Vol. 5 Iss. 2: Union: The Few. The Proud. The Liberal?

   By Hannah Giffin

   One of the things that struck me during my first week at Union was the message from some faculty, administration, and students that we had finally arrived in a safe clubhouse of Christian liberalism. I don’t want to trivialize the painful experiences of many individuals in Christian settings. However, I was amazed that a place that seeks to affirm diversity could allow such assumptions to be made about the character of ‘conservative’ Christianity and the make-up of its incoming class.

   Unfortunately, due to the separation of first-years caused by the new curriculum, I’m afraid that few at Union have fully appreciated the theological diversity of the first-year class. Although I can be easily categorized as a ‘liberal’ Christian, I didn’t come to Union to be with a bunch of people who agree with me. I came to Union to be surrounded by a community of Christian witnesses who could push me towards a more comprehensive understanding of what our tradition calls us to do and be. I think theological diversity exists here to make that experience a reality – as long as voices aren’t silenced by assumptions of agreement.

   Our challenge as people of faith is to seek the truth beyond societal labels; to recognize our fundamental connectedness and respond thoughtfully to each situation. Different labels for Christian groups, used blindly and with prejudice, should become as distasteful to us as other forms of discrimination; they divide, exclude, generalize, and degrade. Despite the strength of ‘conservative’ Christian voices in the media, many students here know little about the differing standpoints and complexity of beliefs that are labeled in this way. We all need to listen deeply to our brothers and sisters of faith, keeping both ears open for a truth that lies beyond our current understanding. We need to start listening here, at home, in our own community.