Union drops out of CCCU over same-sex marriage

After 24 years of membership, Union University has withdrawn from the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities. Union President Samuel "Dub" Oliver notified the council of the school's withdrawal in a letter Aug. 10.

According to the letter, Union's decision to withdraw came after Eastern Mennonite University and Goshen College, both members of the CCCU, endorsed same-sex marriage.

"I am grieved that two of our member institutions abandoned fidelity to God's word when they endorsed same-sex marriage," Oliver said in the letter. "Even more, I am grieved that the board of the CCCU was not ready to deal with this issue."

The Council for Christian Colleges and Universities did not respond to requests for comment from The Jackson Sun.

Oliver said the university had been concerned about the issue since 2013, when Eastern Mennonite University began moving in the direction of endorsing same-sex marriage.

He said the council held a special meeting last fall to discuss the issue, and there were several other opportunities to address it. Oliver said his understanding was that the two schools would withdraw from membership, but that has not been the case.

"Some have said, 'You guys are just reacting,'" Oliver said. "But we've been dealing with this for some time."

He said the CCCU provided three main things for the university — student programs, faculty and staff development programs, and advocacy. He said advocacy was his greatest concern.

In his letter, Oliver said the council could have deliberated and voted on the matter, but they did not. He said the collective voice of the council is weakened because the board was not definitive.

"In anticipation that there will likely be efforts of the government, court cases, and/or legislation that threaten constitutional guarantees of religious liberty, it is imperative that institutions maintain a consistency and unanimity with their faith family's commitment on issues like same-sex marriage," Oliver said in the letter.

He said Union is already connected with other organizations, such as the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission and the Family Research Council, that advocate on behalf of Christian organizations, and they will now depend more on those organizations.

Oliver said some student programs, such as research and foreign study programs, that were offered through the CCCU, will no longer be available, but the university is working to replace those programs through other avenues and has already done so in many cases.

"The main concern there, for us, is ensuring that our students don't have a loss of opportunities," Oliver said. "We are working to quickly identify other places that we can partner with for those things."

He said the university will also maintain opportunities for faculty and staff development through other professional associations, both discipline-specific and Christian-based.

Oliver said the decision to withdraw from the CCCU grieved him, but he knew it was the right decision.

"We don't make the decision lightly, and we have benefited from our membership in the CCCU." he said. "But the authority of Scripture takes precedence."

Union University was the only institution in The Jackson Sun's coverage area that was a member of the CCCU. Bethel University, Freed-Hardeman University and Lane College are not members.

Reach Nathan Handley at (731) 425-9641. Follow him on Twitter: @NathanHandley