Montreat College bills itself as “a Christ-centered liberal arts institution.” With that in mind, the small North Carolina school is asking faculty and staff members to sign a “covenant” affirming their commitment to the college’s Christian beliefs.
However, for some students and faculty members, that’s too much to ask. Local television station WLOS reports some are leaving the school as a result of the covenant, which is part of the college’s new faculty handbook.
From the article:
The new addition, labeled as a “Life Covenant,” asks faculty and staff to affirm the word of God in committing to several tenants, including “chastity among the unmarried and the sanctity of marriage between one man and one woman.”
“A lot of people on my friend group, they’re either transferring or dropping out altogether because the school has just ruined it for them,” sophomore Bailey Mathews told the news station. “I feel very strongly when they decide to actually write this down and set it in stone the school’s belief. So, I feel like I can’t be apart of that and then, most of my teachers are leaving, so why would I stay somewhere where I can’t get a quality education.”
Numerous faculty members have reportedly bucked signing the covenant:
A faculty member that wishes to remain anonymous sent News 13 a list of eight faculty/staff members who have refused to sign the covenant, thus refusing to continue their employment at the college following the current semester.
In a statement, the college said just two faculty members referred to the pledge as a “primary factor” in their decision to leave the school.
While Montreat is receiving headlines over the defections, not all on campus are opposed to the covenant. Some students don’t have an issue with it, noting it’s a Christian college after all.
“It was just clarifying that biblical stand point of view and making it more, I’d say, black and white and less ambiguous,” said sophomore Ander Crenshaw.
WLOS reports other students shared similar sentiments in interviews.
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