Christian students have it harder than others. First, they attend Christian schools (as distinct from public and state universities), and they must adhere to stricter policies than those at public universities and colleges. Secondly, they’re forced to sign special agreements with the school that, as a result of their “Christian” convictions, they must agree to. It’s an issue particularly in the South, where certain Protestant seminaries require their students to agree to refrain from drinking alcohol, beer, whiskey, wine, or anything that has an ounce of alcohol in it.
And students must adhere to certain sexual practices as well, in more extreme cases. For example, some conservative seminaries (Baptist colleges and seminaries, for example) require that their students agree to sexual conduct that’s “in line with New Testament standards.” What does this mean for students? If you’re a conservative Christian who’s read Romans 1, homosexuality is out of the picture at a conservative seminary. Students who disagree with these policies will find themselves expelled.
That’s the case for one Christian Minard, a Southwestern Christian University student who was accepted into the institution despite her lesbianism. What upset the school was most was when she decided to marry her girlfriend. Pictures of the happy couple were posted to Facebook, and that’s when one SCU administrator contacted Minard to discuss what he’d seen on social media. “As an American and a Christian, I do respect your choice. But I have to uphold the Lifestyle Covenant at SCU and confront you with our position. Due to this recent event, you will not be able to attend SCU in the future,” read the termination letter Minard received from SCU some time ago.
The Lifestyle Covenant to which the administrator referred in the letter is typical of Christian institutions that hold to the Bible’s view of marriage as being between one man and one woman. Conservatives have stated that nowhere in the Bible is there any license for marriage being anything other than heterosexual, and any such actions to endorse homosexuality are grounds for termination.
Minard left SCU and is now attending the Edmond campus of the University of Central Oklahoma. She posted a status on Facebook earlier this week about her new school, classes, and attitude. “Finally got into classes! In the end this will all have worked out for the best! I now get to attend a university that is more than happy to have me there and has been extremely helpful towards me! Excited for this new beginning!” she wrote Tuesday.