On January 24, 2014 representatives from Houghton College, Indiana Wesleyan University, and Oklahoma Wesleyan University were invited to attend a meeting at the Wesleyan Church Headquarters, in Indianapolis, IN, to look over a draft policy statement on the issue of transgender.
Representatives from each college typically consisted of an administrator and a theologian. It was decided that Dr. Richard Eckley, professor of theology and an ordained minister in the Wesleyan Church, and Dr. Robert Pool, Vice President for Student Life, would be the two representatives for Houghton. The group of representatives was called together by the Church even though the policy had already been through the denomination’s general board “to further review the issue,” as Eckley explained.
“I was hoping to help my denomination think through the foundational areas necessary for making a sound pastoral approach to this issue. The homosexual question has been addressed by all with little common ground,” said Eckley.
Eckley described the trip as “a meeting of representatives of the
Wesleyan Church’s colleges/universities to look over a draft policy statement on the issue of transgender.” A total of eight people were present at the meeting, each being given the policy draft ahead of time to be looked over prior to the start of the meeting.
Eckley expressed, “The transgendered person is a part of our churches, and therefore is more than a topic; it is a question about how the Church gives hospitality to the people that make up her congregation.” At a time when transgender is a delicate topic, especially in the church, the policy is aimed to be a guideline to create a careful balance of honoring scripture, but also to know how to pastor and show love and support to people going through questions of expression.
“The policy statement is shaping up to be a kind of ‘middle way’ approach,” said Eckley. Eckley explained how the Church seems to be taking a traditional approach to the Biblical, theological, and scientific research, while also not forgetting the importance of pastoral guidance in churches and learning communities.
“If there’s a singular thing I learned, its try to be more Christ-like. More clear on what the scripture says and doesn’t say, and not to be afraid to honor the scripture,” said Pool. “I want any student to be able to come here and thrive.”
A second motivation for the policy, and reason for the meeting is guidance for the possibility of future ligation on the subject of hiring in Christian colleges and universities. In the past Christian institutions have faced legal disputes on the matter of transgender faculty. The idea is to prevent schools without a policy from being in a bad position to have a clear response in these cases. “Of course, as a theologian, I am not that excited about documents drawn up primarily for lawyers,” Eckley joked.
It is clear that the completion of the policy will not fix all problems, but it is definitely a start, as Eckley referred to the meeting as “an attempt to refrain from judgmentalism and to offer understanding and compassion to those struggling with sexual identity dysphoria.” The college has taken a big step towards making the campus a place that welcomes all people, and with the policy colleges can have a consistent approach on doing so.
The final draft will be ratified within the next few weeks, where once completed, can be viewed online at the Wesleyan Church website.
Apart from the policy being put together by the Wesleyan Church, Houghton College had also begun to create a pastoral letter on homosexuality for its campus. The letter will aim to show how “as a community Houghton can help, support, and pastor those with same sex attraction,” explained Pool.