Diversity, Reconciliation, & Unity

William Jessup University represents a diverse community of students, faculty, staff, board members and other affiliates. The Community Covenant chapter on Unity in Diversity guides the standards and behaviors expected of board members, students, and employees of Jessup University regarding their attitude and conduct toward the diversity of races, ethnicities, national cultures, genders, disabilities, denominations, and theologies represented in the University community and is subject to the Articles of Incorporation, Bylaws, Statement of Faith, and adopted Board policies.

The Community Covenant chapter on Unity in Diversity is rooted in the following foundational assumptions:

1. All people have been fearfully and wonderfully made in the image of God and are worthy of human dignity, honor, and respect. (Genesis 1:27, 9:6; Psalm 139:14; James 3-9).
2. All people have sinned, fall short of the glory of God, and are in need of a Savior (Romans 3:23, 6:23)
3. The ability to know God, and to be reconciled with Him, is afforded to all people through a relationship with Jesus Christ, regardless of race, culture, history, or background. (John 1:12, 3:16, 14:6).
4. God’s design for humankind is that our primary identity is in Christ. (Colossians 2:9-10, 1 Corinthians 6:17, Genesis 1:27, 1 John 3:1-2) Christ’s sacrifice for all humankind unifies believers in Christ in a common humanity through Him. (1 John 2:2; John 3:16; Acts 2:42-47).
5. Once unified in Christ, our differences in race, ethnicity, national culture, gender, and denomination are reasons for celebration, as this multiplicity of differences is represented in the Kingdom of Heaven and will be represented in the Kingdom of God upon Christ’s return. (Galatians 3:27-28, Revelation 7:9).

A. On Race, Ethnicity, & National Culture, we believe that:

1. God has created a diverse world made up of different races, ethnicities, and national cultures for the purpose of reflecting His infinite creativity.
2. God is glorified when our University community is made up of a diversity of races, ethnicities, and national cultures that are unified in Christ.
3. The University community is benefitted by this diversity in our understanding, appreciation, and celebration of our similarities and differences.

B. On Gender, we believe that:

1. We have been “fearfully and wonderfully made” in the image of God expressed through intentional and distinct biological genders of male and female.
2. God’s design of this gender binary is to complement one another: working together in partnership and sharing equally in God’s economy.
3. God is glorified when our University provides a welcoming environment for both male and female that provides the same opportunities for learning, growth, success, and the knowledge of Christ.

C. On Ability, we believe that:

1. We have been “fearfully and wonderfully made” in the image of God, regardless of ability, disability, or medical condition.
2. All people, with proper preparation and desire, can participate in our thriving campus community regardless of ability, disability, or medical condition.

D. On Denomination, we believe that:

1. Our efforts at providing Christ-centered education is Soli Deo Gloria (“for glory to God alone”), with core theological distinctives reflected in the University’s Statement of Faith.
2. The University community is made up of many different denominational beliefs in its Board, staff, faculty, and students.
3. While denominational differences may cause members of the University to have differing opinions on the methods of sacramental observances and a host of other theological topics of importance, these differences should never lead to divisiveness within the University.
4. Irrespective of denominational differences, the University remains unified in providing a Christ-centered education that is reflected in the University’s bylaws, Statement of Faith, and this Community Covenant.

D. On Theology, we believe that:

1. The University’s core theological distinctives are reflected and expressed in the University’s Statement of Faith.
2. These theological distinctives shall always be reflected throughout the University in its governing documents, its leadership, employment, instruction, and learning environments.
3. Differing theological worldviews are welcome in the University community: 1) for the purpose of bringing students to a knowledge of Christ through repentance and conversion; and 2) in the context of civil, academic discourse for the benefit of preparing students to work and live with diverse populations and conflicting worldviews, so that they may encounter and address conflicting worldviews with compassion and Biblical truth.

F. Implications

1. We strive to model a University whose community makeup reflects the demographic breadth and depth of the Kingdom of Heaven. (Galatians 3:28; Mark 16:14-15; I Corinthians 9:19-23; John 13:34-35; John 17:20-23).
2. The pursuit of unity in Christ means being intentional about fostering and creating an environment in which students live in a community with people of different races, ethnicities, national cultures, languages, genders, abilities, and denominations.
3. Fulfilling the Great Commission to make disciples of Christ means being intentional about fostering and creating a campus environment in which students with other theological worldviews are welcomed and ministered to for the purpose of knowing and accepting Christ.
4. We are called to live in the World, but not to be of the World. In today’s highly integrated global society, students will work and live with diverse populations whose worldviews will often conflict with a Biblical worldview. The University has a responsibility to prepare students on how to evaluate and respond to these conflicts in a way that upholds Biblical truth. (John 15:9, Romans 12:2).
5. God desires believers to walk in humility, gentleness, and patience, and love one another while striving to facilitate and maintain unity among believers through the Spirit, in a manner that is characterized by the bond of peace, joy, and love. We will maintain unity and respect in the midst of differences and disagreements with empathy and humility. (1 Corinthians 13:13; Galatians 5:22-23).
6. Learning is optimized in a diverse environment. Training students, faculty, and staff how to engage in civil, academic discourse with diverse, and at times, competing ideas is our responsibility as a University. We believe all members of our community are called to model the example of Christ in their intellectual and vocational pursuits. (Matthew 21:22; 1 Peter 2:17).
7. Through the unity of Jesus Christ, we honor a variety of expressions within the boundaries of Biblical truth as expressed in this Community Covenant, the Statement of Faith, and the University’s interpretation of the Holy Bible.