Pepperdine University
MALIBU, Calif. (BNc) — Though BNc does not make it a practice to highlight news from liberals and progressives within the church, we deem it instructive at times to note how far the progressive movement often goes when it cuts loose the Bible as the authoritative guide to life.
After some initial uncertainty in the media over the news, it would appear to be official that Pepperdine University now offers, through its undergraduate Seaver College, a scholarship to students who demonstrate “a commitment to promoting the health (mental or physical) and wellness of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgendered (LGBT) community.”
Read the description of the scholarship on the Pepperdine website in full, from the “Outside Scholarships” page for Financial Assistance:
Vinci and Ellsworthe Scholarship:
The Vinci and Ellsworthe scholarship was established to benefit students who are pursuing a bachelor’s degree at Seaver College. Preference will be given to students whose academic work or personal involvement has demonstrated a commitment to promoting the health (mental or physical) and wellness of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgendered (LGBT) community. Emphasis will be on actual service, volunteerism, employment, and extracurricular activities. Applications must be submitted no later than July 15, 2013.
Pepperdine has nixed the formation of homosexual student groups (an LGBT Legal Society in the School of Law was approved last year), but apparently has no qualms in accepting monies from outside sources that promote it.
2013-03-18 at 4:39 pm
That’s a satan’s temple
2013-03-18 at 5:50 pm
Questions…Should this scholarship offering imply that the university supports immoral homosexual behavior? According to the details of the scholarship, preference will be given to students whose academic work has demonstrated a comittment to promoting the health (mental and physical) and wellness of the LGBT community. How would this be different from let’s say a missionary to a predominantly Muslim (anti-scriptural) country, working to meet healthcare needs of these people. I understand the issue of choice, but shouldn’t available choices such as salvation through Jesus Christ be taught to both cultures? I’m aware of congregations who have been successful with counseling and teaching outreaches to those practicing homosexual behaviors and have experienced as much a 60% change in them.
2013-03-18 at 5:59 pm
The language used is not that of outreach, but of affirmation of the lifestyle. The scholarship application talks about serving “the needs of the LBGT community.” It’s being announced as “another sign that gay rights are moving forward.”
2013-03-18 at 6:03 pm
Mr. Matheny,
Because we have a friend in common on facebook I was able to see your post and and comments about this scholarship. On facebook you said it was for people who “serve the needs of the LGBT community” which, as far as I can tell, isn’t actually a direct quote but I digress. My questions is when did it become a bad thing for Christians to serve sinners? And why would it be a bad thing for Christians to award money for an education to other Christians who serve sinners?
2013-03-18 at 6:04 pm
It is a direct quote, from the scholarship application.
2013-03-18 at 6:05 pm
I don’t get the affirmation of the lifestyle from the language you include. Perhaps you have more inside information. I would be for learning to help them in some ways. One would be to learn to control the impulses. Just a thought.
2013-03-18 at 7:26 pm
The idea of helping a sinner, one whose life style is that of practicing sin, is to get this person out of sin! It is not to help this person continue to live in the sin(s). Before the scholarship is given, study of the teaching of the New Testament in area of the sin should be done. If this person then, believes, repents, confesses the Lord Jesus Christ, and is baptized into Christ in order to have sins forgiven; then, a scholarship might be in order. I use the word “might,” because it might be best to give this person some time to grow as a new Christian! Helping this person in this spiritual growth.
The “affirmation of the lifestyle,” of “promoting the health (mental or physical) and wellness of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgendered (LGBT) community” should be in getting them to obey the gospel of Christ, not in giving scholarships them. The reward should not be given while continuing in sin – a lifestyle of sin!
If I am reading the post incorrectly, the thoughts I have given are worthy of study at least.
2013-03-19 at 5:51 am
This story demonstrates how far into sin liberalism will take individuals. This is true whether it be a violation of God’s moral law or a failure to respect the aspect of positive divine law regarding the New Testament pattern. What is even more interesting are the lame and pathetic excuses that
some have made in playing word games with explicit statements coming out of Pepperdine. Regardless of how radical some heretics are, there will always be those among the liberals who are so wedded to sin and cheap politics that they will always in light of Romans 1:32 violate 2 John 9.
It should be obvious that when one fails to respect the Biblical doctrine of fellowship, there is no stopping place when it comes to one’s involvement with sin.
2013-03-19 at 8:04 am
Few things surprise me anymore. Our task and urgency in teaching the truth multiply daily while our allotted time decreases every moment.
2013-03-19 at 9:34 am
This is yet another sad example of how far men will go to promote man’s sinful will over God’s will. When there is a fundamental disrespect for God’s Word, anything and seemingly everything goes. Every man is left to do what is right in his own eyes. According to Romans chapter one homosexuality is the worshiping of the physical body of another as a replacement of the recognition of God the creator. Homosexuality changes “the truth of God into a lie” and is that which “worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator” (Romans 1:25; see Romans 1:18-28). Supporting those of that sinful lifestyle does not help them to come out of sin. The only real way to help those who are in sin is to preach the gospel to them because it alone is the power to save (Romans 1:16-17). Jesus says to all who are in sin to repent (Luke 13:3; Acts 2:38).
2013-03-19 at 12:04 pm
I was told that Pepperdine University was a major financier in the battle against the gay marriage initiative in California. Knowing that, I was surprised by this announcement as well, but you might notice the wording of the announcement says nothing about supporting Gay rights. It says that an individual will be chosen for the scholarship who has shown “commitment to promoting the health (mental or physical) and wellness of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgendered (LGBT) community.”
Sorry, but that’s not synonymous with “promoting homosexuality and immorality.”
2013-03-19 at 2:57 pm
I never ceased to be amazed at those of the liberal mindset who are more than willing to jump through all kinds of hoops to defend blatant compromise with open sin. Pepperdine’s statement is an endorsement of homosexual behavior. If not then why was scholarships offered to those of such practices?
2013-03-19 at 12:47 pm
This post is nothing more than taking one small statement and making all sorts of conjectures in an attempt to answer whatever questions this statement arouses. Given the opening sentence of this post, one wonders if preconceived biases are not driving the conjectures.
2013-03-19 at 7:41 pm
One wonders how much pressure the Federal Government is going to exert on colleges and universities who receive public funds to embrace these matters relating to “sexual orientation”? Look what has happened to the Catholic Church on contraception. Homosexuality has been around for a long time, and we are just now awarding a scholarship to those seeking to help others with the struggles of these sins? That is a tough sell! If I was the President of the University, I would have this scholarship reworked so the statement is clear. If it is an effort to normalize LGBT behavior, then I would reject the scholarship funds. The reputation of the school deserves better clarity than this!
2013-03-20 at 3:15 am
Randall,
Thank you for the heads up my brother. It is important for students of the NT to maintain a constant awareness of the central issue presented by LGBT perversions. To wit, is the behavior under discussion voluntary or involuntary? Until someone demonstrates that LGBT behavior is involuntary [which is never going to happen – cf. the entirety of Rom 1] we must recognize that refusing to normalize LGBT behavior is absolutely not discriminatory in the way that hating or disenfranchising another person because of his race is discriminatory. A person cannot wake up one morning and decide not to be caucasian if that is in fact his race. However, one can stop engaging in homosexual behavior. Advocates and practitioners of LGBT behavior argue that the same principle applies to their “alternative lifestyle.” But where is their proof?
2013-03-20 at 9:07 am
Gospel preachers had better heed the instruction given to Timothy by the Apostle Paul in 2 Timothy 4:1-5. We had better cease preaching “feel good” sermons and get back to preaching the word (vs 2) even if it brings persecution upon us. Now, if I am accused of having “preconceived biases” so be it. But, God’s word has been around much longer than such institutions as Pepperdine. I choose to adhere to its teaching and protest ungodly policies of such Universities (2 Tim. 3:16,17).
2013-03-28 at 11:10 am
If those who are living in sin are to be helped then they must, in Christian love, is tell of God’s condemnation of continuing in sin.
We would warn a person who was venturing out on ice too thin to support them and not give them a pair of ice skates.Jesus and His Ambassadors were very plain about the consequences of sin. So must Christians do so.