On April 12th, 2019, the following was sent to Westmont's Administration and Faculty Council: To whom it may concern, Nearly two months ago we organized a student petition to address a stained glass window depicting a White Jesus at the forefront of a central spiritual location on campus... — the Voskul Prayer Chapel. In the past two months we have been encouraged by the conversations which have been happening on campus. These conversations have been hard, there is no doubt about it. However, there is also no doubt that as we continue to reveal systemic injustices and take action to undo their lasting effects, we are being redeemed to Christ’s perfect justice. Our conversations are not happening in isolation; rather, they occur in the context of what we see as a wider awakening among the church body to the systemic, institutional sin of racial injustice. We have lamented with the international students at Columbia Theological Seminary as they protested the closing of the Office of International Programs. We have watched our brothers and sisters at Biola wrestle with its own depiction of a White Jesus and the implications for its campus. We have mourned the #BlackExodus resulting from a toxic culture at Fuller Theological Seminary. We are not alone as we walk on this path towards righteousness. As we continue to walk humbly and seek justice we recognize and lament the 400 year history of a diseased imagination, a viral infection which has insidiously wormed its way into our institutions and our faith. The window depicting a White Jesus standing on North America is problematic for a myriad of reasons outlined in our initial letter, and it is also emblematic of the normativity of whiteness on this campus and within the evangelical church at large. The normalization of whiteness has particular symptoms on this campus, marginalizing students, faculty, and staff of color, and leaving all students ill equipped to be thoughtful scholars, grateful servants, and faithful leaders in any context — be it domestic or across the globe. The insidious nature of systemic racism is far reaching. Acknowledging the particular manifestations of this systemic sin on our campus, we as a community are seeking guidance from the Spirit on how to continue to live as a redeemed people, which includes dismantling systems of injustice. After hours of thoughtful prayer, consideration, and conversation, we would like to propose the following lines of inquiry to the Faculty Council and members of the administration. In no particular order, here are some lines of inquiry organized by domain: SUGGESTED LINES OF INQUIRY Admissions:
We know that as we pursue these lines of inquiry the intent of our institution — which is “commitment to diversity in a biblical vision of God’s kingdom.” — will be seen in the impact of our actions. We hope the Administration and Faculty Council are ready to take steps to continue growing us into “a stronger, fuller and more discerning institution of faithful learning and learned faith.”
Quotes taken from Statement of Key Terms and Identity, approved by the board of trustees in 2009. Yours in peace, Brendan Fong, Emily Mata, and Olivia Stowell
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