Darrow Miller and Friends

More On Safe Spaces

safe spaces have arisen from political correctness soupThe current “safe spaces” rage indicates that apparently, the soup of political correctness hasn’t turned out to be very nourishing.

That stew has been fed to American students for a generation. In the interim, they’ve grown into university scholars who are unable to bear any criticism. Even the perception of critique is too much to stomach.

Darrow wrote recently about the current “safe spaces” fuss on America’s post-high school campuses: “Safe Spaces”: Converting Students to Jihadis on University Campuses.

Now another penetrating insight has emerged, this one from a university administrator. Dr. Everett Piper, President of Oklahoma Wesleyan University, has written to those studying at his own institution.

Everett Piper pushes back against safe spacesOur culture has actually taught our kids to be … self-absorbed and narcissistic. Any time their feelings are hurt, they are the victims. Anyone who dares challenge them and, thus, makes them “feel bad” about themselves, is a “hater,” a “bigot,” an “oppressor,” and a “victimizer.”

… That feeling of discomfort you have after listening to a sermon is called a conscience. An altar call is supposed to make you feel bad. It is supposed to make you feel guilty. The goal of many a good sermon is to get you to confess your sins—not coddle you in your selfishness. The primary objective of the Church and the Christian faith is your confession, not your self-actualization.

For any readers who haven’t already seen Dr. Piper’s pertinent treatise, “This is Not a Day Care. It’s a University!,” we highly recommend it. It’s worth a minute of your time.

  • Gary Brumbelow

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Gary is the Disciple Nations Alliance editorial manager. He manages Darrow Miller and Friends and serves as editor and co-writer on various book projects. For eight years Gary served as a cross-cultural church planting missionary among First Nations people of Canada. His career also includes 14 years as executive director of InterAct Ministries, an Oregon-based church-planting organization in Canada, Alaska, and Siberia. Gary is a graduate of Grace University, earned an MA from Wheaton College and a Graduate Studies Diploma from Western Seminary. He lives near Portland, Oregon with his wife, Valerie. They have two married sons and twelve grandchildren. In addition to his work with the DNA, Gary serves as the pastor of Troutdale Community Church.
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