putting the whole student body, faculty and staff of Cedarville University back under the leadership of a man of proven dishonesty who time again has shown reckless disregard for the safety and welfare of those supposedly under his care.
This is horrific news.
In reinstating Dr Thomas White, the Cedarville trustees are knowingly and willingly putting the whole student body, faculty and staff of Cedarville University back under the leadership of a man of proven dishonesty who time and again has shown reckless disregard for the safety and welfare of those supposedly under his care.
White is still listed as a council member: https://cbmw.org/about/council-members/
A CONCERNED PARENT,
Did you see our screen shots?
“Did you see our screen shots?”
Yes. Did you look at the link which still lists Thomas White as a council member?
The thought occurs that CU has got itself into an unrecoverable state. Even if the Trustees had dismissed White, whom would they appoint to replace him? Surely someone very like him. And as trustees retire from the board, they will be replaced with likeminded people.
It seems to me that CU has locked itself (and this was certainly the intention) into a state from which it will never recover, at least not on a timescale short compared with a human life-span.
Usually, it takes a financial hit, to make entrenched interests change course.
Oh me. I’m confused. I have been an attendee of SBC churches my whole life and have been a member of several SBC affiliated churches since 1978.
After all these years, I’m beginning to wonder if I have been misinformed about one of the Ten Commandments. Y’all know, that commandment about bearing false witness …….. I thought it was “thou shalt not bear false witness. But maybe it says “thou shalt bear false witness”, cuz Baptist leaders seem to be doing that more than anything else these days.
These guys make it appear that the harder you try to lie, the harder you try to cover up sex crimes, the harder you try to be a con-artist, and the less you believe women are worth, the better Baptist you are.
Yeah. I think I have some valid reasons For having not been to church since Feb. 2016!
Parents / people paying tuition / people taking out loans to pay tuition should stay away from Cedarville. It’s obvious the fix is in.
For the amount of money you’re being asked to lay out/cosign, your child can get a better education just about anywhere, even at a secular university. $32K tuition plus room and board is a lot of money to be spending at an outfit that obviously puts students last, behind internal politics and protecting the favored ones.
What.A.Mess. Vote with your feet–and with your wallet.
Muslin, fka Dee Holmes,
Paying to be prey in a hunting ground. First time around, shame on the predator. Second time around, shame on the informed who enlist, on their own dime. Sick. Who in their right mind would sign up for this?
TGC posted an article on it this morning:
https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/cedarville-president-reinstated-despite-extremely-troubling-hiring-decision/
Ava Aaronson,
Exactly.
There is historical precedence for this:
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wicked_Bible
Many of the rules in places like Cedarville do not actually keep students safe, either. Sure, please do keep explosives off campus. But why the ban on wearing sweat pants and shorts to class? Students have to attend chapel daily, using their ID cards to prove attendance… or face monetary fines. Enforcement of this will fall harder on students who are financially struggling.
This college also has a sex policy for married students: “Married students are encouraged to celebrate God’s design of sexual intimacy by pursuing emotional and physical intimacy with their spouse.” Yes, this COLLEGE is inviting itself into the sex lives of legally married adults.
Run away!
https://publications.cedarville.edu/brochures/studentlife/studenthandbook/files/assets/common/downloads/publication.pdf
Ken F (aka Tweed),
A subtle point is that, strictly speaking, the text appears to be about witness testimony in legal proceedings — the concern may not be about truth-speaking under all circumstances, but about the manipulation of the legal system (judges under YHWH — first Moses and later a larger group) to produce unjust outcomes.
One could read this casuistically as not being a blanket prohibition on speaking falsehoods of any kind in any circumstance.
Further, the text says “against your neighbor”, ie, “fellow Israelite.” Bearing false witness in legal proceedings against non-Israelites, or more generally speaking falsehoods to them, may not, strictly speaking, be forbidden by this text.
As I understand it, the classical Reformed carved out an exception for the extreme case of states of war, in which it may be a military necessity to deceive the enemy (Jael and Sisera come to mind as biblical example of this). The legal context and intra-Israel orientation of the commandment facilitates this move.
And so, the thought occurs, that people who take a very narrow view of who is genuinely “inside the camp” might have no moral qualms about lying bare-faced to people with whom they do not agree.
Just getting them ready for the kinds of accountability they will be under should they ever aspire to church office. As I understand it, churches in the Mars Hill mold consider insufficiently frequent intimacy a disqualification for the office of elder.
Samuel Conner,
Decades ago, a possibly baseless Protestant complaint against Catholics was a rumor that Catholic priests would visit and admonish married couples who were not producing children. I don’t know whether that ever happened—but many Protestants believed it. They made this a distinction, that Protestant pastors stayed out of church members’ private lives.
One would think Cedarville University’s accredidation is now in the toilet
Strange and kind of sad………. but still hilarious!!!
Okay. Students get fined for not attending chapel, so do married couples get fined for failing to “….celebrate God’s design……” ?????????????
Ha! Really, as controlling as these “college” officials are, just how far down the road …….
I guess I’d better stop. If any Cedarville people are reading this post, they might get ideas!
“I would imagine that there are a few people out there who are quite glad that there are folks out here who are trying to keep Christian institutions honest.” (Dee)
Number me among the few! With this latest development at CU, followed by comparable handling of similar situations at other Christian institutions, it should be clear to folks that we just can’t trust leaders to do the right thing. I praise God for Christian watchblogs like TWW which inform and warn the Body of Christ, while leaders entrusted with this responsibility don’t. That’s why I comment here rather than spending more time fishing.
I’m not a fan of Akin or CBMW, but they did the right thing here. I suspect a lot of CU students and their parents are reconsidering their options for higher education … since the higher education at CU has now lower than it should be.
should read: “the higher education at CU ‘is’ now lower than it should be”
Reckon how much influence CU’s deep-pocket big donors had in this action? The Trustees surely considered this in their decision. Are there wealthy good ole boy contributors who are also White lovers?
… but not a ban on hiring close associates of Paige Patterson?!
Watch all this stuff come crumbling down as the enrollment declines this fall ……sadly it wont be conviction of sin that makes forced changes…..it will be finances……..
Friend,
Good comment. I hadn’t thought about that.
To paraphrase, “All the cool kids are doing it.” I’m done with SBC and New Calvinism.
Friend,
I grew up in Salem, Massachusetts and Catholicism was the dominant faith group. Some of the nicest Christians I met were Catholic priests who were kind to evangelicals. One pastor I know has established a friendship with a priest. No, they don’t compromise their beliefs but they share the many things that they agree on.
One Christian physician who I know is a kind and thoughtful Catholic Christian. He suggested the music of Matt Maher to me. I discovered that Maher, who write and performs with Chris Tomlin and Matt Redmond, is also a practicing Catholic.
Duped parent,
I will be interested in seeing how the accreditation teams respond to this.
Nancy2(aka Kevlar),
This is funny.
Max,
Thank you. As Todd was winding down his blog, he took on exposing the problem with Moore. he is writing far more than he intended!!
Friend,
A “sex policy” for married students is sick!
dee,
I, for one, am glad that Todd is writing more than he intended. Those people should be and deserve to be exposed for what they really are. The potential students, as well as donors, deserve to know what they are walking into.
Scream the truth from the rooftops!
I agree that it is hard to believe that enrollment will not fall, and it’s hard to believe that finances will not be hit.
But, what changes is this board going to make that would make things materially different? Is the board going to dissolve itself and appoint replacements who are ideologically radically different from itself? Hard to imagine.
And even if they appointed better senior officers to the administration of the university, the damage has been done at the level of the faculty. It will take a very long time to restore what has been lost.
I think it’s an unrecoverable error.
Our family received magnificent help from a couple of Roman Catholic priests during a time of hardship.
In case my original point was vague: Protestants used to brag that their pastors did not meddle in people’s lives, and they used dubious anti-Catholic arguments to make the point.
Now, some Protestant pastors and elders are proud of meddling.
It’s hard to be subtle in comments, especially given that abuse has always existed in churches. I didn’t want to make a blanket statement absolving either side.
I hope that’s clear enough.
Maybe they can apply to this nonprofit, which establishes standards for plumbing fixtures:
https://www.nsf.org/services/by-industry/water-wastewater/plumbing-fixtures/north-american-requirements-plumbing
Nancy2(aka Kevlar),
There needs to be a like button so I can like this post!
Max,
“…it should be clear to folks that we just can’t trust leaders to do the right thing.”
+++++++++++++++++
hmmmm. well, according to Joe Carter in the piece he wrote for http://www.thegospelcoalition.com,
“Because many of the trustees are pastors and elders, they know firsthand how easy it is for those in ministry to stumble and fall into immoral behavior.”
so, apparently being in ministry makes it easy to choose the immoral thing.
huh. how about that.
i know people, who are expressly *not* christian, in various professional fields whose standards for personal integrity are high enough that it is beneath them to choose the immoral thing.
but then, of course, there are christians. christian leaders, no less, who actually find it “easy” to choose the immoral thing.
my conclusion:
1. the career field of Professional Christian (aka ‘ministry’) attracts weak men (& a few women) with underdeveloped character.
2. the Professional Christian industry shapes itself to pander to these weak men (& a few women) by
–using them as illustrations of ‘grace’ and ‘redemption’,
–promoting them with money & power as a kind of industry-wide insurance policy for job security
–putting forth narratives like “how easy it is for those in ministry to stumble and fall into immoral behavior.”
.
.
what a pathetic crock o’nonsense.
This is really alarming! Why does this college and its President have such inhumane rules against gay people . . . but it hires a sex offender? Then, top officials try to cover it up.
When you (generic you) have an unhealthy ‘fear’ of God, and that he is in ‘control’, and that he endorses the methods of these kinds of boards, you sign up.
Ya’ got that right Friend!
There ain’t no police like the sex police.
A CONCERNED PARENT,
“White is still listed as a council member: https://cbmw.org/about/council-members/”
++++++++++++++
apparently now both Manhood White and Womanhood White are now missing from the Board of Directors.
i found it comical that for a while, there, CBMW thought it was a good idea to have Womanhood White as a Board Member without the headship of her Manhood White.
i seem to remember they said this kind of thing would ‘strain godly manhood and womanhood to the breaking point.’
elastigirl,
You hit the nail on the head
Samuel Conner,
Samuel, it is never too late to do a 360.
elastigirl,
Completely agree with this.
Jeffrey Chalmers,
it’s amazing, really. christian culture seems set up to make all kinds of unethical choices easy and no big deal. with lax accountability when caught.
-the ends justify the means
-too big to fail
ha, well actually it’s set up to make a huge fuss when the i’s aren’t dotted and the t’s aren’t crossed.
which is convenient for leaders. makes them look “Strong!” when they discipline others.
and then when the leaders themselves choose the immoral thing, they deflect by drawing attention away from the truly egregious thing and making the issue about how they didn’t dot the “i”.
followed up with all the many, many t’s they heroically did cross (with all benevolence, of course).
Vance,
Of course.
And it’s never too late to pull back on the control column of an airliner that is descending too rapidly.
But it might be too late for that maneuver to prevent a tragedy.
That’s my point. Corporations go under all the time. In each case,
there was a point at which recovery was not possible, no matter how
well managed the entity was from that point forward.
It’s not too late for CU’s board to do the right thing.
But it might be too late for “the right thing” to prevent dire outcomes for CU.
elastigirl,
goodness, just watched a scathing example of this on the youtube video about Eric Marczak / Hopewell Baptist Church, Napa CA / Mike Ray.
…which i imagine we will be hearing more about.
As it turns out, the cost of acting with integrity by the CU Board was a higher price than the majority were willing to pay. So they’ll settle for what is behind “door #2” – a President with his reputation in tatters and an almost completed luxury home!!
I need Dee’s GIF of the woman spewing her coffee! Funny stuff.
Good question Will.
I think another interesting aspect of this scandal to consider is what I believe to be a very valid case of ‘white privilege.” Anthony Moore was immediately fired by White when the story about Moore’s termination from The Village Church was publicized. I have no issue with Moore’s firing, but I believe White should have also been fired.
Julie Roys has done a good job of documenting the fact that White knew everything about Moore’s crimes at TVC, yet he hired his good friend in spite of this knowledge and deceived the BOT in the process. Then White lied in his public statement. To My knowledge he has never admitted the truth (and thus never repented). It is likely the investigation also made clear that White was told the complete story by TVC. This is probably why Akin mentioned in his letter of resignation that he found the report very troubling.
White was complicit in this matter. I cannot help but wonder if the roles were reversed and Moore was the president, would he have been fired?
I have heard rumors that Moore will be filing a lawsuit in this matter. If he does so, I think he stands a good chance of obtaining a big pay day. My guess is CU will do everything they can to settle out of court and Moore will have to sign an NDA. There is no way CU wants the truth of this matter to be made public.
Have you read Salem Possessed (1974) by Paul Boyer and Stephen Nissenbaum. I gives a good analysis of the issues swirling in the city prior to the Witchcraft Trials.
Safe community & ethics don’t operate in a vacuum. It’s only when ethical people step up & maintain safe community that it exists. Thx @wartwatch Todd, Dee, commenters, witnesses, posters, et al.
W/out ethical people in any community in constant vigilance, a group is a hunting ground for predators & posers. Fact. Reality.
Joiners beware, be aware. Question to ask: What is the tolerance & what are the procedures in place for dealing with predation in this community (far more important than what is the Creed they recite on Sunday morning)?
These gender-divisive groups posing as esteeming “womanhood” seem to have their designated women (White, Elliot in her day, etc.) …
Similar to the safe ministry posers (pretending to be on the side of survivors but actually divisive among survivors) and their designated survivors …
Dr. Danny Akin’s resignation is the only option he had, and an honorable one. It remains consistent with the guiding principles of the CBMW portraying human behavior to be centered on male-female sexuality.
Here are excerpts from the 1987 Danvers Statement:
“..Rationale
We have been moved in our purpose by the following contemporary developments which we observe with deep concern: ..”.
..”5. the growing claims of legitimacy for sexual relationships which have Biblically and historically been considered illicit or perverse, and the increase in pornographic portrayal of human sexuality; .”..
elastigirl,
And Hopewell Baptist has very strong ties to North Valley Baptist Church in Santa Clara (think Giovanelli-if I am spelling the name correctly).
Nathan Priddis,
but what do you think?
Sarah,
Do you think the luxury home will be big enough for his head?
I’m thinking.
But rest assured, I will make them thoughtful thoughts. As thoughtful as I can make them.
Hmmm … I doubt that it was “easy” for pastors and elders in the first century to fall into immoral behavior … they were too busy taking the Gospel to the known world! I guess this new bunch of church leaders have plenty of time to devote to sinful living. If they start having lustful thoughts, they should direct their energy to the Great Commission. Good Lord! What became of purity and holiness in the pulpit?! Carter’s writing would be puzzling to the early church. Indeed, there are no examples of New Testament pastors who fell into immoral behavior being restored to ministry. New Calvinism approaches antinomianism in many corners of the movement.
Unfortunately, there has been an outbreak of that in the American church … the pathetic crock is particularly prevalent in the New Calvinist movement.
dee,
This action at CU just buys White more time to choose his own exit. He’s done at CU; he just hasn’t quit yet. I’ll give him 6-18 months to find another lucrative position in Christendom.
I may be wrong, but I doubt that Akin resigned just because White hired and tried to protect a voyeurist. I think Akin resigned because White hired and tried to protect a same-sex voyeurist!
Max,
I think Max Is correct, this is a real possibility… he will feel “ led” to another “opportunity” …
I have seen this “show” at a number of academic institutions… It is a way for leader to “save face”……
however, given the B of T already had 2 members exit in public, contentious ways, even if President White does exit, his tenure, as well as CU, has been publicly exposed..
No matter how much you have or get, You Will Always Want More.
I am reminded of the phrases “Token” and “Judas Goat”.
Which it sure wasn’t in the 1690s.
Locked itself into a Death Spiral?
Will Harkleroad,
Well I’m suing Liberty University in part because they chose to believe a sex offender over one of there own adjunct faculty. Much to make God weep on this earth.
Muff Potter,
Muff is correct. Many fundamentalist/evangelical are able to convince their sheep that they have the most “pure” form of Christianity. Once you achieve this, you then “train the sheep” to react to certain phrases/concepts. For example, in one of the latest posts on CU, notes from meetings with President White said that Dr. White responded that CU will probably leave the association of other Christian College because CU is to conservative for the rest of them… most of the “other” Christian College teach evolution ( oh the horrors). All Dr. White has to do is use the word “conservative”, and the most evil phrase “teach evolution”, and he just threw RED MEAT to the fundy base… I know, I was trained like this 45 plus years ago. The other concept that he just needs to throw in is the “complementarian” stuff and the “biblical counseling”, not that State certified, secular humanist stuff…
Heck, if the Board of Trustees fired him, that might lose all their “progress” in this area!
PS… Also remember, CU is on the “honor list”, along with Liberty U, and a few others, for not being one of those “Compromised Christian Colleges” on the Answers in Genesis web page!
If they fired President White, they would need to get a new President that would be willing to fire any Prof not willing to hold the scientific “party line”.
Nathan Priddis,
“I’m thinking.
But rest assured, I will make them thoughtful thoughts. As thoughtful as I can make them.”
+++++++++++
ah.
…and i’m thinking you like to use different aliases from time to time.
but yes, by all means, i am looking forward to your ‘thoughtful’ thoughts. plainly spoken.
Well..ah..if you must know at least a hint..
Thinking of quantum machanics as usual, and a few really odd things in Protestant history. My mind also went off on a tangent after rereading the Westminster Confession.
Last but not least, history of Doctrine of Innerency.
Keep it flexible.
Nathan Priddis,
flexible’s my name.
Next time you’re found, with your chin on the ground
There a lot to be learned, so look around
Just what makes that little old ant
Think he’ll move that rubber tree plant
Anyone knows an ant can’t
Move a rubber tree plant
But he’s got high hopes, he’s got high hopes
He’s got high apple pie in the sky hopes
So any time your gettin’ low
‘Stead of lettin’ go
Just remember that ant
Oops there goes another rubber tree plant 🙂
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S94Bh3Qez9o
Interesting. If the victim had been a woman, this might not all be such a big deal, right?!
Unfortunately, probably true.:(
Jeffrey Chalmers,
COLLEGE CULT!! Anyone?
Bridget,
Cult posing as a college.
They lost academic credibility and integrity during their interactions with Dr. Markham, who is a true academic professional. She is a scholar of high standing in her field and profession.
The admin of this cult posing as a college is at the very least a joke, and at most deeply evil.
Except the Universe cannot have two centers.
Or two Real True PURE Christianities — “DIE, HERETICS!!!!!!”
Perhaps another way of thinking about it would be “self-limiting phenomenon.” The more they achieve their goals, the more constrained their future prospects become. Frank Herbert had something to say about that in the “Dune” series. Always taking what you think is the safe, easy path leads in the end into a place where there are further forks in the road, just a dead end.
Headless Unicorn Guy,
True!
His head is so big just wasn’t sure if it would be able to fit. Now we may know the need for those 22′ ceilings
“When” White exits (he will), his reputation will not be tarnished within New Calvinism; they have multiple bad boys in their ranks. CU will pay the price, not White; enrollment will drop, but it will be blamed on the pandemic. White is not a victim; CU is.
Max,
Prophetic words.
Jeffrey Chalmers,
Whever I see that list from AIG, it reminds me of the group of colleges tp avoid.
“When you come to a fork in the road, take it!” (Yogi Bera)
Or as Solomon put it:
“Does not wisdom call out,
Does not understanding raise her voice?
On the heights along the way,
Where the paths meet, wisdom takes her stand”
(Proverbs 8:1-2)
Wisdom seldom prevails in the Christian Industrial Complex, where dudebro and ole boy networks rule.
CU is unusual in that it requires most students to live on campus. They are finishing off construction of new dorms, and jamming those buildings is probably a financial necessity. Like many colleges, they are still trying to figure out their plans for fall term, so I don’t fault them for an incomplete plan.
One thing they could do: allow students to live off campus. This does not seem to have crossed their minds.
A related thing they could do: allow students to live in single rooms instead of having roommates. This, too, seems beyond their imagining.
Other colleges are reducing the density of residence halls by leasing property (hotel rooms) and by other means. Every decision is difficult right now, but Cedarville does not appear to consider any possibility that might reduce their surveillance of students.
Here’s some text from Cedarville’s page called “COVID-19: Caring Well, Staying Well” (hmm, where have we heard “caring well” recently?):
“Masks are simply a tool to protect others (and to some extent, ourselves), and we’ll need to think about places where they make sense and are helpful and recognize there are some circumstances, like eating meals in the dining hall or doing life with a roommate in the residence hall, where they are simply impractical and unnecessary.
“…What is important or required in work areas may not be practical or sensible in our residence halls.”
https://blogs.cedarville.edu/coronavirus-updates/planning-perspectives-qa-with-loren-reno/?_ga=2.251626630.1822703290.1593353860-111077672.1593055648
This is not actually unusual with the conservative Christian colleges. Liberty and Masters are the same way. When I was a student at LU, sometimes there were up to 5 people in an average-sized dorm room. You couldn’t move off-campus until you were 22.
The thinking is that keeping everyone on campus under strict rules and curfews will keep students from “sin”. It doesn’t work, but a lot of parents mistakenly think it does.
Yes, Southern Baptist colleges have their share of sinners! (I live near one – there’s certainly some bad kiddos there!). Many parents send errant children to Christian institutions believing them to be good “reform” schools (think change not theology).
Thanks for the further info. Setting aside all the secular colleges, I guess we’d have to narrow the definition of conservative Christian colleges.
The conservative Roman Catholic colleges I know about do allow students to live off campus. Some of them even try to make campus housing attractive enough to compete with the local rental market. Interesting, eh?
Ha! I have a relative who packed her train case with vodka and toted it off to a Christian college freshman year, sharing the plenty with her roommate.
(For any who don’t remember train cases… the interior capacity probably exceeded one gallon.)
Reminder that the Annual Conference of the Baptist group that was Cedarville’s original constituency starts Monday; I’m wondering if that had anything to do with the timing of the trustees’ reinstatement of White on Friday:
https://garbcconference.org/virtual-conference-faqs/
“The virtual conference will be taking place on Monday, June 29, and Tuesday, June 30, from noon to 5:00 p.m., Central, each day.”
“The business meeting will be similar to our in-person business meetings. You will be given the opportunity to ask questions and make statements…Voting will take place digitally.”
[GARBC has no official control over Cedarville, but what an opportunity for prudent messengers to “ask questions and make statements” while White’s role was still up in the air]
GARBC has been renewing its informal associations with Cedarville during White’s regime:
GARBC National Representative John Greening in 2017:
https://baptistbulletin.org/the-baptist-bulletin-magazine/front-row-making-new-friends/
“both Cedarville University and Bob Jones University unhesitatingly agree with the GARBC’s doctrinal and mission statements…Cedarville University publicly identifies itself as a Baptist institution. Bob Jones University, while not labeling itself a Baptist school, openly affirms historic (regular) Baptist doctrine…Many pastors in our fellowship have attended BJU. The school unashamedly stands for truth.”
“I have a sincere respect for Dr. Thomas White, president of Cedarville University. Over a period of three years, he has been kind to visit extensively with me, the [GARBC] Council of Eighteen policy committee, and the full Council. He has humbly stated, “You can ask me anything you want.” His answers have always been straightforward. The stand he has taken and the decisions he has made in his leadership role deserve commendation and support. He has positioned the school again on its heritage and values. We are pleased to renew a friendship with this institution.”
[Greening’s successor Mike Hess (current GARBC National Representative) was once one of Timmy Brister’s ‘Band of Bloggers’] http://thewartburgwatch.com/2010/04/20/who-are-the-band-of-bloggers/
When I was a student, there were a lot of “spies” at LU who would turn other students in for things like that. They also do weekly room checks, and some RAs would go through your closets and other things for contraband. If you were a major athlete (football, basketball, track), you could get away with more.
I hear it’s a little looser now, but since Junior has been photo’d drinking with football players, I guess some things haven’t changed. I know drinking is still against the Liberty Way (rules).
White was a speaker at past GARBC conferences – obviously a visible character with that group. Since it is “virtual” this year, I doubt that White will come up … everybody will just sing kumbaya and go on down the road.
So much to say . . . please bear with us.
First, we want to thank all of you who’ve been supporting our efforts to see justice at our alma mater and former/present place of employment, Cedarville University.
Second, we want to thank alumni and donors who are now thinking about paying for an independent investigation through an organization like G.R.A.C.E. We hear you and fully support that idea! It is quite obvious that the trustees did not hire Husch Blackwell to run a thorough, objective investigation aimed an uncovering the truth but rather a shallow and short one aimed at sweeping everything under the rug.
In particular, the trustees and/or investigators ignored The Village Church’s statement that they informed White of all the details regarding Moore’s behavior. When the trustees say in their strangely worded statement (i.e., it reads more like a resolution rather than a report, a resolution they could have written back in May), “President White took action when he learned the full extent of Dr. Moore’s past,” they reveal they disregarded fact that White actually learned the “full extent of Dr. Moore’s past” BEFORE he even hired him. In other words, they disregarded the statement by Jeff Jamison, elder at The Village Church, to that effect. Or worse—perhaps, the investigators never even contacted The Village Church elders at all. We would really appreciate The Village Church elders releasing a public statement about this matter, even though The Roys Report did quote Jeff Jamison’s statement in an earlier article (https://julieroys.com/the-village-church-disputes-account-by-cedarville-president-regarding-anthony-moore-names-others-it-told-about-moores-past/.) Repetition can’t hurt at this point, and if the investigators were told to avoid all online articles, putting a statement out would be quite helpful to making the truth known.
In addition, the fact that the trustees also say in that same resolution, “It is reasonable to infer from the evidence available that President White took steps that he knew, or should have known, clouded the specific nature of Dr. Moore’s misconduct. It is reasonable to infer that President White subsequently failed to notify the Board of the specific nature of Dr. Moore’s misconduct.” The word “infer” is curious. Again, we all could “infer” these facts weeks ago—without an investigation. Why didn’t the trustees write that the investigation clearly reveals that White definitely lied to them as well as to the faculty at CU, including the Bible Department and men’s basketball coach Pat Estepp? We’ve all known for weeks that White lied to the trustees about Moore, lied to others about Moore, AND lied in his blog! In other words, the trustees are likewise being dishonest with us and the surrounding community.
And we were suspecting problems along those lines as the investigation was going on. Weeks ago, we learned that Joy White was telling her friends that the investigation was “going really well.” In addition, word was leaking out that during the investigation, White was golfing and scuba diving with a few wealthy trustees who are donors. Let that sink in: The very trustees on the board who’d hired a law firm to investigate White were spending time with him during said investigation. Such unethical behavior smacks of how inauthentic, unethical, and untrustworthy the investigation itself was.
In addition, although the trustees never promised to make the investigation into White’s hiring of Moore public, they did promise to do so with the investigation into Moore’s behavior as a CU employee. We see no evidence of that happening. To merely conclude there’s no evidence that “Dr. Moore engaged in any conduct of a sexual nature on campus or with any University student or employee elsewhere,” as the trustees do, is preposterous. Let’s unpack this statement.
For on, we’ve all seen Mindy May’s email sent on Thursday, May 21 on behalf of the investigators to certain select students and alumni. Since May is a bff (best female friend) of Thomas White’s, it was extremely inappropriate that she write and send that email. Any victim of abuse on campus does not trust May, so her presence in the investigation immediately sent the signal that if you reported anything negative, you could get in trouble with the administration later on. Everyone on campus knows that they face reprisal if they say anything negative about Dr. White or the other administrators. In addition, as has been established, May only gave those email recipients 5 days to respond, over Memorial Day weekend, no less. The deadline for responses was Tuesday, May 26. And as far as anyone knows, no such email was ever sent to any employees. We know many staff and faculty who frequented the gym for personal exercise and regularly saw Moore there—and in the locker room as they showered and changed clothes. These employees were not asked.
Furthermore, the investigators could have looked into the account of the student who Moore seemed to have been grooming (reported on here: https://julieroys.com/father-of-cedarville-student-says-president-misled-him-about-professors-sexual-misconduct/) or the account of the college student who commented that when he was standing naked in the CU locker room, he saw Moore unaccompanied by any coach. Apparently, those stories didn’t count because the trustees discounted “grooming” and “on-looking” as “conduct of a sexual nature.” Finally, to put in the word “elsewhere” is likewise ludicrous because the investigation did not include the entire community! How can the trustees be so blatantly dishonest?
So folks here ask where the CU community outraged. Yes! Are faculty and staff outraged? Yes. Even some of the Bible professors that White hired are livid! (And that’s saying something.)
Moreover, the trustees and/or investigators refused to expand the scope of the investigation to include Megan Lively’s revelation that both Thomas White and Joy White were involved in the cover-up of her rape at SEBTS in 2003. Though Lively’s revelation fell outside the scope of the investigation, of course, the investigation should have been widened to include it. After all, this very thing is what led to Paige Patterson’s disgrace and termination from SWBTS. As far as we’re concerned, this behavior alone disgraces Thomas and Joy White, too.
Therefore, fact that the trustees think White is now, magically, trustworthy is crazy. Even if they foolishly trust White, most faculty and staff certainly don’t. And the trustees’ resolution cannot and does not make it so. The Bible says a little yeast leavens the whole loaf. Well, one lie is similar to that. It infects everything. Thus, forevermore, CU employees will doubt the veracity of every word that comes out of White’s mouth.
In short, the now-disgraced CU President, Thomas White, has lost the moral authority to lead. And the fact that The Gospel Coalition, in which White has been involved and whose conferences CU has hosted, has now condemned the trustees’ decision shows a backlash from conservative, evangelical Christianity has begun. We wish the Gospel Coalition’s article would’ve noted how harmful White’s actions were to Moore’s victim in Texas, too, however, as the omission of that consideration is egregious.
That brings us to the CBMW development. The different links posted here to CBMW suggest one link to council members is older than the other. Going to the website today and clicking on “Board Members” shows Thomas White is gone. Clicking on “Council Members” shows Joy White still appears there, but not Thomas White: https://cbmw.org/about/board-of-directors/ & https://cbmw.org/about/council/ But why on earth would they remove Thomas and not Joy White?! Again, Megan Lively said Joy White knew about her rape, covered it up, AND blamed/shamed her for it. Joy White should have no role on that council and should be required to the same courses on victims that her husband has to take! (Come to think of it, the trustees should probably take those classes, too.)
Danny Akin, who’s on the CBMW board, condemned Paige Patterson for covering up Megan Lively’s rape and supported SWBTS’s decision to fire Patterson. Akin also resigned from CU’s board and protested the decision to reinstate Thomas White. So why wouldn’t Akin insist Joy White also be removed as a Council member from the CBMW? The answer may lie in the fact that Jason Duesing, whom Todd wrote about, is also on the CBMW board and of course, is a CU trustee who probably voted to reinstate White. Thick as SBC thieves.
In their original statement, the trustees said they’d make the investigation into Moore public. We need to hold them to that. However, they never promised to make the investigation into White public, something that always concerned us because it suggested “the fix was in.” And indeed, it was.
One last thing: We have no idea how many trustees actually voted on this decision. Did all members vote? Do some abstain or recuse themselves? Was it just a quorum of trustees who voted? Or the inner circle of trustees? Did anyone else vote “no” but not make a public statement about that? We simply don’t know because we were not told.
We at the Justice Collective have not ended our work. It continues on. Even our petition has suddenly seen a surge of new signatures. Comments continue, which have led to articles here and elsewhere. Keep sharing your stories there, if you have them to share: http://chng.it/BbXNpJZT. And feel free to contact us a justicecollective@mail.com. We can help you get your stories out and protect your confidentiality.
You’ve got me thinking about my relative with the train case. She was an academic star, and for the most part very well behaved, submissive, modest, respectful, all of that.
The train case full of vodka was not about her being a bad girl. She had, however, been physically abused in the name of not spoiling the child. Her mother whipped her unclothed behind with a wire coat hanger, and ordered the child to smile while she was being whipped.
So how much bad behavior at Christian college is just kids being kids, and how much of it is acting out after trauma?
(Underage drinking is against the rules of every college I know about. Enforcement should be sensible.)
Not all college students are underage, though. It’s completely against the rules for all students, even off-campus and at home (not that it’s easy to catch that).
I do believe there were a lot of traumatized students, though. But there was also a lot of nepotism. I had a suitemate who was the daughter of one of the board, and she got away with all sorts of stuff that nobody else could. And of course, so did the athletes. If you’re going to have rules, then follow them fairly, but that’s never how Christian schools have been run. They make a big deal of morality for the sake of Christ, but it’s a big lie.
Whoa, that’s a jailing offense in my mind. No excuse for that sort of abuse by a “parent” against their child. Could maim a young person. If I were treated like that, I would either contact child protective services from school or a pay phone, or wait until I was 21, and leave forever, leaving no forwarding address.
One way to lose your kid, grand-kids, everything. Not going to generate real love, that’s for sure!
She and her equally abused siblings stayed in the family and, to varying degrees, in the church as well. All of them struggle emotionally to reconcile their parents’ love with their parents’ abuse. All of it was labeled Christian love.
Thank you, Max. I was quite discouraged until I read your comment. He needs to go from CU, soon. I have been concerned ever since he took over. My list is longer, but key to me were the quick decisions of removing faculty and staff, and the new gun culture. (Another faculty member needs to go, but for different reasons than the others.) I was also uncomfortable watching the silly over-done smiling, in the video posted above, of him interviewing Ms. May. Odd behavior.
Are you reading:
Loren R.
Warren J.
Randy P.
What has become of you….fellow classmates of mine at Cedarville College who I trusted, and respected. Have you lost your way? I no longer recognize the Cedarville I/we knew.
And Chip B…. you talked me through, in a wise and helpful way, by explaining a very silimar situation, but you seemed to have turned the other way on this? Why?
Dr. Lane….did you read my plea to you?
My prayers are for several students I know and love who are enrolled there. And for the trustees.
You’ve heard of Islamic Madrassas in say Pakistan?
Well, we’ve got more than one Christian equivalent right here in our own Country.
Reform as in teach excellent values?
Misuse of $$$ for a manse.
Hiring a predator.
Giving that predator access to students, prey.
Covering up for that predator.
Covering up the hiring process.
Dismissing highly qualified, professional, & scholarly faculty.
Putting in place admin without qualifications.
Admin review of self = cover-up. Admin review of scholarly faculty = dismiss.
Yes, reform needed, for the institution, which then is unqualified to lead students, any students, even excellent students, let alone be an instrument of positive reform.
Buyers beware, be aware. Parents who $pend tuition for their students on this deeply evil institution could be suspect of child abuse: paying to send their students to a hunting ground for predators that evicts academic integrity & scholarship (as in the case of Dr. Markham).
Thanks for this comment.
I revisited the video about this seemingly unqualified admin hiree. To be honest, I did not have that impression, however maybe I don’t pick up on non-verbals like you do.
That being said, years ago I was on a civic Commission with a “wonderful” guy that went on to murder his wife, Dateline-style, and yes, they covered it. I knew his wife. She was wonderful. He’s a murderer with a believable gracious & professional veneer – a perfect gentleman. Highly educated, he apparently planned to be too smart for the cops. Plan foiled. It took me days to process how this guy appeared and what he really was. Evil. Our community had no idea.
The documentation of Dee & Todd & others is extremely important. We can’t always tell until we look at what records show. Records don’t lie which is why the culprits, including admins, lie. They can’t live with the truth about themselves or their “team” so they lie.
Life team? How about death-to-integrity team. Surround oneself with the cover-uppers, predators, enablers, turn-a-blind-eye-with-clay-feeters, donors, fellow grifters, & yessers-no-matter-what.
I believe the Marxspeak term is “Heroes of The Party”.
“Roommates” or “Informers” like at Liberty U?
HUG, you know a lot, about … everything.
We are blessed.
(Note, not unicorn fans here, but hugs, when appropriate, can be nice.)
Ava Aaronson,
This really does summarize allot. But, given their ideology on Young Earth Creationism, I am sure there are quite a few more… There is Academic freedom in such places….. and I am sure, there are plenty more examples of abuse….
And sadly it doesn’t work because, “Such regulations indeed have an appearance of wisdom, with their self-imposed worship, their false humility and their harsh treatment of the body, but they lack any value in restraining sensual indulgence.”
Considering how much these men quote the Apostle Paul one might expect they’d understand Paul’s warning to the Colossians that external rules never, ever bring a lasting change of the heart. Rules don’t change anyone. They do however produce puffed up pride and self importance. Which sadly it seems we are seeing a lot of in the case of Mr. White and the men on the board who voted to reinstate him.
Interestingly, some years back I had a discussion on this very subject with a pastor who is currently on the CU board. He was certain that children from Christian homes who were acting out and rejecting the faith needed to go to Christian colleges so they could be turned around. Intriguing that he ended up on CU’s board. I wonder how he voted last week regarding Dr. White’s reinstatement….
Fisher,
Nice analysis/summary, and interesting question
Please forgive me for not connecting the dots, or engaging this intellectual argument with scientific proofs.
Where the rubber meets the road for a non-profit, particularly if they claim to be Christian:
Is innocence of the vulnerable (children, youth, counselees, subservient workers, etc.) protected, defended, and believed, while offenders are brought to open justice? Sexual predation.
Are both genders & all races equally respected (“no male, female, Jew, Greek,” etc.)? Power predation.
Is the working person’s donation treated as a working person’s $$$, never serving to raise anyone above the class of the working person? Economic predation.
Power, sex, money predation in practice. The evil trifecta.
Notably when a church investigated their pastor who had preyed on youth group girls as a youth pastor, the present church found he was misusing their credit card. Stealing innocence and money, both misuse of power.
Interesting that in this case, the university admin shelters an offender while building a manse for the admin person that brought in the offender.
The theology escapes me. The practices are evil from the get-go. Why are we arguing theology? Isn’t the measure of integrity completely different, and theological argument may be a red herring? Open to explanations.
If I can weigh in, if someone is being deceptive and controlling about something as insignificant as theology, it makes me wonder how deceptive and controllong they are in things that truly matter. It’s more like a red flag than a red herring.
Ava Aaronson,
I do not think you see my point…. I am NOT arguing with you at all! I agree with your points, AND, CU only teaches young earth creationism…. I am sure they would fire me, and all of my highly regarded scientific colleagues in an instant if we taught there. We could not teach the FALSE science behind Young earth creationism. Just like they ran out Dr Markum, they would run us all out. And teaching that the Bible only teaches a young earth is just as evil as the other “issues”. I, and many others, including Dee, could go on and on about the damage that dogmatic young earth creationism does..
Jeffrey Chalmers,
There is NO academic freedom at CU!! Opps, left the “NO” out
If I’m getting this right, the issue is sound EVIDENCE. Followed by cover-up, lies, & gaslighting.
What I’ve seen that is sinister: “… what was troubling as a grown-up was a disturbing criminal depravity that apparently many knew, but no one acknowledged. Beneath the guise of religion or ‘Jesus loves me’ was an undeniable underbelly of the powerful preying on the vulnerable.” – a quote from my blog. That’s where I’m coming from.
Evidence is where science: behavioral science, social science, physical science … all meet.
Thanks for connecting the dots. Science. Truth. As opposed to cover-up & lies & bullying, for the purposes of “theology”, reputation, academia, “scholarship”, culture, hierarchy, bravado, entitlement – gone bad to the bone.
Check.
Good point.
Because innocent & vulnerable lives matter, to God and His people, in every case, even if not to some of these institutions. Joiner$, beware, be aware.
Ken F (aka Tweed),
“If I can weigh in, if someone is being deceptive and controlling about something as insignificant as theology, it makes me wonder how deceptive and controllong they are in things that truly matter. It’s more like a red flag than a red herring.”
+++++++++++
it’s weird…. i think for many christians and christian institutions, theology is the only thing that matters. they don’t believe that morality and ethics exist outside of theology.
it’s beneath them to take stock in conscience and common sense, which are simply too ‘common’. it’s what the pagans do, the heathens do. it’s the way of the world.
circumstances are what which dictate which aspects of theology to go high on — which take precedence and trump other aspects.
there is no moral constant / baseline of honesty, kindness, treating others the way you want to be treated (ironically, as there is among people who are not christian).
these things are often sent to the back, and theological ideas which promote institutional power and money (which are always inherently personal, as well) are sent to the front.
and it is all done with much righteousness and a clear conscience. because “doctrine-&-theology-matter”… taken to such extremes that nothing else matters.
talk about dangerous.
they can justify anything.
elastigirl,
As we are seeing here with CU…. As I continue to process all of this, the Board of Trustees statement completely dodges the CLEAR conflicting statements made by President White and coming out of the Village Church. Someone is lying, but when you are the top dog, such lying is OK
Jeffrey Chalmers,
I agree.
Fisher,
I wonder if he knows how much rebellion goes on in Christian colleges/universities. I would love to hear from the student underground at CU.
elastigirl,
Very well said, elastigirl. For these folks, there’s no such thing as “it’s a good idea because we used reason and logic and looked at the best evidence – period” – there’s gotta be some verse that you can point to, to justify what you’re doing or saying. So for example, you end up with this Matthew 18 ‘conflict resolution’ process, which honestly is *horrible* for many situations. But if you’ve got a problem with using that process, then the problem is with you, because by virtue of it being in the Bible, it’s *definitely* from God.
It’s clear that the New Calvinists have justified stealth and deception to takeover the Southern Baptist Convention for the good of the movement, to restore the true “gospel” that the rest of Christendom has lost. Thus, stealth and deception become easier in other aspects of their “ministry” … it becomes their modus operandi, their DNA, their character. As my Dad used to say about such folks “Don’t trust them any farther than you can throw them.”
Rich,
“But if you’ve got a problem with using that process, then the problem is with you, because by virtue of it being in the Bible, it’s *definitely* from God.”
+++++++++++++++++
“it’s biblical” / “that’s unbiblical” –them’s extortionin’ words
Perhaps I am off-base, but I think it might be helpful to try to see things from the inside of that point of view. From the inside, it doesn’t look weird at all, I think.
I think that the moral relativism might be an acceptable compromise, from within their outlook, if you grant the following premises:
* infernalism is the correct understanding of personal eschatology
* one is saved from the inferno by the content of one’s beliefs
* skilled, doctrinally sound practitioners are indispensable for the propagation of the beliefs that must be held to escape the inferno
I really think that’s all it takes. Bad character, all sorts of moral transgressions — bad as they are, they don’t compare with the inferno, and if the transgressors are saving people from the inferno through their propagation of the beliefs that are required to escape the inferno,… one might regret the transgressions, but on balance, the whole package is a positive.
Darrel G was valued for his preaching; his transgressions were winked at. Anthony M — the same, if I recall what I have read at TWW. And of course there is Tully T, and Mark D, and James MacD, and on and on — one could multiply examples to the point of personal exhaustion.
What a great cloud of witnesses surrounds us!
Back to the explanation: this is why, I think, “sound doctrine” is regarded to be much more important than “good character.” It’s why congregations put up with appalling behavior on the part of their leadership.
Perhaps I’m wrong, but this simple explanation seems quite persuasive to me.
In this world one is not saved by Jesus, but by belief in correct doctrine. Apparently, God can forgive any sin and any form of abuse, but he cannot forgive wrong belief.
Samuel Conner,
A reasonable explanation, at least on the surface. However, while saving from the infernal is “By grace of Christ only” the official “position”; most flavors of Christianity still try to add “behavior” criteria to escape the inferno. Of course, officially, they would disagree, but… it is these “behavior criteria” that so much of TWW is about.
I think you nailed it.
This form of Christianity excels in using the ad hominem fallacy. They appear to view it as a form of logic to embrace rather than a fallacy to avoid.
Jeffrey Chalmers,
I’m not defending the way the logic of the syllogism influences people’s thinking, just trying to understand it. I think it does a pretty good job of accounting for the amazing patience congregations show toward bad conduct on the part of their leaders.
In the last year or two, we have seen encomia to James MacD even as he was being turfed out of the congregation he founded — God had done, it was alleged, so many great things through him. Even people who conceded that he had to leave also conceded that “many had been saved” through his “ministry.” That’s the logic of congregational forbearance in a nut-shell. And it’s the logic that I laid out.
And here’s the kicker:
If you agree with all three premises, can you really be that upset with pastoral misconduct? Isn’t the good they do (in terms of the great numbers of people who have better afterlifes than they would otherwise have) far more important than the under-the-sun harms that they do? (This is, of course, amplified if you take a predestinarian posture on “who shall be saved”, since the ones who are driven away from faith by pastoral misconduct are regarded to have been destined for that. God uses these transgressing “ministers” to create saving faith in the elect and to deny saving faith to the reprobate. What is not to like?)
It’s a painful question, and I would love to know how people like Tom W would answer it.
“What use is it … if someone says he has faith but he has no works? Can that faith save him? … faith, if it has no works, is dead, being by itself.
“But someone may well say, ‘You have faith and I have works; show me your faith without the works, and I will show you my faith by my works.’
“You believe … the demons also believe, and shudder. But are you willing to recognize … that faith without works is useless? Abraham … faith was working with his works, and as a result of the works, faith was perfected; … a man is justified by works and not by faith alone… For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead.”
– from James 2
Souls(TM) are just the currency of Heaven, and MONEY TALKS.
Just like the Communists with their Ideology.
Purity of Ideology, Comrades.
Saw this on twitter today, and I feel it may fit into this present discourse:
Unver!fied LoserSunflower @Histhisthist
“It’s because fundamentalists don’t read. They don’t read [CS] Lewis, they don’t read the Bible, they don’t read. They certainly say they do, and they pretend to. But opening a book with a predetermined thought in your head to it a meaning isn’t really reading.”
And the planter of the predetermined thoughts in their heads? Not the HS. Maybe the latest Cult-of-the-personality Personality with their latest pure “theology”.
“POWER is Power.”
— Queen Cersei Lannister, Game of Thrones
Oh yes they do.
The Calvary Chapel big honchos are as fundamental as Imams in Pakistan, the only difference is that they (CC big guns) do it with the Bible instead of the Qur’an.
In my opinion, there’s no other sect (CC) that has succeeded (by apologetics) as well in turning Scripture into a kind of lock-stock-and-barrel Rubik’s Cube.
And the rank and file – do they also read? or do they “read” – “opening a book with a predetermined thought in your head to give it a meaning isn’t really reading.” As predetermined by the “big honchos” and their party line, that is, how they select & twist the text to their end?
Is this what the rank & file call “reading”, in particular, the Bible? But also, other scientific texts with evidence – that they don’t ascribe to?
Just as not opening the Bible and allowing others to interpret it for you isn’t yielding to the Holy Spirit to be your teacher.
New Calvinism = predetermined thoughts about Scripture to make it fit the “right” theology. Piper, etc. are doing all the thinking for the young, restless and reformed … the blind leading the blind.
Ava Aaronson,
This is so true! CU’s administration just forced a department to hire a person for the coming year, who actually said in their interview they don’t read books! The department, for obvious reasons, did not want to hire the person.
To repeat: White and VPA Mach forced a department at CU, which requires scholarly activity and publications for promotion and tenure, to hire a person who proudly proclaimed in the interview that they don’t read.
You, too, can get a great education at CU by learning under a professor who does not read!
An open letter about CU:
http://www.whenauthorityfails.com
Sarah,
Would love to see this most excellent open letter featured in a prominent place for all to easily find.
Would also love to see a petition for Larry Green’s wish “for the return of the motto that our church gave the school.”