Here's one academic leader who surely isn't going to score points with the "pc crowd."
Following a University Chapel Service last week, a student came up to the President of Oklahoma Wesleyan University (OWU), Dr. Everett Piper, to complain that he felt "victimized."
Why? The sermon focused upon 1 Corinthians 13 concerning the theological virtue of love. Unfortunately, the sermon made the student feel "bad for not showing love." The speaker wrongfully was making this student,and, he claimed, his fellow students, feel "uncomfortable."
Following a University Chapel Service last week, a student came up to the President of Oklahoma Wesleyan University (OWU), Dr. Everett Piper, to complain that he felt "victimized."
Why? The sermon focused upon 1 Corinthians 13 concerning the theological virtue of love. Unfortunately, the sermon made the student feel "bad for not showing love." The speaker wrongfully was making this student,and, he claimed, his fellow students, feel "uncomfortable."
Dr. Piper would have none of it. Evidently, he's sick and tired that young people have been taught to be so self-absorbed and narcissistic. And so, Dr. Piper observed in a statement he issued to the OWU community:
Any time their feelings are hurt, they are the victims. Anyone who dares challenge them and, thus, makes them "feel bad" about themselves, is a "hater," a "bigot," an "oppressor," and a "victimizer."
In this case, feeling uncomfortable is exactly what the student and his peers should have felt because, as Dr. Piper correctly understands, a sermon appeals to conscience, to unleash its power to feel guilty for sin, and to confess one's sinfulness. A sermon isn't supposed to make people feel good, coddle them in their selfishness, or fuel their psychological self-actualization.
Dr. Piper's unvarnished advice:
Dr. Piper's unvarnished advice:
If you want the chaplain to tell you you’re a victim rather than tell you that you need virtue, this may not be the university you're looking for. If you want to complain about a sermon that makes you feel less than loving for not showing love, this might be the wrong place.
If you're more interested in playing the "hater" card than you are in confessing your own hate; if you want to arrogantly lecture, rather than humbly learn; if you don't want to feel guilt in your soul when you are guilty of sin; if you want to be enabled rather than confronted, there are many universities across the land (in Missouri and elsewhere) that will give you exactly what you want, but Oklahoma Wesleyan isn't one of them.
But, that's just Dr. Piper’s warm up act. The "pc crowd" will howl at what he says is taught at OWU:
Oh boy! To the more highly sophisticated and sensitive "pc crowd," them's thar fightin' words coming from what must be other than an uneducated, rustic, country bumpkin!
And if that wasn’t enough, Dr. Piper went on to state that OWU isn't a "safe place." Omighosh! That's heresy! Instead, OWU is an unsafe place because students will learn:
In a closing tour de force, Dr. Piper noted:
- to be selfless rather than self-centered;
- to practice personal forgiveness than political revengel;
- to model interpersonal reconciliation rather than foment personal conflict; and,
- that the content of your character is more important than the color of your skin.
Oh boy! To the more highly sophisticated and sensitive "pc crowd," them's thar fightin' words coming from what must be other than an uneducated, rustic, country bumpkin!
And if that wasn’t enough, Dr. Piper went on to state that OWU isn't a "safe place." Omighosh! That's heresy! Instead, OWU is an unsafe place because students will learn:
- that life isn't about you, but about others;
- that the bad feeling you have while listening to a sermon is called guilt;
- that the way to address guilt is to repent of everything that's wrong with you rather than blame others for everything that's wrong with them; and,
- that you need to grow up.
In a closing tour de force, Dr. Piper noted:
This is not a day care. This is a university!
Wouldn't it be great if every President of every U.S. Catholic university and college believed the same about the purpose for his/her institution?
Does The Motley Monk hear an "Amen"?
Let the discussion begin...
To read Dr. Piper's statement, click on the following link:http://www.okwu.edu/blog/2015/11/this-is-not-a-day-care-its-a-university/
Does The Motley Monk hear an "Amen"?
Let the discussion begin...
To read Dr. Piper's statement, click on the following link:http://www.okwu.edu/blog/2015/11/this-is-not-a-day-care-its-a-university/
RSS Feed
