Administrators' Resignations Fuel Fears at Cedarville University

High-profile resignations are fueling protests at Cedarville University over the Baptist school's doctrine and direction.

As school trustees convene today for a regularly scheduled meeting, several petitions (with more than 1,000 signatures each) have sprung from online forums where alumni, faculty, and some of Cedarville's 3,000 students are calling for greater openness about the school's "identity and vision."

"Dr. Brown and Dr. Ruby have both been the most prominent voices for Cedarville moving toward a more robust and moderate evangelicalism," said senior theology major Josh Steele, who founded Fiat Lux, one of the protest websites. "The university is moving back toward conservative fundamentalism."

Such concerns first surfaced when doctrinal white papers intended to "clarify and elaborate" the college's faith statement were adopted last January; the resulting doctrinal dispute led to theologian Michael Pahl being removed from teaching duties in August. But concerns mounted after president Bill Brown announced his resignation in October, and ignited after vice president of student life Carl Ruby did the same in January.

Now, investigations of Bible professors and a proposal to discontinue the school's philosophy major have prompted speculation that Cedarville's board of trustees is steering the school away from engagement with mainstream evangelicalism.

However, Cedarville "isn't moving anywhere," said board chairman Lorne Scharnburg, emphasizing that the Ohio school is an independent Baptist university. "We're staying where we've always been."

Tensions over theology and identity have recently faced many Christian ...

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