In the interest of fairness to our readers, the recommendations mailed to all graduates are printed below.
After the college’s proposal, we have posted an open letter to the Davidson trustees by James Goodloe. The Outlook has received letters in response to Dr. Goodloe’s open letter to the trustees. They are also available for our web site readers.
The Outlook will continue to follow this and other matters regarding the relationship of several Presbyterian colleges to the PC(USA), and to the Reformed and Christian traditions out of which they originated. Debate will be encouraged.
–O. Benjamin Sparks, Editor
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Davidson Statement of Purpose letter , September 21, 2004
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Davidson Revision Proposal , September 21, 2004
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Open Letter of Response from Dr. James C. Goodloe IV, posted January 31, 2005
Re: Davidson College proposal raises concern
I too attended a Presbyterian-related college–the College of Wooster.
Mr. Goodloe should know that trustees of colleges are chosen for many reasons. One of the primary reasons is to seek funding and gifts to the college from those same trustees. My alma mater has chosen many trustees because they shared a vision of education, a commitment to supporting higher education, and a source of income. In other words, they are chosen because they might find money, give money and raise money. My guess is that tuition and fees for a year at Davidson would be around $30,000 per year. This is serious money. My own education was subsidized by non-Christian trustees. The same will be true for Davidson.
I sincerely doubt that the Christian principles of Davidson would be compromised one bit by recruiting non-Christian trustees, whatever that means. Mr. Goodloe needs to know that colleges are in need of financial support and if recruiting a trustee who believes in Davidson, understands its history, is willing to serve without pay, help in fund-raising, but is not a member of Christian church, nothing is compromised.
Art Seaman, pastor
Grace Church
Kittanning, Pa.
Dr. Goodloe minces no words (how refreshing amidst an era of pathological “Presbyterian politeness”), and by doing so, hits the nail on the head. As a graduate of another of our “Presbyterian” colleges (Trinity University), that has already sold its soul, I would have thought by now that these kinds of coups would be harder to pull off but every institution has its price, either financial or cultural acclaim, or both and Davidson has sadly taken the bait. I¹ll always be grateful that it was on the Davidson campus, in a D.Min. course, where I really learned to think theologically, and integrate that with preaching expositorily. I guess that’s now history for me … and will be soon for others yet to come if the Davidson board sails on by Dr. Goodloe’s warning buoy.
Ron Scates, senior pastor
Highland Park Church
Dallas, Texas
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