Statement on BJU’s CoRE Conference for 2019

imageYour friends at BJUnity would like to provide this statement on Bob Jones University’s upcoming CoRE Conference, scheduled for February 11th and 12th this year. BJU has announced that the theme of this year’s CoRE Conference will be Gender, Sexuality and the Church.

Recognizing that LGBTQIA students attend Bob Jones University (as we always have), we would like to warn these students, as well as the general student population, faculty and staff that this program is likely to contain a tremendous amount of misinformation.

The University has staked out its position clearly on their website:

“As the theological and moral landscape around us experiences radical change and our culture rejects Christian values, no area has encountered such rapid change as gender and sexuality.”

It’s true that these topics of gender and human sexuality are tremendously important and should be discussed honestly and openly in any educational forum. However, we believe that those presenting at Bob Jones University are unqualified for the task, and do not represent the diversity of viewpoints within the Christian community.

We feel compelled to warn BJU’s LGBT+ student population that these meetings may create an increased atmosphere of hostility. We understand that many of you may be struggling with identifying or accepting your sexual orientation or gender identity. Given your situation, exposure to this sort of misinformation may prove deeply traumatizing. You may feel ostracized at a point in your life when you most need a listening ear and a compassionate spirit. You may be confronted with fear and debunked fallacies, when you need facts and deeper friendships.

As the CoRE Conference unfolds, we’ll be checking in. We will confront fallacies with facts. We will respond to any of you who reach out in need of encouragement. It’s literally our mission.

BJUnity embraces the many gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, queer, and intersex students and graduates of Bob Jones University. We’re here to listen and to connect you with resources that can help.

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Important Information About Contacting BJUnity

BJU students: Please remember the school is not a safe place for LGBTQ+ people. Never “out” yourself to faculty, staff or students. Never use BJU networks or Wi-Fi to contact us or visit any sites that would alert the administration. It’s not safe.

We encourage you to contact us safely if you are in danger or need help or advice. Email us at unity@bjunity.org or contact us via our Facebook page.

Either way: Please do reach out. You are not alone.