Faculty Commons
Encyclopedia
Faculty Commons is the faculty ministry of the Campus Crusade for Christ
. Its aim is to "disciple and mentor Christian professors" with a goal of 500 "Faculty Affiliates" (faculty members promoting CLM aims) and at least three Faculty Affiliates in each of the 100 largest universities in the United States of America, to enable these professors to "continually saturate [their] campus with the gospel, and fully integrate their faith into their academic discipline and culture".
Through its Leadership University website, Faculty Commons maintains "Virtual Faculty Offices" for Christian professors affiliated with it, including a number of members of the intelligent design movement
(for whom it also maintains archives of their writings), most prominently Phillip E. Johnson
and William Dembski, and Roe v. Wade
plaintiff turned pro-life
advocate Norma McCorvey
.
, Richard Pratt
, and William Lane Craig
as plenary speakers.
of the intelligent design movement
. The CLM chapter at the Southern Methodist University
, Dallas Christian Leadership, was a co-sponsor of the 1992 wedge conference, that intelligent design movement founder Phillip E. Johnson
later described as the movement's "public debut" which "brought together as speakers some key wedge figures, particularly Michael Behe, Stephen Meyer, William Dembski, and myself." CLM were also the sponsors of the Mere Creation conference held at Biola University
in 1996, which their director of research and publications, Rich McGee, directed and presented a paper at. The papers presented at it were later published as an anthology of the same title, and CLM devoted a special edition of their webzine The Real Issue to a special report on it. McGee also directed the 'Consultation on Intelligent Design' at the Discovery Institute
in 1997 and CLM was co-sponsor (with Ravi Zacharias
Ministries International) of a Wedge conference on 'God and the Academy' in 2000.
CLM also sponsored a lecture by intelligent design advocate Michael Behe
at Princeton University
on "Intelligent Design: Implications for Science and Belief in God", which was apparently later released as a videocassette by the Access Research Network
.
proselytization at the United States Air Force Academy
. This included placing an advertisement in 2003 in the academy newspaper Academy Spirit. The advertisement, which included 200 signatures from Academy officers and spouses declared that "belie[f] in Jesus is the only real hope for the world" that "there is salvation in no one else" and directing students to contact them to "discuss Jesus" was described as having the potential to be perceived by students as "a suggestion, an order or a non-too-subtle-hint" from "some of the most important and influential authority figures at the Academy" who were among the signatories. Weinstein concludes "In one fell swoop, their role at the Academy became a means to further their missionary objective." The Academy also, as an explicitly officially sponsored event, presented a talk on 'Why We Cannot Let You Have Your God While We Have Ours' in coordination with CLM.
Campus Crusade for Christ
Campus Crusade for Christ is an interdenominational Christian organization that promotes evangelism and discipleship in more than 190 countries...
. Its aim is to "disciple and mentor Christian professors" with a goal of 500 "Faculty Affiliates" (faculty members promoting CLM aims) and at least three Faculty Affiliates in each of the 100 largest universities in the United States of America, to enable these professors to "continually saturate [their] campus with the gospel, and fully integrate their faith into their academic discipline and culture".
Through its Leadership University website, Faculty Commons maintains "Virtual Faculty Offices" for Christian professors affiliated with it, including a number of members of the intelligent design movement
Intelligent design movement
The intelligent design movement is a neo-creationist religious campaign for broad social, academic and political change to promote and support the idea of "intelligent design," which asserts that "certain features of the universe and of living things are...
(for whom it also maintains archives of their writings), most prominently Phillip E. Johnson
Phillip E. Johnson
Phillip E. Johnson is a retired UC Berkeley law professor and author. He became a born-again Christian while a tenured professor and is considered the father of the intelligent design movement...
and William Dembski, and Roe v. Wade
Roe v. Wade
Roe v. Wade, , was a controversial landmark decision by the United States Supreme Court on the issue of abortion. The Court decided that a right to privacy under the due process clause in the Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution extends to a woman's decision to have an abortion,...
plaintiff turned pro-life
Pro-life
Opposition to the legalization of abortion is centered around the pro-life, or anti-abortion, movement, a social and political movement opposing elective abortion on moral grounds and supporting its legal prohibition or restriction...
advocate Norma McCorvey
Norma McCorvey
Norma Leah McCorvey , better known by the legal pseudonym "Jane Roe", was the plaintiff in the landmark American lawsuit Roe v. Wade in 1973. The U.S. Supreme Court overturned individual states' laws against abortion by ruling them unconstitutional...
.
Rationale
According to a poll cited by the CLM website, "only 30% of the entire student population is being exposed to the gospel of Jesus Christ even once in an academic year", which led CLM to conclude "[a] Christian professor sharing a brief Christian testimony the first day of class may be the ONLY Christian witness that many students will hear while they are in college."National Faculty Leadership Conferences
CLM has sponsored the National Faculty Leadership Conferences since about 1982. The 2008 conference included J. P. MorelandJ. P. Moreland
James Porter Moreland , better known as J. P. Moreland, is an American philosopher, theologian, and Christian apologist...
, Richard Pratt
Richard L. Pratt, Jr.
Richard Linwood Pratt, Jr. is an American Reformed theologian and author. As founder and President of , Richard is actively involved in all aspects of the ministry, including writing, teaching, and global advancement. He also travels extensively to evangelize and teach and is adjunct professor of...
, and William Lane Craig
William Lane Craig
William Lane Craig is an American analytic philosopher, philosophical theologian, and Christian apologist. He is known for his work on the philosophy of time and the philosophy of religion, specifically the existence of God and the defense of Christian theism...
as plenary speakers.
Involvement in the wedge strategy
CLM is one of the most prominent religious organizations aligned with the wedge strategyWedge strategy
The wedge strategy is a political and social action plan authored by the Discovery Institute, the hub of the intelligent design movement. The strategy was put forth in a Discovery Institute manifesto known as the Wedge Document, which describes a broad social, political, and academic agenda whose...
of the intelligent design movement
Intelligent design movement
The intelligent design movement is a neo-creationist religious campaign for broad social, academic and political change to promote and support the idea of "intelligent design," which asserts that "certain features of the universe and of living things are...
. The CLM chapter at the Southern Methodist University
Southern Methodist University
Southern Methodist University is a private university in Dallas, Texas, United States. Founded in 1911 by the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, SMU operates campuses in Dallas, Plano, and Taos, New Mexico. SMU is owned by the South Central Jurisdiction of the United Methodist Church...
, Dallas Christian Leadership, was a co-sponsor of the 1992 wedge conference, that intelligent design movement founder Phillip E. Johnson
Phillip E. Johnson
Phillip E. Johnson is a retired UC Berkeley law professor and author. He became a born-again Christian while a tenured professor and is considered the father of the intelligent design movement...
later described as the movement's "public debut" which "brought together as speakers some key wedge figures, particularly Michael Behe, Stephen Meyer, William Dembski, and myself." CLM were also the sponsors of the Mere Creation conference held at Biola University
Biola University
Biola University is a private, evangelical Christian, liberal arts university located near Los Angeles. Biola's main campus is in La Mirada in Los Angeles County, California. In addition, the university has several satellite campuses in Chino Hills, Inglewood, San Diego, and Laguna Hills.-...
in 1996, which their director of research and publications, Rich McGee, directed and presented a paper at. The papers presented at it were later published as an anthology of the same title, and CLM devoted a special edition of their webzine The Real Issue to a special report on it. McGee also directed the 'Consultation on Intelligent Design' at the Discovery Institute
Discovery Institute
The Discovery Institute is a non-profit public policy think tank based in Seattle, Washington, best known for its advocacy of intelligent design...
in 1997 and CLM was co-sponsor (with Ravi Zacharias
Ravi Zacharias
Frederick Antony Ravi Kumar Zacharias is an Indian-born, Canadian-American evangelical Christian apologist. Zacharias is the author of numerous Christian books, including Gold Medallion Book Award winner Can Man Live Without God? and bestsellers Light in the Shadow of Jihad and The Grand Weaver...
Ministries International) of a Wedge conference on 'God and the Academy' in 2000.
CLM also sponsored a lecture by intelligent design advocate Michael Behe
Michael Behe
Michael J. Behe is an American biochemist, author, and intelligent design advocate. He currently serves as professor of biochemistry at Lehigh University in Pennsylvania and as a senior fellow of the Discovery Institute's Center for Science and Culture...
at Princeton University
Princeton University
Princeton University is a private research university located in Princeton, New Jersey, United States. The school is one of the eight universities of the Ivy League, and is one of the nine Colonial Colleges founded before the American Revolution....
on "Intelligent Design: Implications for Science and Belief in God", which was apparently later released as a videocassette by the Access Research Network
Access Research Network
Access Research Network , based in Colorado Springs, Colorado, evolved from an earlier creationist organization, Students for Origins Research . SOR was founded in 1977 by a group of students at the University of California at Santa Barbara as an "alternative view" to both the Young Earth...
.
Accusation of unconstitutional proselytization
In With God on Our Side: One Man's War Against an Evangelical Coup in America's Military, Michael Weinstein and Davin Seay accuse CLM of engaging in unconstitutionalUnited States Constitution
The Constitution of the United States is the supreme law of the United States of America. It is the framework for the organization of the United States government and for the relationship of the federal government with the states, citizens, and all people within the United States.The first three...
proselytization at the United States Air Force Academy
United States Air Force Academy
The United States Air Force Academy is an accredited college for the undergraduate education of officer candidates for the United States Air Force. Its campus is located immediately north of Colorado Springs in El Paso County, Colorado, United States...
. This included placing an advertisement in 2003 in the academy newspaper Academy Spirit. The advertisement, which included 200 signatures from Academy officers and spouses declared that "belie[f] in Jesus is the only real hope for the world" that "there is salvation in no one else" and directing students to contact them to "discuss Jesus" was described as having the potential to be perceived by students as "a suggestion, an order or a non-too-subtle-hint" from "some of the most important and influential authority figures at the Academy" who were among the signatories. Weinstein concludes "In one fell swoop, their role at the Academy became a means to further their missionary objective." The Academy also, as an explicitly officially sponsored event, presented a talk on 'Why We Cannot Let You Have Your God While We Have Ours' in coordination with CLM.
External links
- Faculty Commons CLM website
- CLM Leadership University website