Christian College Cancels Promise Keepers Event Over Stance on Biblical Marriage
Colorado Springs, Colo. — Belmont University, a private Christian college in Nashville, announced last week it had canceled an event to be hosted by Promise Keepers after the men’s ministry released a statement reaffirming its support for the Biblical, biological, sexual identity of male and female, man and woman, in the context of marriage.
Belmont representatives cited a conflict in values.
Promise Keepers is hosting a series of events this year, titled “Daring Faith.” Events are scheduled for Houston, Memphis and New York City, with additional stops in other cities across the country. Among these stops was Belmont University.
The events will discuss Biblical manhood and the difficulties of navigating the tension between our Christian identity and the often antithetical identities of the culture in which we live.
As part of their mission, Promise Keepers offers guidance to men on how to respond to the current gender identity crisis in our society. The ministry released a statement for Pride Month that noted what it perceives to be the dangers of gender ideology and reaffirmed its long-held position that biblical marriage constitutes a union between one man and one woman.
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“We affirm that marriage is designed by God to be for one man and one woman” and that “the path of following Jesus Christ is difficult and countercultural, but it is the path of LIFE,” notes PK CEO Ken Harrison.
The statement also noted, “As fathers, husbands, grandfathers, and young men — we see the dangers of gender ideology and the harm it causes.”
Surprised by the decision, Promise Keepers Chairman of the Board and CEO, Ken Harrison reached out to Belmont leadership for a broader conversation about the influence of social norms and popular culture on the values of Christian Institutions. Promise Keepers is still waiting for a response.
UPDATE: Ken Harrison spoke about the cancellation with CBN News.
Promise Keepers, headquartered in Colorado Springs, Colorado, and founded in 1990 by Coach Bill McCartney, is one of the largest movements of God in the history of the church. Focused on helping men live with integrity, Promise Keepers has touched the lives of millions of men every year through its national conferences.
