Adhering to our Statement of Faith

This petition is in response to the teaching presented in the summer 2005 course of Christian Ethics at Fuller Theological Seminary.

It not only expresses concern about this particular class, but also for the seminary as a whole with regards to maintaining our integrity through adherence to our Statement of Faith.

The information presented by the adjunct professor of Christian Ethics reveals that he is not in agreement with Fuller's Statement of Faith and does not adhere to some of our Institutional Commitments. In a particular class presentation on the Bible and Christian Ethics (Wed. 8/3/05), the professor suggested that the Biblical view of infallibility is an insufficient position upon which to base Christian Ethics. This is clearly contradictory to our Third Statement of Faith which declares our belief in the written word of God as being "the only infallible rule of faith and practice." (See the Catalog at www.fuller.edu/registrar/catalog under "Theological Stance: Statement of Faith III"). In succeeding class presentations, much of the professor's ethics was based on extra-biblical theories that did not treat Scripture as the infallible rule of faith and practice.

While Fuller's Institutional Commitments do permit faculty members to freely express other opinions, the institution does require "that the ultimate positions of faculty members not be at variance with the basic theological stance of the community as set forth in the Statement of Faith." Moreover, even if this professor were to change his presentation of the material so that it would seemingly conform to Fuller's position, he still would not be in adherence to the institution's commitments, which necessitate that the professor's own personal beliefs align with the Statement of Faith (See the Catalog under "Institutional Commitments: Academic Freedom").

As students of Fuller, our concern is not only with regards to this particular class or professor, but also for the institution as a whole. Many students chose to be at Fuller because of its unique evangelical commitment to "constantly engage with Scripture and test all things by it" (see Catalog under "Theological Stance: Evangelical Commitment"). To ensure that Fuller remains what it claims to be, we petition for adjustments in at least three areas:

1. A more thorough screening process for adjunct faculty which exceeds the current requirement, in which potential professors are only asked to give signature agreement with the Statement of Faith.

2. A thorough examination of the texts written by professors, to ensure that their published work is in alignment with Fuller's beliefs.

3. The inclusion of the Statement of Faith in each class syllabus so that the students can better keep professors accountable to the theological standards of Fuller.

If Fuller desires to remain an Evangelical institution, in actuality and not name only, measures must be taken to better safeguard the boundaries that our predecessors have carefully drawn to circumscribe and protect our exploration of Biblical and theological matters. We have appreciated the ability to explore various views, but also desire to help protect the integrity of Fuller Theological Seminary.