Bob Jones University, a private fundamentalist Christian school founded in 1927 in northwestern South Carolina has apologized for racist policies including a one-time ban on interracial dating that wasn’t lifted until nine years ago and along with that the schools unwillingness to admit black students until 1971.
The school says its rules on race were shaped by culture and not on the word of God, the Bible according to a statement on the university’s web site.
“We failed to accurately represent the Lord and to fulfill the commandment to love others as ourselves. For these failures we are profoundly sorry. Though no known antagonism toward minorities or expressions of racism on a personal level have ever been tolerated on our campus, we allowed institutional policies to remain in place that were racially hurtful,” the statement said.
It was nearly twenty years after the U.S. Supreme Court’s 1954 Brown v. Board of Education ruling found public segregated schools were unconstitutional that the university started admitting black students. In March 2000 the interracial dating ban was lifted and the policy not long after became an issue with the Republican presidential primary that year. George W. Bush, the candidate then was criticized as he spoke at the school during one of his first campaign stops in the state.
Stephen Jones, Bob Jones University President made the decision to issue the apology because the school still receives questions about their views on race. The South Carolina NAACP welcomed the statement according to civil rights group.
Lonnie Randolph, President of the state chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People said “It’s unfortunate it took them this long, particularly a religious, faith-based institution, to realize that we all are human beings and the rights of all people should be respected and honored.” Three years ago when Jones became president he asked the civil rights leader not to hold the decisions made under his father and grandfather against him according to Randolph. Bob Jones is the great-grandson of the school founder, Bob Jones and he followed his father, Bob Jones in 2005.
I had to attend a seminary 4 decades back, which followed the same pattern like Bob Jones Univerity. Now, when I pass through that campus, I feel to cry; while watching the desolated campus of millions of dollars worth buildings. As Christians, we are prone to attack other relgions and their traditions, but we have failed miserably to find out our own mistakes. It is a good sign that Bob Jones University came to the right sense and repented about it, at last.
Christian Web News - Jesus has a way of getting right to the point, doesn't He? There was certainly no mincing of words, He came right out and said, "why are you fearful?" and then went on to say, "O you of little faith." You don't have to read between the lines to see what He was saying, they had little faith.
Christian Web News - Galatians 3:13-14. Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, "Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree''), that the blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.
Bob Jones University, a private fundamentalist Christian school founded in 1927 in northwestern South Carolina has apologized for racist policies including a one-time ban on interracial dating that wasn’t lifted until nine years ago and along with that the schools unwillingness to admit black students until 1971.
