1700 Wade Hampton Blvd in Greenville, SC, has had a strong gravitational pull in my life going all the way back to my first memories. At best, from the perspective of the fundamentalist old guard, BJU is now lukewarm and getting colder by the minute. If they could admit and implement change was necessary in a school-wide scenario then I could admit that and implement it in my own life. I have been mostly removed both by distance and largely by choice of most association with the university since then, watching quietly from a distance. [3] Their relationship soured years later after Horton got it in his head that my dad was telling the PCC preacher boys working at my dads church to transfer to BJU. So, that kind of experiential learning is going to be really important going forward. University Business. He did not really give glory to God, but uses it as a religious catchphrase (like you do). Those skills coupled with key communication skills such as oral communication and the ability to relate to others, listed regularlythose skills show up on employer lists of what they are seeking when hiring new employees. And then I think there is going to be recognition that more and more students are going to be working while theyre in college. Id really appreciate if you could leave us a positive reviewit will help others find our podcast. Look, I truly hope that there is a group of wealthy, connected alumni who are actively working behind the scenes to thwart this ongoing coup. Hence, Im going to separate from you because you refuse to separate from someone else. My piano teacher was Kent Hovinds wife. (Or maybe the 20th!). BJU-styled fundamentalism is shrinking because *weve* left. I know fundamentalism well enough to know that those who want to see the changes at BJU rolled back will read the support for Pettit as proof that theyre doing the right thing. An incendiary closed-door meeting and a fiery letter from the presidentwhich was later leakedcalling out BJUs dysfunctional leadership dragged the private evangelical universitys community into the fray and has culminated in the chairmans resignation. Its for the traditional college student. Because if not, well, I think the fundamentalist old guard is about to win a total victory that broaches no compromise, meaning my prediction from last fall that BJU is (possibly) about to commit a slow and strange suicide is back on the table (read that article to better understand why I make that claim). The fundamentalist old guards coup aint dead yet. The contract extension was approved unanimously by the University's board. And thats really where were trying to win, is to have programs that meet the demands of our local area in our region here. Their dispensationalist hermeneutic engenders a belief that they are a dwindling remnant battling to stay pure until the Rapture happens. Would love to share some thoughts (Pick your brain) on the BJU Suicide/Coup. One of the most durable myths in recent history is that the religious right, the coalition of conservative evangelicals and. Another question is probably in the minds of some: why do you care, John? Its really a fairly recent concept; its probably has had different terms over the years. So, as she said, micro-credentials are going to be big going forward, and its not just for the post-traditional student. And thats the space BJU exists in, and its the space BJU has existed in really going back to Stephen Jones tenure as university president. I never had any desire to see the original Dino park thing he built in his yard (I saw it, just never visited it), so I definitely dont want to visit the one in Alabama. (For some helpful details about whats going on at BJU, I recommend reading reporter Mark Wingfields article in Baptist News Global. It may be that whoever is disenchanted with the state of affairs at BJU considers changes under Steve Petitt to be compromise. Change is not inherently good or bad. Purity is tantamount, and I cant risk being sullied by your compromising associations. Its surreal. Secondary separation is the prevailing identity marker of BJU-styled fundamentalism. In my first year I was able to experience what many would consider the traditional BJU structure but by year two Steve Pettit was onbaorded and began to transition our school to focus on discipling the students and on the status of our hearts and walk with the Lord rather than simply the appearance of such things. The campus is home to 2,566 full time undergraduate students, and 335 full time graduate students. But defenders say that decisions about which professors to release were made by college deans and leaders, not Pettit. Pettit renewed his contract earlier this year to stay at the University for three more years. This is who they are if they cant exercise control and get their way, they either separate or destroy. We know from practice and from the landscape that our students appreciate when someone helps them navigate the inquiry to advising to enrollment cycle. Saying it's time for "new blood" to meet the needs of a new generation, Dr. Bob Jones III announced Thursday that he will . Separation is required. Thats kind of a new term in use in the higher ed landscape. I grew so much during that time and started reading my Bible like never before. Later, the Holy Spirit used my time as a student in the mid-90s to bring me to the end of myself, eventually leading me to place my faith in Jesus as my thirties came to a close. I think thats where our teachers will be, helping students gain those particular skills. If the old boys network is still that strong there, then I dont think I could trust it to continue on a discipleship model rather than revert to a legalistic course. That was in play before the pandemic; its even more in play now, and thankfully what is relevant are the kind of soft skills, or people skills, that Beverly was just alluding to. He knows what he is doing is wrong, but popular. Charismatic personalities dominate churches and institutions, and many of those personalities egos do not broach cooperation with others. He has held the position since 2014. In his letter, Pettit listed several underhanded and unethical maneuvers by the old guard still on the board. Many of them, the seniors particularly, began to realize that things they had been looking forward to in the remaining weeks just werent going to happen, and so it was sudden change and shock for them. He preaches out of books. And then of course, the focus that we have here, our foundation being the sufficiency of Scripture and pointing our students to that, the foundation that has been built and turning all of our hearts in that direction, you cant make a change like weve had to make as quickly and as smoothly as its gone without Gods grace. That fundamentalist camp has existed for decades. Christian institutions face a never-ending challenge: Which cultural changes should we embrace as we prepare for the future? There is an amazing role BJU can have in influencing the world for Christ. I was a student during the transition years of Stephen Jones and Steve Pettit. Lewis also selects the schools executive committee with the help of an outside lawyer who does not communicate with the Board directly unless granted permission from the chairman. Was America Founded as a Christian Nation? Under Pettit, I have noticed several things: 1.) They might be doing a degree in business or a degree in ministry or in some other area, and they want to embed some sort of skill set or some form of certification within that. The current direction is unsustainable, Pettit wrote in his letter, according to Fits News. I anticipated gritting my teeth and doing my time. Cormican: Certainly. BJU in recent years, has been on a course to correct past wrongs and focus on the gospel. The emails clogging up the board members inboxes will likely be viewed as attacks of the devil. From its very start, BJU had a sort-of poison pill mentality built into it. He refuses to take a stand on anything that is right, unless it is popular. I care for their sake. But I knew that their well-intentioned appeals would be read as rebellion. The old guard remains and is still the same hard-core fundies we know and love. There is a deep philosophical/theological divide between those who are angry over Pettits forced resignation and those who forced his resignation. Cormican: Well, I would agree with Gary. Legacies are on the line. He said that other than the KJVO literature in the foyer, nothing else seemed odd. I dont remember who the pastor was back then. Again, thats another high-demand area in Greenville in the Upstate; weve been hearing that for at least two or three years now, and we are going to respond with a program that we hope will launch this fall. He is a hypocrite. This much deeper approach gave me a burning desire to know more about how the Bible beautifully guides us applies to daily living and philosophies of life. My email is jellis419@yahoo.com, Your email address will not be published. (LogOut/ Students seemed to be happier and have a confidence in their faith. A BJU that allows an electric guitar to make a brief appearance during a Shakespear play is a BJU that has compromised itself out of the will of God. Commencement Info. Largely, it is anything goes on the campus. The future of BJU requires the Chairman and the President to work together. Everyone was either trying to be like BJU or they were trying to prove that they were holier (translation: more fundamentalist) than BJU. I began reading and studying to get caught up, all the while becoming frustrated that so much emphasis in my college years was spent on rules such as walking on the grass instead of preparing me spiritually and educationally for the world. So, the two that we offer right now are the RN to BSN and then also degree completion in professional studies. Which is how the Bible should be preached. Cormican: Well, to further what Dr. Weier mentioned, through SCOPE we offer several fully online grad programs already and a couple certificates, but were also looking forward to building certificate programs that respond to other workforce development needs, and Ill give you two examples. I think were going to see an increase in experiential learning where students want to apply immediately what theyre learning in the class through projects. How Wichita State University is Making a Difference By Anthology June 1, 2023 Navigating College Life with Autism: How Wichita State University is Making a Difference A report by the CDC states that one in 36 children is diagnosed with autism, which has increased since a 2016 statistic of one in 54. He accurately teaches through books of the Bible in an expository method which seeks to preach the Bible in its original historical context. Preventing BJU from becoming another Liberty or Wheaton, even at the expense of the Universitys very existence, is a legacy the old guard would be proud to have carved on their tombstones. The current direction is not sustainable. Bob Jones Universitys old tagline The Worlds Most Unusual University is truer than probably whomever coined it realized. If you enjoyed this episode, please leave us a positive review on Apple podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. So in 1927, Bob Jones College opened as a young earth creationist alternative to evolutionary views of creation out of fear of a hypothetical future society created and controlled by atheists. Jones retiring as president of BJU his youngest son will take over. John Fea | November 13, 2022Leave a Comment According to reporter Steve Rabey, the Bob Jones University may be facing an old school fundamentalist revolt. Except, in this case, I have spoken to or texted with several people who are intimately connected, in various ways, to BJU and the situation. Steve Pettit traveled for many years with the Steve Pettit Evangelistic Team before becoming president of Bob Jones University. I have also read online reports by conservative voices whom I know to be sober-minded and not prone to knee-jerk hyperbole. Thanks for anytime you could share with this! I dont think anybody could have anticipated the suddenness and the widespread effect this virus has had on higher education and of course, on all sectors of society. So, a question I want to ask as we begin to move forward here is, what has been the immediate impact on students at Bob Jones University following the coronavirus and the closing of the school? He and his family were/are very involved with the local homeschooling co-op of which a close friend was one of the directors. 64.7% of Bob Jones University students come from out of state, and 6.36% come from out of the country. While I will always be grateful for the rock solid education and strong Christian impact it had on our lives, I strongly believe that God used Steve Petitt to save BJU from perhaps having to close its doors as other Christian colleges have been forced to do in the recent past. He did not refuse the standing ovation, but accepted it. That is a word that they love and would use. Pettit: That is so true. I did not enter BJU with these doubts. I have a senior in high school with several more to follow. Weier: Well, I dont think that any college could say that they were fully prepared for something like that, but God has definitely shown Himself strong on our behalf and certainly, weve had things in place for a number of years to help us along these lines, so overall, I think the transition has gone pretty smoothly in terms of how prepared we were for it. 1970 s. In 1971, Dr. Bob Jones Jr. became the university chancellor, and Dr. Bob Jones III assumed the responsibilities of president. And then I think the work that Beverly and her team have done in SCOPE, of which shell talk here in just a minute, has been a huge help for us. He is worshipped, as most leaders of colleges are. However, the school is well on its way. Asbury University revival roundup: February 15, 2023 at 11:25AM. In 1883, when Bob was born, Alex Jones, a Confederate veteran, was working a small farm in Dale County, Alabama, but within months the family moved to Brannon Stand west of Dothan.All the unmarried Jones children helped work the farm there, and Bob Jones often sold the . CPA. That is not the mark of a saved man. Self-described fundamentalists in 2022 loath BJU. You might get first of all the answer, Well, I teach history or I teach business or I teach theology or I teach nursing, but very quickly or maybe even before that, youll hear the faculty member say that I teach students. That just emphasizes the importance, the primacy of that relationship that we really recognize that we are teaching other people. Signing this petition is probably the first thing Ive done In support of my alma mater since graduating in the late 90s. In addition, we have several graduate programs online; several in education, several in biblical studies, biblical counseling. If Dr. P is out, and a Jones-like president is appointed, the school will ultimately close. The opposition to Pettit has nothing to do with morality or doctrine, but with preferences of Christian practice, according to one alumnus. Well, those who werent raised in fundamentalism are getting a vivid enactment of what happens. On January 16, 1968, the Lord called Dr. Bob Jones Sr., the university founder, to meet his Savior after a lifetime of faithful service. You all should be ashamed of yourselves, and should repent & follow Christ according to His Word. Then of course, as weeks and days have gone by, I think another big effect on students and really all of us is that this has had personal effect on us. Room & Board, On-Campus $5790. Bob Jones University ranks 143 out of 2,183 when it comes to geographic diversity. Global dexterity is another big thing that we emphasize, so these kinds of things we were already embedding within our curriculum; were just working to accelerate that even more. I had other friends whose parents thought BJU was the closest thing to heaven as could be found on earth. Weier: Well, thank you Dr. Pettit, its great to be here. List of famous alumni from Bob Jones University, with photos when available. They (the ones wanting to remove Pettit) will encourage each other to stand strong and resist the wiles of the devil. The faculty and administrators also urged the board to seek immediate help from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, the universitys primary accrediting agency, according to the letter, which was signed by the executive administration team, deans and leaders of the Faculty Advisory Committee. And I think about our faculty here at BJU. It was around 2012 when this new pastor, Pastor Nathan, came in. For Bob Jones III and his cronies, the direction Pettit has taken the school is an existential threat. Well, its what I heard proudly trumpeted my entire childhood. Similarly, students and alumni created a petition on Change.org calling for Lewis resignation and Pettits reinstatement as president, garnering almost 8,000 signatures, far exceeding Bob Jones current student enrollment numbers. While I received a good education, I cant say the same in the area of spiritual discipleship. My dad attended Tennessee Temple University and he considered Lee Roberson the epitome of a godly man. Having toured the Vatican collections, the art at Bob Jones is actually easier to see than in the Vatican. I predict a second exodus if Dr. Pettits contract is not renewed. Its also not lost on me the influence several of the old guard had in the destruction of that institution. Praying for wisdom and grace for all in the days ahead. That version doesnt really exist anymore. Thats how they operate is online. I think that coming out of this, obviously, theres going to be a focus on the health care industry, so we have a growing School of Health Professions. He does not enforce the colleges handbook or statement of faith. 4.) You can read more about my story in my memoir series A Godless Fundamentalist, so I wont go into more detail here. Yesterday evening, wondering why my article from last November titled The (Possible) Slow, Strange Suicide of Bob Jones University was suddenly generating a lot of traffic again, a friend texted me that Steve Pettit had resigned as president of BJU. As a 2017 grad, I was there when Dr. Pettit helped make some phenomenal changes to the school to focus less on fundamentalism and focus more on the relationship with Christ and loving God and others. Pettit: Well, I think both of those answers are really powerful truths, and the most important thing is that in the midst of these changing times, we have an unchanging God that we can look to and trust in and lead and guide us. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. The last two weeks have seen the South Carolina university's leadership flip on its head. He served as president of BJU from 2014 to 2023. In short, I was unprepared and I vowed never to support BJU. Were teaching fellow believers in this context and that relationship is so important. Pettit is widely liked by staff and students at Bob Jones University. [3] As far as our home life, my sisters werent allowed to wear pants. However, it appears that BJUs days may be numbered. Under the new leadership, the University expanded many facets of its ministry. Current students will transfer en masse. Pettit: Well, wed like to welcome you today to our podcast of Highest Potential. You'll not only gain the knowledge and skills you need to excel in your career, but you'll also learn how to think critically . Weve been working very aggressively to make sure that students recognize we actually do have those in our curriculum ways to learn problem solving, critical thinking, ways to learn to communicate better. Hugh Pyle and Barry Webb were two of the more frequent evangelists to speak at my dads church. Fundamentalism In Greenville, South Carolina, where I grew up, there is a university across the highway from where I lived called Bob Jones University. BJU has been wrapped up in my identity, both as an affirmation and an antagonist, for so long, its demise would seem like the death of a family member or an old friend. Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in: You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. The private evangelical university was founded in 1927 as Bob Jones College in Bay County, Fla. I was never taught to think, to debate, or defend my positions. ), the university will never placate the larger group of self-called fundamentalists. So, let me begin with just a very general question and that ishow would you describe these times today for education. She is vice provost for academic initiatives, and she is the dean of the School of Online Professional Education, which we fondly call SCOPE which is our online and nontraditional programs. I cant imagine the sorrow he and his family have over seeing this play out once again. He has triple citizenship from the U.S., Ecuador, and Brazil. It is big (perhaps five-thousand students, maybe). Friends later text me about the news that Steve Pettit has resigned as president of BJU, stating that he can no longer serve as long as John Lewis remains chairman of the board. Sure, happy to. If those on board who want Pettit out have their way (assuming all this is correct, and, again, I believe the reports to be trustworthy), the return to the bygone glory days of Bob Jones University spells doom for the institution. While my dad was in high school, the Peter Ruckman had been his pastor. How was Bob Jones University prepared to pivot to remote instruction. If he did not resign, they warned of an institution-wide vote of no confidence in the entire board.. Ironically and sadly, I think this episode proves they were right all along; you cant reform Bob Jones University from the inside. On one side, stood Bob Jones University. I knew immediately this was leadership I wanted to learn and serve under. BJU has had five presidents: Bob Jones Sr. (1927-1947); Bob Jones Jr. (1947-1971); Bob Jones III (1971-2005); Stephen Jones (20052014); and Steve Pettit, (2014 to the present). Here's the Cost of Attendance breakdown for Bob Jones University: Tuition and Fees $13460. Whether its online or in person, that becomes critical. It is a very strong, influential fundamentalist institution. Essentially, micro-credentials are bite-sized chunks of education, whether delivered in online course, or bootcamp certificate format, or an apprenticeship, usually from a traditional university or specialty provider or some other kind of online learning platform. That is the most significant thing that came out of my time there and I wholeheartedly believe it came from God-given wisdom to Dr. Steve Pettit. For me, even though I wasnt a Christian, I loved visiting Bob Jones University. Bob Jones University's old tagline "The World's Most Unusual University" is truer than probably whomever coined it realized. Adding to the overall mystique of the place, it also appears that BJUs impending death will be willfully self-induced. Pettits primary grievance with Lewis stems from his posture of secrecy and hostility toward the board and administration. For example, he forbade the Board from telling the schools longstanding corporate counsel of a meeting held in February and he moved all executive committee meetings to a former presidents private residence, according to Pettits letter. So, for example, some of the things that Beverly just talked about in terms of in making sure that those key competencies theyre actually from a lot of research from an entity called The National Association of Colleges and Employers key skills that students really want. Were always adding courses to that portfolio. He is not a Bible-preacher. Pettit: Well, it is definitely a new normal. The resignation came while a letter was circulating online between Pettit and the University's Board. But what happens when that compromise happens in your midst and impurity is spreading in the community? Early years. Its not even changing the direction that were headed in strategically. The resultant effects on the student body, faculty, staff, and countless others is a true testament to godly leadership.This already is a huge blow to the school, and if this continues, I do not see this school lasting long. It is not happening now, and I cant see it happening in the future.. So, yeah, thats why I care. Considering he soundly beat back an attempted coup by the fundamentalist old guard on the Board last fall, the news stunned me. If you were to ask them what they teach, I think youll probably get two answers. It includes not just Bob Jones University tuition and fees, but also room, board, textbooks, and personal expenses. Where will they draw their student body from? And we know from our data that we see in higher education that the shelf life of new technology skills typically is about three years but in core digital skills change even faster. Steve Pettit understands Christian students need an excellent education and a spiritual foundation to enter a world that will increasingly oppose them but needs the gospel message BJU students can boldly share. Following his resignation, 17 faculty and administrative leaders wrote to the board demanding Lewiss resignation and warning that Bob Jones is in real and imminent jeopardy, according to Baptist News Global. [4] My mom was a teacher at the school. The increasing freedom I sensed in the faculty to discuss difficult issues and allow me to challenge ideas is what I loved most about my time there as a student. Our liberal arts courses, ranging from history to speech to science to the arts, give you an amazing glimpse into God's character and the world He createdand help you connect with people you meet in different . I remember his chalk drawings. I am walking down a dark road with no light ahead. Cormican: Sure. The petition reads: Our president is under evaluation for a renewal of his contract in the coming months. Past leadership did not understand this. Ron Paul Guess who's going to Bob Jones University?