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Noah has an in-depth conversation with his former seminary professor Dr. David Turner about macro trends in Christian colleges and seminaries, and deep concerns about Noah’s alma mater and Dr. Turner’s employer of 32 years, Cornerstone University & Grand Rapids Theological Seminary. The conversation will address abusive leadership, dishonesty and manipulation, and merging Christianity with politics, all while boldly claiming to be Christ-centered. This conversation comes from a deep love both Noah and David have for Cornerstone University, and a responsibility they feel to speak up for Kingdom values.
We hope this creates a space for CU/GRTS alumni to process and grieve, and for those who aren’t connected with the school to think critically about trends within American Christianity and how that compares to the Jesus of the Bible.
You don’t have to agree with everything we say in this conversation. Noah and David don’t agree on everything. But we hope this helps you think deeply and pray more effectively.
https://www.instagram.com/voiceofcu
https://voiceofcu.wordpress.com
https://www.instagram.com/cornerstonejournalism
https://drdavidlturner.com/category/theological-education
Dr. David Turner began teaching at Grand Rapids Baptist Seminary in 1986, later named Grand Rapids Theological Seminary, where he retired in 2018. David is an ordained minister, and has served as a pastor and an interim pastor at four churches. Before coming to Grand Rapids he taught at Baptist Bible College of PA and Grace Theological Seminary. Currently he serves as a Scholar in Residence for New Testament Studies at Puritan Reformed Theological Seminary. He has published two commentaries on Matthew and a monograph on Jesus and the Jewish leaders in Matthew 23. His latest book Interpreting the Gospels and Acts was published by Kregel Publications in their Handbooks for New Testament Exegesis series. He blogs at drdavidlturner.com.
You can also watch the podcast episodes on YouTube: https://youtu.be/65Oy4v1oEh4 and https://youtu.be/2QtUppjwRHI
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Noah, just saw this podcast. So I can vote for a presidential candidate that will allow abortions in the ninth month and still be a good Christian?
You mention that under the current leadership students are not told how to think but rather what to think. Our experience as parents of a student who attended in the years just PRIOR to the new administration was sadly the SAME but being told to think the same as a WOKE secular culture with a strong liberal political bent to which most evangelical Christians would disagree. This is a huge factor in why the alumni were begging for new leadership to change the toxic culture. There were also unfair “firings” of people who dared to disagree with that DEI agenda. No one talks about those.
The new president has sadly made a mess of things in very poor handling of the university while padding his own pockets and that of his female accomplice. He needs to go, I agree with that much.
However, it appears you are bashing those who are conservative who want a voice on campus. As alumni of both the university and seminary, we are sad to have watched our son suffer the consequences of Stowell’s administration, and very sickened by the recent termination of the seminary dean and others in such a harsh way and as proof the school is headed further from its Biblical roots.
The whole thing really is a huge mess! It is embarrassing to be alumni!
And by the way, yes, sadly it is more common than you think to be told you cannot discuss things when your job is terminated. We have seen this in other “Christian” institutions – once when “let go” and even once when quitting a job. They always feel the need to control. At one Christian school the other employees were even instructed to not communicate with the person after she quit. They do it in the name of ‘HR policies” to protect them legally but it is not at all a Christian way of handling employee changes.
A follow up comment after listening to Part 2:
In all due respect, Dr. Turner, while Stowell may have had a desire to expose students to other views, it went down the slippery slope of leading some staff to pushing their unbiblical political agendas. While there are Christian Republicans and Democrats, there are also very anti-biblical agendas which should not be pushed on the students. There was an oppression of those with conservative views.
When conservative students wanted an equal voice, Stowell issued an email to students saying the campus was to proclaim solidarity with the minorities. There was not a diversity which included the whites with conservative views. It was the same secular “let’s be tolerant of everyone – except those with conservative Christian views.” There has to be room for actual honest dialogue, which was not allowed. To promote the BLM and DEI agendas which are not biblical isn’t acceptable at a Christian university.
Even the black student government president was willing to stand up for a white student who lost his job over holding anti-BLM conservative views and when he courageously expressed how it was unfair to Stowell, he was ignored and Stowell allowed the person to “not have his contract renewed” in order to maintain his good standing with those pushing said agendas.
A true liberal arts university would allow, as you say, an ability to share their own convictions, not to be silenced as many were who were conservative Christians were. How is this any different than the current culture who is doing it on the opposite side of political spectrum? Both are wrong.
I think Cornerstone’s reputation over the past decade, not just the past year or two, may have done enough damage for it to not recover. This isn’t just about the current political issues, there has also been a decline in academic excellence over the past decades. Word is people in the community see it as a joke. The shame it has brought to the Christian community is beyond words.