Gay-rights group targets two GR colleges
By Charles Honey
Copyright 2007 The Grand Rapids Press
All rights reserved; used with permission
GRAND RAPIDS -- A busload of gay-rights advocates will come to two West Michigan colleges this spring to speak against what they call "religion-based oppression" of gays.
Calvin College and Cornerstone University are among 32 schools slated to be visited by the Soulforce Equality Ride in March and April. Twenty-six gay-rights supporters will come to Cornerstone on April 23 and Calvin the following day on a national tour targeting schools they charge have anti-gay policies.
"This is a social justice issue," said Bram Wispelwey, 22, a student from Virginia who describes himself as "a straight, Christian ally." He is coordinating the visit to Calvin, where his parents attended. "We're trying to eliminate the negative effects of homophobia."
Calvin officials say they will provide an opportunity for the group to talk to students, though details are being worked out. The Equality Riders also have been invited to a student worship service.
"We find this an opportunity to practice the Christian principles about civil dialogue with people with whom you disagree," said Shirley Hoogstra, vice president for student life at Calvin. "We think our students have something to offer this conversation."
Cornerstone is taking a harder line. The Soulforce bus will be allowed on campus, but riders will not be allowed into buildings to meet with students, President Rex Rogers said.
"I'm not advocating against their civil liberties," Rogers said. "But it doesn't mean I agree with their moral choice or give them access to our classrooms, our chapels and our students."
Rogers said he does not plan to have riders arrested, as happened at some places on last year's ride, including at Jerry Falwell's Liberty University. But Rogers said Soulforce's advocacy of gay relationships contradicts Cornerstone's policy that any sexual relations outside of heterosexual marriage are sinful.
"If a group contacted us and said 'We're a group of Christian thieves and we're going to promote that view,' why would we bring them in?" Rogers said.
The Lynchburg, Virginia-based Soulforce is a national nonprofit opposing oppression of gays and calling for nonviolent resistance to "spiritual violence." President and cofounder the Rev. Mel White is an author and former ghostwriter for Falwell and Pat Robertson.
This is the group's second Equality Ride, based on the civil rights Freedom Rides of the 1960s. At schools including Notre Dame, Brigham Young and Baylor, riders will counter the notion that homosexuality is "a sickness and a sin," a view that forces students "into closets of fear and self-hate," their Web site says.
The tour targets schools that ban enrollment of openly gay and bisexual students. But Calvin's admissions policy bars discrimination based on sexual orientation, a fact tour organizers acknowledge.
"While Calvin may not have a policy, we still feel this is an important conversation to be had," said Jarrett Lucas, tour co-director.
Calvin follows Christian Reformed doctrine that homosexual orientation is not sinful but homosexual practice is. However, an openly lesbian Calvin student says Soulforce picked the wrong school.
"If Calvin's on that list, I feel Calvin's been powerfully misconstrued as a college," said Whitney Nelson, 22, a pre-veterinary student from Caledonia. "I love it here."
Though worried the visit could polarize the campus, Nelson hopes to give the riders another view.
"I'd like them to hear what I have to say as a gay Christian," she said.
