(Madison, WI) – InterVarsity Christian Fellowship is issuing a statement which is signed by six other campus ministries calling racism, anti-Semitism, and white supremacy anti-Christian. The statement says, “Racist ideologies and systems (including white supremacy and anti-Semitism) deny Scripture’s affirmation of the equal value and dignity of all people who are created in God’s image.”
“Nearly one half of the students involved in InterVarsity’s campus ministry are people of color and international students. Every day we witness the reconciling power of the gospel to overcome every barrier. We are absolutely passionate about the work of reconciliation and adamantly oppose anything that impedes that work,” said Tom Lin, president of InterVarsity.
This statement, below, is a response to a racist demonstration held on the University of Virginia campus in Charlottesville, Virginia, on August 11, 2017.
The organizations signing the statement are:
Coalition for Christian Outreach
Collegiate Church Network
Campus Ministry of Cru
InterVarsity Christian Fellowship
The Navigators
Reformed University Fellowship
Young Life College and University
Statement by Evangelical Campus Ministries On Racism, Anti-Semitism & White Supremacy
1. As Christian ministries called to reach the university with the gospel of Jesus Christ, the recent demonstration on the University of Virginia campus in Charlottesville compels us to publicly denounce racism, anti-Semitism, and white supremacy as sin.
2. Racist ideologies and systems (including white supremacy and anti-Semitism) deny Scripture’s affirmation of the equal value and dignity of all people who are created in God’s image. (Genesis 1:27-28) These ideologies expressly deny Jesus’ command to love our neighbor as ourselves. (Mark 12:31). Therefore, we reject and condemn every ideology and system which teaches or supports the supremacy of one race or the inferiority of another. We believe, without reservation, that racism, anti-Semitism, and white supremacy are sin, being abhorrent to God and deeply contrary to Scripture’s command to walk in both truth and love. (3 John 1:4; Ephesians 5:2)
3. Racist ideologies and systems set themselves against God’s intention to reconcile diverse people to one another in a united community, even as he reconciles that diverse community to himself. (Ephesians 2:14-16) The Church is, and will be, composed of people from every tribe, nation, and language. (Revelation 7:9). Therefore, we reject and condemn every ideology and system which divides people from one another based on ideas of racial superiority or ethnic purity. We affirm our essential unity as a multi-racial, multi-ethnic, multinational people united in Christ.
4. We recognize, with grief and repentance, that Christian churches, ministries, and individuals have promoted, participated, or passively benefitted from our racialized society. Too frequently, many of us have stood silent and failed to confront attitudes and actions which have disenfranchised and suppressed minority people and cultures. We recognize our own complicity in this area. We depend upon the work of the Holy Spirit and the grace of other Christians to guide us in all truth as we continue to reflect and repent. (John 14:26)
5. With grief and love, we invite those who hold racist ideologies to repent and to conform their thinking and lives to the teaching of Scripture. (Romans 12:2)
6. We commit ourselves to both pray for and act toward a more robustly biblical ministry of reconciliation and restoration in Jesus Christ which reflects these beliefs.
7. As students return to campus this academic year, we stand committed to extend hospitality and comfort that comes with the good news of Jesus Christ who will reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross. (Colossians 1:20)
