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January 21, 2013
Canada's First Christian Law School Opposed over Gay Lifestyle Ban
Trinity Western University's community covenant would be “fundamentally incompatible” with Canadian core values, argue law school deans.
For more than a year, Trinity Western University (TWU) has been attempting to start Canada's first Christian law school, a proposal that the Canadian Council of Law Deans finds "very troubling."
The Canadian Council of Law School deans recently issued a letter stating that TWU's “community covenant” unfairly discriminates against gay, lesbian, and bisexual students—and that discrimination is “fundamentally incompatible” with the core values of Canadian law schools and of an equal society, the National Post reports.
TWU's covenant is a lifestyle code signed by all students, staff, and faculty. It asks that those who sign the code abstain from homosexual relationships. It also asks them to refrain from gossip, lying, smoking and consuming alcohol.
TWU president Jonathan Raymond has responded to the law deans in a letter of his own, according to the Vancouver Sun. Raymond argues that TWU’s covenant is “consistent with federal and provincial law.”
This is not the first time TWU has dealt with questions about its community covenant. The school was denied accreditation over its community covenant, but a 2001 Canadian Supreme Court ruling "upheld the right of Trinity Western's teacher training program to apply the community covenant to bar homosexual relationships."
CT weighed in on the debate over "sexual standards" at Christian colleges in 2011, and previously reported the debate over TWU's confessional standards for faculty. CT also noted when Raymond was selected to lead TWU as president in 2006. TWU staff have regularly appeared in CT's pages.
Comments
A Christian law school would teach only canon law. Isn't that called a seminary? Otherwise, there's no such thing as a Christian law school -- it would just be a divisive propaganda factory.
Posted By: Marco Luxe | January 21, 2013 1:40 PM
The canon law? I think the school would obviously adhere to the secular law as in this imperfect world, they would still have to follow the law once they left school.They, as do all citizens in the apt position in life, may change the law through lawful means. The school is teaching a code of Christian ethics and doing so, must be aware the strict order that must be followed. A private institution that accepts no public funding should be able to set their own moral code, as long as the straight students adhere to the Christian code of conduct too. We have just lost West Point to degrading,debauchery. Let us hope that the court system through the guidance of our elected representatives, can begin to change the laws to a return of ethics and strong moral values.
Posted By: JohnnyAngel Advocacy | January 21, 2013 3:10 PM
Augusta golf course now must admit women.
This has never been about men and women. It has been from the beginning a ploy for admitting homosexuals into society and forbidding religion prohibitions and outlawing the religions against it. It's a demonstration of the Lords sovereignty. We mess with God; no more blessings. Hallelujah! You reap what you sow.
Posted By: David Stafford | January 21, 2013 3:39 PM
The matter of Trinity Western University potentially being denied the right to start a law school has implications beyond the particular moral value in question. The president of the Canadian Council of Law Deans ". . .even questioned whether TWU fosters real intellectual freedom because the faculty are required to agree to particular Bible-based standards instead of open inquiry."
The right of a private institution to set standards for those who voluntarily associate with it is fundamental to the freedom of non-governmental institutions. Trinity has stuck with its historic Christian standard in the matter of student standards regarding sex, and is now being threatened with the consequences.
Posted By: Ted Hewlett | January 21, 2013 9:52 PM
To David Stafford who posted above me: as a Christian, since when am I supposed to believe that Christian standards involve bigotry? Including anti-gay bigotry? Christianity is NOT about bigotry - but men posing as Christians often make it so.
Posted By: Tim | January 22, 2013 5:04 AM
If it is really Christian, then, of course, it will not approve of homosexual behavior. The Bible has stern rebukes and dire warnings for those who approve of sin or encourage others to sin, but it does (Leviticus 19:1; Isaiah 5:20; Malachi 2:17; Matthew 5:19-20; Matthew 18:6; Romans 14:22). Note that two of these warnings (Matthew 5:19-20 and Matthew 18:6) are from Jesus’ own mouth. Anyone who approves of homosexual behavior will have to answer to God for it. Read more at http://rethinkingtheology.com/2012/07/01/what-does-the-bible-say-about-homosexuality/
Posted By: James Aist | January 22, 2013 6:30 PM
James Aist: When I read Matthew 5:19-20 and Matthew 18:6 etc, they have nothing to do with defining homosexuality as sin. Therefore, your position misses the crucial analysis of sin, but just rails against the "sinfulness" of "others", a facile argument.
Posted By: Marco Luxe | January 22, 2013 7:31 PM
Johnny Angel: I think you make my argument for me when you state "The school is teaching a code of Christian ethics and doing so, must be aware the strict order that must be followed."
Your statement supports that a school whose first priority is Christian ethics is a seminary. In contrast, a law school teaches the law - which of course should be done from an ethical perspective - the ethics defined by the law itself. To confuse the two produces both bad lawyers [theocrats] and bad clergy [Pharisees].
Posted By: Marco Luxe | January 22, 2013 7:37 PM
If a Christian law school can't adhere to Canadian anti-discrimination laws, it is obviously unfit to be a law school. It's nothing more than a Bible school.
Posted By: Kathleen | January 26, 2013 5:42 PM
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