By Laura Varney
Staff Writer
“In the turning of time, celebration is the energy that roles us forward. So we turn once again to life, to joy, to family warmth, to a season of incredible hope. We wish you the brightest holiday season ever.”
Most of you probably don’t recognize this message, but it is from Pepperdine’s President Dr. Andrew K. Benton’s “holiday” card sent to students and faculty. Now, if I was a student at any state school or secular private school, I would have no problem with this. I respect the separation of church and state, am not an advocate of prayer in public schools, and believe that no one should be subjected to religious dogma in the public arena. However, Pepperdine is different.
As students, we pay $36,000 per year to attend a university that “affirms Christian values” and will support our spiritual growth. We attend Convocation each week that is opened with prayer and a scripture reading. Bible studies are commonplace in our dorms and many of our professors are members of the Church of Christ.
Even those students who have differing religious beliefs must have some basic respect for Christian tenets or they would not have chosen to come to Pepperdine.
So why, as president of one of the most prominent Christian institutions in the country, did President Benton feel the need to send a generic “holiday” card?
During his years as president, Benton has been known for his fervent efforts to move Pepperdine back to its Christian heritage. His administration bears witness to his strong Christian faith. He has opened his home to seniors for monthly Bible seminars, holds weekly Bible studies, and has helped provide us with the opportunity to fully explore our Christian calling through the Pepperdine Voyage program. His Christian leadership has been invaluable to Pepperdine as we work to find our way among other nationally ranked universities that mock our traditional Christian values.
Benton’s strong background as a Christian leader, however, makes it more troubling that he did not embrace the opportunity to go against the increasing exclusion of Christ during the holidays by including a Christian message on the card he sent to students. Through an e-mail interview with the Graphic, Benton said he has received similar criticism before, much to his frustration.
“I am a Christian. Anyone who knows me, knows that,” Benton said. “I do not, however, wear that on my sleeve or make it some form of rote recitation. My prayers every morning are from the heart and not according to another’s wishes. I guess that my life is like that too. I also do not believe that it has to be on my business cards, on the ties that I wear or the Christmas cards that I send to be an authentic Christian.”
I agree completely that Benton should not be required to wear his Christianity on his sleeve. However, when it comes to ignoring Christ in university Christmas cards, I must take exception.
I am proud to go to Pepperdine, a Christian university that neither flaunts its faith nor forces its beliefs upon students. I believe that Pepperdine maintains its Christian mission while not sheltering students from the reality of modern society by forcing them into accordance with Christian beliefs. I am also proud to have a president who encourages people to call him by his first name and takes time to talk to students.
He of course also promotes our spiritual growth. In the instance of excluding Christ from his Christmas cards, however, Benton seems to have missed an opportunity to do just that.
January 16, 2003