LTRJ Note: The following summary is written by Manny Silva, the founder of Concerned Nazarenes (a watchdog group that began several years ago when the Nazarene denomination began to be heavily indoctrinated with the emerging church). Recently, his son was a student at Gordon College. Please do not think that the problems described below are within the confines of Gordon College. Many Christian colleges and universities are going down the same path. For an explanation of Critical Race Theory, read our July 2020 report and also S is for Social Justice The Language of Today’s Cultural “Revolution.” If you have children or grandchildren attending or about to attend any college or university in this country, please help equip them before they enter. Otherwise, you could end up witnessing a disastrous transformation in your young people. Worth noting, Gordon College has been on the Lighthouse Trails contemplative college list for several years. There is a connection between contemplative spirituality and the current “social justice” paradigm shift (one led to the next).
August 2020 to May 2021
By Manny Silva
In late August of 2020, just before classes started, a racially charged incident occurred, although the actual perpetrator to this day has not been found. During the course of the semester, two more incidents occurred, but no one was ever found to be responsible.
The first incident: A black student leader had used tape in a dorm hallway to spell out
BLM.” Later that morning, it was discovered that it was changed to say “ALM” (for all lives matter apparently). The very next day, Saturday, about 100 students marched to the President’s personal residence to protest. All this triggered a host of other activities, such as BLM signs posted all over the campus, as well as student sit-ins and protests, with demands for justice for people of color.
Even before these incidents, there were already a number of activities scheduled that were themed with Black Lives Matter ideas. Dance parties, “educational” meetings, and seminars with speakers who had backgrounds in Critical Race Theory.
The administration moved quickly to condemn acts of racism towards people of color. But the rest of the semester would result in the very same social-justice warriors becoming the intimidators of white students, or students of color who rejected the BLM movement. The administration was almost completely silent about this particular problem.
Two other incidents happened that were made prominent. Some words were written on the wall next to an Asian student with racist comments. And then later in the semester, a t-shirt with a BLM-type slogan was defaced with a racist slur.
Again, to this day, the culprits have never been apprehended. But an interesting note: the same student leader whose sign was defaced in the first incident, is the same black student who posted a violent and racist rant against students and anyone else who supported President Trump. He also used profanity in describing them. That student, months later, was depicted in an official Gordon College post as a model Christian student.
The atmosphere in the first semester was one of racial tension. Chapel services deteriorated to being platforms for social justice and rants against “white privilege.” Students looking for uplifting and biblical messages were seeing very little of that and have been thoroughly discouraged.
Concerned Gordon Parents and the Letter to the Trustees
Finally, after conversations with various parents, I helped to form a group called Concerned Gordon College Parents on November 7, 2020. In a few days, we had over 150 members. We strategized and shared information for several months. During the first semester, various parents sent letters of concern to President Lindsay. Others sent letters or met personally with Dan Tymann, Director of Student Life. I met with Dan Tymann during the semester. Finally, a preliminary letter was drafted, and after other parents edited and finalized it, we sent it to the Board of Trustees on February 2, 2021. (The Chairman sent a response to the parents, which is one of the documents I have provided [see document links at bottom of this post].
Second semester began, and it was worse than first semester, as far as guest chapel and convocation speakers. February was National Black History month, and it was a constant parade of CRT-type speakers, culminating in some of the worst proponents of CRT ideology. These speakers included 2— Marla Fredericks and Jemar Tisby. Another document that I’ve included is a review of Tisby’s ideology. Not one speaker throughout the semester was ever invited who was a strong opponent of Critical Race Theory. This was one of our major concerns, that Gordon College is actively promoting the CRT ideology, not just allowing for discussion and scholarly debate.
The following 5 links are some related information:
1. This is a letter to the editor I wrote that is at Lighthouse Trails Research website.
https://www.1iuhthousetrailsresearch.com/blow/?P=33078
2. Video of Student sit-in at Admin Building, with various students expressing themselves.
https://www.instagram.com/tv/CHGqLN3lov9/?igshid=b1sf5ttbrru3&fbclid=IwAR 0rpdzddC1rjQradcu-BNAgfDkGxUJ58g7cvf4M-h2 vZDu-0fkrryHbE3. Marla Fredericks, convocation speaker, Feb. 21, 2021
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_MqafnyG_R04. More of Marla Fredericks: highlights from the Impact Movement Zoom conference
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sgWu4u7ilRM5. Jemar Tisby, convocation speaker, Feb. 26, 2021
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rw_CDQKQ5zM
Here is a post by the official Gordon College FaceBook page, where they decried racism, using a BLM sign. The conversations are enlightening and show the great divide between different parents and supporters of the college.
https://www.facebook.com/GordonCollege/photos/a.282385650634/10163995500 075635
And four more:
- President Lindsay’s response to the Nov. T-shirt Incident: https://www.gordon.edu/nov1response
2. Gordon College Shalom Plan 2021 (note various recommendations which are race-based)
https://www.gordon.edu/shalomplan
3. The AFRO Hamwe Instagram Page:
https://www.instagram.com/gc_afrohamwe/?hl=en
4. Pastor Marvin Daniels (** A very encouraging chapel message—one of the few good ones)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cyRd-R_EHuY3
Other Issues to Be Concerned About
Please note that there are other concerning problems that have been on the rise for some time now, including the LGBT activism on campus becoming a serious problem. At this writing, there is at least one current professor who is a promoter of LGBT ideas. The homosexuality activism was also noted in the letter to the Board of Trustees. It included reference to very inappropriate plays performed on campus in 2019, including a play that depicted lesbian relationships. Another play included very profane language. The following two links are relevant:
- Spiritual and Sexuality Project: Christy Gardner, professor at Gordon College
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dNy7MPrVWk8
2. The LGBTQ+ Instagram Page (Not an Official Gordon College site)
https://www.instagram.com/lgbtqplusatgordon/?hl=en
What to Look for This Upcoming 2021-22 College Year at Gordon
President Michael Lindsay has moved on to become President of Taylor University. In an interesting twist, the Provost of Taylor University, Dr. Michael Hammond, has been appointed President of Gordon College. We are already concerned with this appointment, and in our limited research, many of us believe that Dr. Hammond may be more “woke” than President Lindsay. Time will tell, and I am sure we will find out more of his plans for the coming year—although he must be aware by now of the Shalom Plan and all the issues that have occurred in the past year. The following article may be of interest, and it references Dr. Hammond’s involvement in the firing of a veteran professor at Taylor University.: Taylor University Fires Tenured Professor Over Little Hitler Video:
https://thecollegepost.com/taylor-university-little-hitler-video/
Manny Silva’s attached documents:
#1 Letter_Pres Lindsay_TO_Parents_01_26_2021
#2 Letter_Parents_TO_Board of Trustees_02_02_21
#3 Letter_Chairman Smith_TO_Parents_02_06_2021
Where a college stands on the Word of God must be included in consideration for attendance. If woke culture, homo-worship or secular humanism are detected and the Word of God is not, move on. Quickly.
Take your students OUT of these “Christian” colleges!!