Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (Nov. 21, 1986)
BAPTISTS DIVIDED ontroversy is not readily apparent at Baylor, the R * world’s largest and best-known Southern Baptist uni m versity. Its lush campus on the banks of the Brazos ■ _ River in Waco, Texas, is home to a record 11,556 students this fall—despite efforts to contain enroll ment—and applications continue to pour in. But Baylor is a school under siege by a faith divided. Fundamentalists who have dominated the Southern Baptist Convention since 1979 have accused Baylor, along with several Southern Baptist seminaries, of becoming dangerously "liberal.” Few outside the SBC view "Jerusalem on the Brazos" as a liberal place. Though only 60 percent of the students and half the faculty are Baptists, all students are expected to conform to rules so strict that students sometimes refer to yr/ RAYLOK I'MVERSITY Firm: Remolds baylor as tne scnooi oi mou-snan-noi have-fun” Students may not drink or dance on campus; they may not display pictures of beer or pinups in the dorms. "Indecent or immoral conduct, lewd or las civious action, sexual promiscuity or illicit cohabitation" on or off campus is grounds for expulsion. Of course, some Baylor stu dents have been known to imbibe alcohol and use drugs, dance and even engage in premarital sex. But the source of conflict at Baylor is neither dance nor drugs nor sex; it is the Bible. Fundamentalist lenders like the Rev. W. A. Criswell of Dallas insist the Bible is without error Moderate Baptists agree that the Bible was inspired by God, but are freer in interpretation; some even declare a belief that God may have used evolution to create the universe Both views have traditionally been acceptable in this non creedal denomination. But fundamentalists argue that the religion’s teaching should reflect their views as a majority. Otherwise, they say, its schools could lose their religious identities, as North west ern and others with church affiliations eventually did In 1979 one fundamentalist criticized a religion-department text that suggested the first five books of the Bible might not have been written by Moses. In 1984 another demanded that a tenured Spanish professor at Baylor be removed because he was a Mormon. The removal of a religion professor who accepted evolution was also sought letter that year two fundamentalist students presented Baylor president Her bert Reynolds with a "manifesto" demanding that faculty members whocould not provethey were born-again Baptists be dismissed. This fall, like-minded students, outraged by a Doonesbury cartoon critical ofTV evangelist Pat Robert son, insisted that the stu dent newspaper censor such material. Reynolds has consistent ly defied fundamentalist ef That old-time religion: The Baptist Student Union at Baylor, a Southern Baptist stronghold, holds an on-campus revival forts to control the universi ty and declares himselfcom rnitted to the principle of academic freedom. For 140 years, he notes, Baylor’s mission has been to provide Pint. HI'BEN HI-At'K *TAH Fundamental things apply: The Her. W. A. Cnsu ell. fxistor of the world s largest Southern Baptist church and believer in Biblical infallibility a strong acaaem ic education mai nnstianenvironmem. 11s schools of law, nursing, education and business have earned enviable reputations. Most students, says history freshman Reich Chandler, "like Baylor just the way it is." Vows Reynolds, "We are not going to deny our students the right to use their God-given minds in order to better understand God’s creation.” In accordance with Baylor’s rules,st udentson both sideaof this debate have confined their protests to petitions and letters. A few enjoy the attention the conflict has brought Baylor. Others object Fundamentalist efforts tochange the school "scare me," says journalism senior Jay Eubank "They make Baptists look like a bunch of fools " Fortunately for Baylor's moderates, the university is operated not by the SBC but by the more moderate Baptist General Convention of Texas, which—at least for now—agrees with biology Frol Frederick Gehlbuch Says he "It is Baylor's place toeducate itsstudents, not indoctrinate them " Barbara Bi rhowrh uif/> Mark STOcstm HV»r« /II.V K \l I /NY
