The Misery of the End, finale

I am constantly reminded of a child that pushed a rock just an inch, because he thought his toy soldiers needed it a bit closer to the edge of a hill. But he pushed half an inch too far, and the rock began to move of its own accord, picking up steam until it demolished a path through the family’s vegetable garden.

You see the analogy I hope. Synod was certainly not wrong to demand that Erskine uphold its mission statement – actually, such a demand is wonderful. But they pushed too hard, too fast, without thinking of the consequences, and without questioning whether that rock was already close enough to the edge. Oh Synod! Your shortsightedness and ignorance of other perspectives will be the death of Erskine as it was and as you want it to be. Erskine will change forever because you did not consider the consequences of your actions. These consequences are terrible indeed!

You may blame the Trustees for the lawsuit, and the budget deficit, and the student shortfall next year, and for failing to implement the mission statement, and whatever else, and perhaps that criticism is warranted. But Synod’s outlandish decision (firing a select Fourteen of Thirty) was not the most tactical and least infuriating action possible. Surely – surely – there was another way. You failed to find it – you failed to even look. This was not not wise. It was not wise at all.

Once Upon a Time

People disagree. Some want Erskine to shift toward ARP doctrinal purity, inerrancy declarations, Creationism, and integration of faith and learning to the extreme (I’m still not sure what this means – the Commission never told us). Others want Erskine to be more open – some professors of other denominations, students of other denominations, no inerrancy statement, etc. These two opposing views competed and kept Erskine in relative stasis, or maybe weighted a little in favor of conservative-shifting Synod.

Erskine was kept from being one thing or the other, but instead a happy mixture of the two.

… And everybody was happy.

Well, not perfectly happy, not free of irritation, not ideal, not free of complaints and petitions to Synod, not free of that one English professor, but happy enough to make Erskine enjoyable and successful for hundreds of students each year.

I’m not just talking about the SAFE-students, who were generally happy enough with Erskine to attend without transferring, graduate with excellent academics, and participate in campus life and institutional committees. I’m also talking about the students and alumni who grew so much in their faith and academically at Erskine, and wrote about it. The students who grew in their faith and academically, and filled out the student survey. The students and alumni who despite their words to the contrary now, were perfectly content with Synod appointing nearly every trustee on the Board. They were happy with Synod influencing the administration (or trying to). They were happy being an ARP-affiliated school. They were happy with the Commission. We love the ARP Church!

But now, all of that has changed.

Hindsight is always 20/20, but I remember hearing that Synod had scheduled an emergency session and thinking to myself, what’s the big deal? Nothing shocking will come of it; they won’t do something rash.

…And now we fight.

How does it end?

I received a very wise email some weeks ago. More times than I care to admit, I opened that email and started to write a response, but each time stalled. Because it’s really hard.

This letter asked a simple question: how does it end? How will “trust” be restored? Forget the fighting, war-of-words on these blogs, Facebook, etc. Tell us something useful – how can we reconcile?

…I still have no idea.

I would love to compromise with “TOS.” In fact, I want more than anything to compromise with the other side. Before all this started I was a member of the Other Side – truly, we all were. And you know what? I’m still a member of the Other Side. I still want Erskine to be a Christian liberal arts college. I still think professors should integrate faith and learning in the classroom. I still think certain professors are wrong. I still believe finances at Erskine are not perfect. I still want Trustees who are “competent, engaged, and independent.” I still want Christian students (who comprise a vast majority of the student body) to feel safe, secure, and challenged to grow. I still think intelligent design/creationism should be mentioned in Biology (as they are to this day), the Big Bang mentioned in Physics and how it relates to Christianity (as it is to this day), mistakes in Scripture transmission discussed in Bible (as it still is), Christian character exemplified in every class and in all things (as I believe professors do). & etc.

In short, I want a return to Erskine as it was, because Erskine as it was was excellent. Nothing SAFE, Chuck Wilson, Ken Wingate, or Dick deWitt can say will change that. As David Danehower said so perfectly on the Alumni Facebook group, there is a reason students consistently pick an expensive, small, insignificant college in the middle of nowhere to receive a college education. And there’s a reason students emerge from here with a competitive education and excellent career and graduate school acceptances. Because Erskine is a good school. An excellent school. A Christian liberal arts school.

If intimidation was happening each day, if fiscal mismanagement was as rampant as we are led to believe, if the Board of Trustees was truly “evil,” if Christians were intentionally marginalized by faculty, administrators, and other students, and if the mission statement was compromised so hopelessly that Erskine could no longer effectively teach students, Erskine would have gone bankrupt long ago. But it hasn’t.

And as to students’ Christian faith? Some SAFE-students testified that their faith was rocked by Erskine; this is very tragic. I do not know how many people leave Erskine with a stronger Christian faith or a weaker one. I can only look at the opportunities on campus and wonder, how are we so lucky? Erskine employee Paul Patrick and his interns. BCM. Student Christian Association, with the second-largest, student-assigned budget on campus. The Barn. The faith and guiding influence of the President, who does all he can to minister and interact with as many students as possible, like coming to every sports game and talking to students in Moffatt each day. The testimony and witness of professors, many of whom (if not all) are Christian. The testimony and witness of students, many of whom are Christian. Erskine is an oasis; blaming a weakened Christian faith on Bill Crenshaw seems a bit weak.

The Terror of Assured Defeat

The horror is, it may already be too late. Erskine is now just like that child’s rock, pushed by an overeager and excited group that did not stop to think what might happen. Stopping it now might be nearly impossible.

SAFE was absolutely right of course – one might even say essential – to keep Erskine from becoming all liberal. What Chuck Wilson has done is wonderful – truly. He said terrible things, but he pointed out problems and gave his opinion. We need people to push Erskine to the Right, just as we need people to push Erskine to the Left. But they overshot the goal. Synod’s actions were a game-changer that altered the balance of power substantially. Either they win and Erskine rocks powerfully towards one radical ideal, or they lose, and Erskine rocks towards a different radical ideal. Neither way is good; neither is the excellent Erskine of today. We need a balance. (We also need the civil and moral law to be obeyed, but that’s a different story).

The terror is, saving Erskine may be too late even if the Plaintiffs give up their lawsuit and Alumni start trusting Synod again. SACS is involved now and dislikes the influence of Synod at all. Once bitten, twice shy. SACS seemingly won’t let Erskine be bitten again. And deWitt and Maye seem confident in the eventual success of the Appeal and won’t stop. A resolution coming before Synod would accept the Board’s original compromise, but even if it passes, what assurance does the Board have that half of them won’t be fired in the future? What salve can bring Trust back to the alumni? Most importantly, what can heal Erskine’s damaged reputation?

I have no idea how to restore trust, friend emailer. The boulder of assured defeat won’t be easy to stop.

Conclusion

I need to be very clear. I agree with Synod’s and the Commission’s intentions. I do not oppose what Synod did because I disagree with what they want (a Christian liberal arts college). In my opinion, few disagree with them. I oppose them because I think we are already there, as close as we can hope to get(and because I believe they broke the moral and civil law). Can improvements be made? It should go without saying. But firing the Fourteen, restructuring the governance of Erskine unilaterally, making false statements about the Commission’s role, and demonizing those who disagree with them does not make Erskine more faithful. I expected better from men of the Church.

Tomorrow, pastors and elders, you will take up the business of Erskine. Whatever you do, whatever motions you make, will have consequences. Think them through. Rationalize. Consider.

Remember what Ken Wingate said to you just four months ago if the Commission’s recommendations were not passed: the “due influence” of Synod will be lessened. Consider his comment anew this week, and wonder what will happen if Synod does not act this time in compromise and reconciliation. I want this boulder to stop; I fear you are the only ones who can stop it. I also think it will hurt.

I will never change your mind, dear reader, about whether Erskine is excellent or not. I will never convince you of Erskine’s excellent integration of faith and learning, imperfect though it may be. But what I hope – what David Dangerfield, David Danehower, Howard Wagler, and the entire community on the Alumni Facebook group hope to show you – is that SAFE is not all there is. There are other students and alumni out there who do not agree with SAFE’s conclusions. There are other students who believe Erskine is excellent today, that Christians are not a minority on campus and are not sidelined, that ones’ faith can be strengthened on today’s campus, that teachers integrate their faith into their teaching and, more importantly, into their everyday lives. In other words, there are hundreds – thousands – of students, alumni, professors, and administrators who want you to do what you have always done, and nothing more.

Never forget, never, not in the heat of the moment or over a cold drink by the lake, that Christians just as ardent in their faith and just as passionate about Erskine’s future disagree with SAFE and the Commission about Erskine’s present. SAFE spoke very well and we thank them for it. Now listen to the other side. If you do not listen you will never hear.

I pray you will.