Northwestern’s InterVarsity Christian Fellowship describes itself as a benevolent organization devoted to spreading the word of God, advocating social justice and participating in group service projects. But on several college campuses across the nation, the fellowship has come under fire for its sexual orientation policy.
While the controversy has been largely absent at NU, three other campuses have tried — some successfully — to remove the organization for what some call discrimination. In September, Rutgers University derecognized the fellowship because it discriminates on the basis of religion and sexual orientation. In December, the University of North Carolina–Chapel Hill tried to suspend its chapter for the same reason. Two years ago, Tufts University banned InterVarsity from operating after the group refused to allow a bisexual member to run for chapter president.
InterVarsity defended itself and subsequently was brought back to campus at Tufts and North Carolina, but Rutgers has not allowed the group to appeal its suspension. InterVarsity’s leaders point to several U.S. Supreme Court decisions in the 1990s that gave student religious groups the ability to choose their leaders based on moral tenets.
“We are appalled,” said William McConnell, assistant to the president of InterVarsity Christian Fellowship/USA, the organization’s governing body, referring to the backlash against the group’s policy. “It’s absurd to us that a religious group can’t choose a leader on the basis of religious principles.”
At NU, any student interested in learning about Christianity can join the group’s almost 300 members at Friday night services and Bible study groups, said Natalie Hirt, president of the chapter. Hirt and Allen Wakabayashi, the staff director for NU’s chapter, defended the group’s right to choose leaders according to their sexuality.
“There are beliefs that bind us together,” Wakabayashi said. “It doesn’t make sense for a person who does not have those beliefs to lead. That’s not discriminatory. That’s being faithful to our religious beliefs.”
Hirt, a Communication senior, said she thinks the problems with InterVarsity at other schools don’t exist at NU.
“We have had homosexuals in our group,” she said. “I’ve respected them, and they’ve contributed in ways no one else could.”
But some students said they think there is a problem with InterVarsity’s practices.
Alex Lin, a Weinberg senior and social chairman of NU’s Rainbow Alliance, said he thinks InterVarsity’s practice of prohibiting homosexuals from holding leadership positions is contradictory to the group’s purpose. Homosexuality can only be viewed through a specific interpretation of biblical text, he added.
“It’s hypocritical for a group to unite different interpretations, but in the end they choose a specific interpretation of sexuality,” he said. “This is a group that clearly oppresses gender equality and expression.”
Others said that while InterVarsity has a right to be faithful to its religious tenets, the group also has an obligation to ensure it isn’t bringing discrimination onto campus.
“As the organization is recognized as a student group, it becomes affiliated with the school and its beliefs,” said Kristy Tridhavee, a Weinberg freshman. “I can’t accept their policy,”
