Belmont University, a Christian institution in Nashville, has cancelled an upcoming Promise Keepers event. Belmont made the decision “after the men’s ministry released a statement reaffirming its support for the biblical, biological, sexual identity of male and female, man and woman, in the context of marriage,” Promise Keepers said.
“Promise Keepers Chairman of the Board and CEO Ken Harrison reached out to Belmont leadership for a broader conversation about the influence of social norms and popular culture on the values of Christian Institutions,” the group said. “Promise Keepers is still waiting for a response.”
Promise Keepers is one of the more well-known Christian ministries in the United States and has featured such speakers as Tony Evans and Francis Chan. Its Daring Faith events teach men how to “have a clear picture of what being a true follower of Christ looks like and know how to become one,” according to the Promise Keepers website.
The statement on sexuality and gender was released in late May in light of Pride Month.
“As fathers, husbands, grandfathers and young men — we see the dangers of gender ideology and the harm it causes,” the statement said. “At Promise Keepers, we affirm that God made human beings in his image to reflect him. He created male and female with equal worth and dignity — and there was no mistake in that design. In our present day, men and women are increasingly confused about their identities. Biological identity has been severed as separate from ‘gender identity,’ while children across the United States are actively indoctrinated into intense inner turmoil about who they ‘really are.'”
The statement said Promise Keepers believes it is “more important than ever to stand up boldly for what we believe as Christians. God’s word is very clear on this topic — and we also see the way gender ideology has damaged lives, mutilated bodies and torn apart families in our own communities.”
Belmont has been increasingly criticized its embrace of so-called “woke” issues including “equity” and “inclusion.”
The school’s website states the school has “further developed self-directed learning opportunities for faculty and staff, as well as added opportunities for shared experiences and discussion in areas related to diversity, equity, and inclusion,” and furthermore, “faculty and staff participated in 45 Diversity and Inclusion workshops, and student leaders participated in Belmont State of Mind diversity training.”
Numerous liberal groups have lauded its move to the left.
–Alan Goforth
