Community Commitments Generous Centrist Evangelical
Following the global pandemic and in the face of partisan political positions being referenced as “evangelical”, interest developed within the ϰٿ Community to have the Board of Trustees clarify their understanding of and commitment to the ‘evangelical movement worldwide,’ a phrase used in our original founding documents as articulated in the Articles of Incorporation.
In response, the Board of Trustees believes that its commitment to the “evangelical movement worldwide” is best understood as a commitment to being a generous, centrist evangelical college, grounded in an historic Christian understanding of evangelicalism. Specifically, this commitment reflects the Board’s intention to foster and govern the college in the following ways:
A generous, centrist, evangelical is a Christian who holds firmly to the core convictions of the evangelical Protestant tradition, anchored on the authority of Scripture, the centrality of Jesus Christ’s life, death, and resurrection, and the call to personal faith as the avenue to transformation while embracing an open, gracious posture toward others.
To be generous is to demonstrate a willingness to listen respectfully to differing perspectives, to extend charity toward those with whom one disagrees, and to focus on what unites rather than divides. This generosity is not about watering down core convictions, but about holding them with humility, recognizing that all people are made in God’s image and that love is the first mark of the Christian life.
To be centrist is to reflect a balanced approach to cultural, political, and theological issues while rejecting extremes on either side. A centrist evangelical resists the pull of partisan identity and avoids becoming ideologically polarizing seeking instead to anchor decisions in biblical principles, moral discernment, and the common good. They work to build bridges between groups, valuing dialogue over divisiveness.
To be evangelical is to ground our identity in a living historic faith that is personal, transformative by the Holy Spirit, and outward-looking. Evangelicals emphasize conversion, discipleship, and mission sharing the hope of the gospel through both word and deed.
Taken together, a generous, centrist, evangelical is committed to the truth of the gospel, the practice of Christlike love, and the pursuit of unity in a fractured world embodying conviction without arrogance, openness without compromise, and faithfulness without partisanship.