Controversy continues to surround InterVarsity Christian Fellowship USA (IVCF) after it announced authors would not be subject to the same restrictions as staff regarding views on homosexuality.
The announcement earlier this month that employees who disagree with the ministry's opposition to same-sex relationship would face "involuntary terminations" faced strong criticism. The most severe backlash came from more than 50 of IVCF's authors who signed a public letter denouncing the decision.
The signatories said they "do not all share the same theological or political views" but "are united in our concern for the dignity and care of our fellow Christians whose jobs are threatened by your policy," according to Religion News Service (RNS).
Now the evangelical ministry's publishing arm has responded to the letter and said authors would not face the same restrictions as staff. In a statement Jeff Crosby, publisher at InterVarsity Press, said he had written to all IVP authors to explain they "would not be subject to the theological summary of human sexuality".
He told RNS: "We recognize that we have authors in our trade and academic lines, writing about subjects other than human sexuality, whose views on that topic vary across a spectrum.
"I have also communicated to those who added their names to that petition that their inclusion would not impact our desire as a publishing house to work with them on future projects. On both counts, I heard gratitude for that clarity and response."
But Chris Heuertz, co-author of the IVP book 'Friendship at the Margins' who organised the authors' letter, said the statement did not change their concern.
"We knew that we authors are not held to the same staff policies, and that's not the point of our letter," said Heuertz.
"The intention of our letter was a request from friends of IVCF expressing our concern for current staff members who will unwillingly be forced to transition from their place in community based on the 'involuntary termination' policy."
Questions were also raised why staff in IVCF who had no influence on policy making should be subject to the policy but not authors who write on theology and ethics.
A Change.org petition against the decision has also been signed by more than 1,500 IVCF alumni who voiced their "disappointment and objection" to the policy.
"While the undersigned hold a range of beliefs with regard to marriage and human sexuality, we are united as alumni who value our experiences as part of InterVarsity and who want only the best for the organization," said the petition.
"The new policy, which excludes many Christian siblings and silences sincere disagreement, contradicts InterVarsity's values of authentic community, loving-kindness, intellectual rigor, and abundant grace. If not changed, we fear for the future of the organization and its ability to continue to minister to students and faculty, to the ultimate detriment of the gospel message and the legacy of an organization we dearly love. We therefore humbly call upon the leadership of InterVarsity to reconsider this policy," it continued.
