IV issues statement responding to inquiries concerning IU/InterVarsity event promoting sodomy (part VII)...

They forgot the "Q". How insensitive.

Why would they not publish this publicly?

"InterVarsity’s historic conviction that the scriptures are authoritative..."

"...the inaccurate impression that InterVarsity had changed its position on the compatibility of ministry leadership and homosexual practice."

"...to ensure that there is no uncertainty about InterVarsity's position on homosexuality."

"It is unfortunate that InterVarsity's position was misunderstood..."

For crying out loud! The problem here isn't that IV's position got misrepresented. God's character, His Law, and His Gospel were trampled on by IV men claiming to speak for Him. Hello! How about a public apology for the sake of God's honor! But who cares about that, right?

"The necessary corrections are being made."

All internally, of course. No public renunciations or retractions necessary. It was only InterVarsity's historical position that got confused, after all. Nothing more serious than that. And the University's a difficult context in which to work. Things can get confusing pretty quickly when you're on the front lines. Especially when the student newspaper gives everybody the "wrong idea" about the nature of the event. And then so many of the GLBT community show up with that same wrong idea which they got from that unfortunate mouseover image, and what were our poor staffers supposed to do then? They're just a bunch of good-hearted youngsters trying there best down there, and God bless 'em for it, you know? Don't worry, things'll be different next time after we tell 'em about our historical position.

And don't stop sending those checks.

"question our commitment to carefully handling Scripture and to preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ."

Did I miss something? From the description of events, it didn't seem like the Scriptures were being handled or preached at all. It seemed like they were actively suppressing the use of the Word of God in the proceedings.

Are we sure this was actually an IV event? From the descriptions, it sounds like they were one participant of many, and that the speaker, Mr. Campbell, is not on IV staff at this point. I agree that IV needs to come clean with what it was doing at this event, but this might well be a case of negligence or incompetent planning/execution, rather than some deep-rooted attempt to make IV into an organization that promotes the gay lifestyle.

Oops, last line of 1st paragraph, should be "understand" instead of "instead".

Also, as an aside, there is a campus Christian worker in an interdenominational ministry (Coalition for Christian Outreach?) on the Ohio State Columbus campus. He has had such engaging debates with campus atheist, agnostic, and humanist groups that he was asked to join the campus atheist group speaker's bureau. They pay him to debate with an atheist or agnostic in a variety of campus settings, very liberal churches (like Unitarians), and local skeptic groups.

His ministry is privately supported and he's paid for debating with atheists so Ohio State can't touch him (or at least they haven't tried.)

No more blogging. Must fight the battle of removing dead foliage.

David and Sue,

1. The forum on homophobia was one in a series of events called "Jesus and the end of..." These events were all planned and sponsored by InterVarsity. Members of the IU InterVarsity leadership team told the IDS that they had "been working on the events since last May, adapting the speaker series from a similar Canadian InterVarsity program." (Quotes from the IDS article on the event: http://www.idsnews.com/news/story.aspx?id=80723)

2. According to the IDS and Mark Abdon, the local staff worker for InterVarsity, the planning for this event was handled by InterVarsity students, local InterVarsity staff, and upper-level InterVarsity staff. He did not mention that anyone else was involved in the planning for the event.

3. InterVarsity invited a man to speak who was–at that time–an InterVarsity staff worker. He was asked by InterVarsity to speak concerning what "Jesus actually thought."

4. InterVarsity applied for funding from IUSA based on IUSA's recently revised policy to allow funding for religious student organizations. This is because the funding board manages funds received from student fees. The IUSA funds many student-led events throughout the year, and we have no reason to believe their involvement in this particular event went beyond mere funding.

5. According to IUSA Funding Board policy, IUSA will only provide a maximum of 75% of initiative funds.

6. The only student organization involved with any of InterVarsity's week-long activities was Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Equality (SAGE). SAGE's involvement was limited to the forum on homophobia. We've received no indication that SAGE's involvement went beyond promoting the event. We have no reason to believe that they provided any funding whatsoever.

7. Despite SAGE's participation in Monday's event, students who were at the forum on homophobia were encouraged to attend follow-up meetings with InterVarsity.

8. On the pamphlet promoting the week's events, the only contact information for follow-up with the homophobia forum is ivcf@indiana.edu. View the PDF here: /files/old/files/ivendoftrifold.pdf

These facts are all well-documented on BaylyBlog. There is no question that this was an InterVarsity event.

I believe that this blog is very sad. There is so much hate and smearing of a Christian organization's name, staff, and students involved. It would be more respectful to address the organization and staff involved personally rather than publicly smearing their name on the internet. This is gossip and sinful. InterVarsity is also a national organization so by smearing one chapter you are smearing the entire organization and others who are not involved.

First of all, IU InterVarsity was not initially advocating the practice of homosexuality. My point was that there are 560 campuses with InterVarsity and just because 1 of those 560 campuses takes a risk that received negative reaction does not mean that the other 559 campuses would do so and so therefore should not be condoned because of 1 campuses decision. I DO NOT promote "the normalization of sexual perversion and advocating the acceptance of gross rebellion against God".

I did read it closely. What I responded was restating what I was trying to say in the first place because your response did not seem to respond what I was originally attempting to say because all your response was just a personal attack.

All I hope is for this situation to be salvaged and for the unity of Christ to be brought together for the cause to advance the Lord's kingdom on universities nationwide.

Kamilla,

I was not present at the event. You are correct. But you are not apart of the InterVarsity organization so I guess neither of us can provide an accurate account that comes from both sides. I just see Christian people putting down other individuals and groups which is sad.

CSF was not apart of this event and yet they are mentioned multiple times in the blogs which is a lie. It is stated multiple times that the speaker was a "practicing" homosexual which he was not. I know this because I know the staff involved and the speaker reported that he was celibate. This blog also continues to say that InterVarsity promotes homosexuality. That is also not true because the InterVarsity USA statement even says so on the last blog. These are all not true and continuing to talk about these issues is gossip.

Electronic communication can often come across as harsh. I am sorry if I come across rude because it is not my intention. Like I said before. Damage has obviously been done here on multiple fronts. I just hope that the body of Christ and unify despite these circumstances because the main goal of all of us is to see the truth penetrate the hearts of individuals and to see those individual bow their knee to Jesus.

If any of my statements caused harm I apologize because that was not my intent. I pray that we can all forgive one another and begin to focus on what our mission is because we all are wanting the same thing here-to see lives changed for Christ. God Bless Kamilla.