American college campuses continue to be some of the most hostile places in the US for Christians.
A group of Christians students from the University of Iowa has been shut down after it was revealed that they ask new members to sign a “Statement of Faith” that pertains to mainline Christian beliefs. They’ve filed a lawsuit against the academic institution.
Business Leaders in Christ is a collection of students from the University who are seeking to encourage each other in living out their Christian faith in the business world. But the University argued that being required to sign any religious statement violates their anti-discrimination policy.
University of Iowa Media Relations Director Anna Bassett told Christian Post, “Membership and participation in the organization must be open to all students without regard to race, creed, color, religion, national origin, age, sex, pregnancy, disability, genetic information, status as a U.S. veteran, service in the U.S. military, sexual orientation, gender identity, associational preferences, or any other classification that deprives the person of consideration as an individual.”
The section of the group’s Statement of Faith that been brought under the spotlight simply reads: “Members should conduct their careers without the greed, racism, sexual immorality and selfishness that all too often arise in business, political, and cultural institutions.”
BLinC was subsequently told that for them to be reinstated as an official club on campus, it would have to change its Statement of Faith, which would mean altering its core beliefs.
The Becket Fund for Religious Liberty is representing the group in the lawsuit.