A music teacher who was offered a position at Cincinnati Hills, a non-denominational Christian school in Ohio, reported that the offer was rescinded after the school brought him back to ask if he was gay. Cincinnati Hills has a policy against hiring teachers who “live as homosexuals.”
But what tipped them off?
When applicant Jonathan Zeng filled out his job application for the school, he wrote at length about his “belief in Christ’s unconditional love and that we as Christ’s followers are to show that love to all without judgment.”
For the Cincinnati Hills Christian Academy, that was the red flag.
I have no idea where Zeng got the impression that Christianity has anything to do with unconditional love. I tried to find exactly which Bible verse might have led him that direction, but a quick search came up with about 80 of them. Most of them New Testament, spoken directly by Jesus. I guess it could have been any single one.
That kind of thinking – that is, Jesus’ explicit teaching – clearly doesn’t belong in a Christian environment. And according to their website, Cincinnati Hills is devoted to creating an environment based in “Christ-centeredness: Following how Christ himself led, served, taught, loved and lived.”
Some of this conflict makes the administrators at Cincinnati Hills seem kind of hateful and thick. Their official response, that the school “believes in the sanctity of marriage” and can’t hire gay people because “they would be around children,” is just confusing. Who brought up marriage? Why do they mention marriage and children in the same sentence? If a heterosexual teacher at Cincinnati Hills wanted to marry one of the students, would they not have a problem with it? Should someone call the police?
It’s a shame, really, because Cincinnati Hills has so much else going for it. It’s very diverse – the students worship at over 160 churches! – and they’re 26% racially diverse, whatever the hell that means. They do have a black girl and a white girl together in the stock photo. And their school colors are purple and green, which is just awful.
But while the word “love” does appear (only once) on the school’s Christian Worldview page, nowhere does it say “unconditional.” Zeng probably should have put more research into the Christian academy at which he was seeking employment.
What he shouldn’t have done, of course, is read the Bible.
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Kevin Broccoli
Jeanette DeMain
themanhattankid
EmilysHollow
Kerry Lauerman
Joan Walsh
Salon.com
Comments
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You're right on about Christ's unconditional love. And we should see more of that when it comes to loving those who are different.
Christ defended the most hated and reviled people during his time. He dined with the sinners and tax collectors. When the pharisees were about to stone a prostitute he stopped them and saved her.
The thing is, he told her He did not condemn her and that she should, "go and sin no more" (John 8).
He loved her and adored her despite her sin. You can feel that in His words. It's awesome. His love begged for her obedience to not sin anymore.
He did not say, "go and do whatever makes you feel good in My name."
He did not say, "go and point out the sin of others in My name." (as the church does so much these days)
Christ's love begs for our obedience all the way around. We cannot change His Word to make our lives easier or convenient.