Pepperdine University officials have declined to grant official club recognition to the campus group Reach OUT.
Dean of Students Mark Davis said the university’s religious affiliation with the Church of Chist was a deciding factor. “Pepperdine seeks to be faithful to this teaching because we believe it is God’s will,” Davis said, “and therefore we cannot endorse another view or take a neutral position on sexual morality. Although Reach OUT stated in its application that it has no position on sexual activity, we do not believe it is possible for a LGBT student organization to maintain a neutral position.”
Some Pepperdine students and faculty have signed an online petition on Change.org to protest the university’s decision.
“Friends can disagree on moral issues and still maintain loving relationships,” Davis said. “No one — on any side of the issue — should be belittled, misrepresented, or demeaned for holding a different viewpoint. My hope for the Pepperdine community is that we can hold our convictions with humility and grace while caring deeply about each other.”
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