letter to duke div school dean

5/20/2018 Letter to Duke Div School Dean

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Rev. Dr. Susan Brooks ThistlethwaitePresident Emerita and Professor of Theology

August 24, 2014

Richard Hays, DeanDuke Divinity School407 Chapel [email protected]

Dear Dean Hays:

I am writing, as an M.Div. and also a Ph.D. graduate of Duke, to express my grave conceabout the educational and theological commitments of Duke Divinity School at this timeregarding the full equality of gay, lesbian, bi-sexual, and transgender students.

I have been given to understand that during an orientation session for entering DivinitySchool students, on a panel on diversity, your response to a question about resources forLGBT students was to tell these First Year that the UMC Book of Discipline states (304.3

The practice of homosexuality is incompatible with Christian teaching.

This is deeply shocking to me as both a graduate of Duke and a member of the UnitedChurch of Christ. When I applied to Duke Divinity School as a UCC person planning onordained ministry, Duke assured me my needs as a member of the UCC would be met anI would be supported. I found Duke Divinity School more than lived up to that claim. MyUCC polity classes, provided by UCC Pastor Rev. Bill Green, continued for all three yearand were a tremendous source of growth for me.

You have chosen to admit not only United Methodists, but other denominations as well tothe Divinity School and you owe those students a climate of support, and an educational

environment free of manifest hostility to LGBT people.

Frankly, you also owe a climate of support to all the students whom you have admitted anit is morally wrong to create an environment that is so hostile to a group of people.

For claritys sake, I also want to say I believe that the practice of homosexuality is notincompatible with Christian teaching as many, many fine Christians are LGBT laypeopleand pastors. Indeed, in my theology classes I teach that denying the full equality of LGB
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people insults God as creator. Many other seminary faculty around the country teach thesame.

I believe your statement harmed the theological education of all the students at yourschool, and I further believe you are in violation of Duke University policy.

I was President of Chicago Theological Seminary for ten years, and I have taught intheological education for nearly twenty-five years, and I believe our institutions are moralltheologically, educationally and legally obligated to follow institutional mission statements

As a graduate, I am very proud of Duke Universitys commitment toencouraging andsustaining a learning and work community that is free from prohibited discrimination andharassment. The university prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion,national origin, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, sex, geneinformation, or age in the administration of its educational policies, admission policies,financial aid, employment, or any other university program or activity. (Emphasis added.Duke Divinity School will not honor this Duke University commitment, then Duke needs tostate that this mission is not honored in all parts of the university.

Today, I regret to say I am not proud of being a graduate of Duke Divinity School.

Sincerely,

Dr. Thistlethwaite

Cc: Richard H. BrodheadOffice of the PresidentDuke University 207 Allen Building Box 90001Durham, NC 27708-0001email:[email protected]
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letter to duke div school dean

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