But, then after careful study (“outstanding financial audits“), it was decided that the United Methodist Church will go ahead and continue funding Claremont School of Theology, and accepting the school’s students into its ministry.
Claremont, in case you didn’t remember, has lately drawn the scorn of many concerned Christians because of their sharing of classes with Jewish and Muslim schools. Some have been concerned that this might compromise Christianity, but the fine people at Claremont have assured us that “they are not watering down Christianity but rather, taking ‘Christ’s commands to be peacemakers and to love our neighbor as ourselves seriously’.”
Of course, a glance at the courses being offered at Claremont might cause one to seriously question which kind of Christianity they’re talking about. Here’s a few:
Process Theology and Ethics
Animal Theology and Ethics
Religion and Liberal Democracy
Form-Critical Theory
Contemplative Prayer Group
Origins and Classics in Black and Womanist Theologies
Third World Feminist Liberation Theology
Whitehead and Deleuze
Theologies of Liberation and Preaching
Mysticism and Process Theology
Contemplative and Sentient Living: Theories, Applications, and Psycho-Physiological Effects
Process Theology, Feminism, and Gender
Immigration as a Human Rights Crisis
and (my favorite) Queer Explorations for Pastoral, Theological, and Ethical Issues
Somehow, I don’t find this reassuring.
I’ll take their Animal Ethics course when they stop advocating abortion.