H. Eddie Fox, the world director of World Methodist Evangelism and the executive director of the Emory-based World Methodist Evangelism Institute, received the Candler School of Theology’s 2013 Distinguished Alumni Award for his service to the church. Fox was one of three individuals selected to receive this year’s award, which is given to those with exceptional achievements who are graduates of Emory’s Candler School of Theology. Candidates are nominated by faculty, staff, students, friends and Candler alumni.
Fox’s recognition was met with significant backlash by some members of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) community. Members voiced concerns that Fox had a history of “anti-gay” behavior and called for the Candler School of Theology to rescind his award. The instance advocates are pointing to as an example of “anti-gay” sentiment occurred during a United Methodist Church conference in 2008, when Fox co-authored a report that said homosexuality is “incompatible with Christian teaching.”
We at the Wheel recognize that there is a distinction between academia and advocacy. There continues to be partisanship in the Methodist Church on the issue of gay rights – both theologians and laypeople continue to wrestle with different interpretations of scripture. Many nuanced distinctions appear when interpreting the Bible, and we are unsure as to whether the comments made by Fox were made for academic or personal reasons. In addition, we lack any further information or evidence about Fox’s purportedly anti-gay sentiments.
Due to both the complexity of the issue and the religious interpretive context, we do not feel equipped to comment on whether Fox is anti-gay or not. Regardless, we feel the issue sparks valuable dialogue about what kinds of people should be receiving awards from the University. Our University communicates the qualities it holds dear through the honors it bestows – giving a person an award, then, should affirm that the honoree’s values align with Emory’s own.
We are not judging Fox to be “anti-gay,” since we simply do not have enough information to reach such a conclusion. Instead, we are using the implications of this specific scenario as a launchpad to discuss whether or not awards should be given to those who do not align with Emory’s standing values.
We applaud Candler School of Theology Dean Jan Love for the email she sent to faculty and students of the school about concerns raised over Fox receiving the award. Her email epitomizes the necessity for open dialogue on such issues, and her active participation shows her dedication to furthering such discourse.
The Emory community is absolutely accepting of all people. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, sex, sexual orientation or any other kind of prejudice. Civil rights should be taken very seriously, and we are glad Emory has made this clear. On that note, we at the Wheel have absolutely no tolerance for anti-gay rhetoric or actions. Such discriminatory behavior undermines some of Emory’s basic principles, including our commitment to LGBT rights.
We welcome productive dialogue from those who hold contrary opinions, but hatred should never be tolerated. A difference exists between keeping beliefs in a confined, religious realm and being actively discriminatory.
We must critically evaluate the beliefs of those whom Emory grants an award or brings to speak at an event. Certain values cannot be compromised. After all, we are made up of a diverse community where all kinds of people should be given equal opportunities.
The above staff editorial represents the majority opinion of the Wheel’s editorial board.
The Emory Wheel was founded in 1919 and is currently the only independent, student-run newspaper of Emory University. The Wheel publishes weekly on Wednesdays during the academic year, except during University holidays and scheduled publication intermissions.
The Wheel is financially and editorially independent from the University. All of its content is generated by the Wheel’s more than 100 student staff members and contributing writers, and its printing costs are covered by profits from self-generated advertising sales.
“The Emory community is absolutely accepting of all people.” — a bit of a generalization, no?
It’s not only a generalization, it’s not true.
I am confused by this editorial. It seems as if the editors of The Wheel wish to avoid taking a stand–an odd and untenable wish for those responsible for writing an editorial page. Do you believe Reverend Fox should receive the honor or not? Let me state where I stand on this issue as an alumnus of Candler, a former professor there, and a current professor in the Rollins School of Public Health: Reverend Fox’s position is anti-gay and it violates both the letter and the spirit of the university’s non-discrimination policy. A report on the 2008 General Conference of the United Methodist Church (UMC) published on the website of the UMC confirms this: “Rev. Eddie Fox said that any United Methodist statement on human sexuality needs to be ‘clear, concise and faithful to biblical teaching.’ Leaving out the statement that homosexuality is ‘incompatible with Christian teaching’ would be confusing, especially for members of the church outside the United States.” You rightly note that various Christian traditions are involved in vigorous debates on this issue. In his statement in 2008, Reverend Fox identified where he stands in those debates: he opposes any changes to the current stance of the UMC, a stance which says that homosexuality is incompatible with Christian teaching, denies ordination to non-celibate LGBT people, and prohibits UMC clergy from presiding at weddings of LGBT people. All of those positions are clearly “anti gay” from the perspective of those of us best equipped to define that term, namely LGBT folk active in the church. Reverend Fox can refuse the term but he has no logical position from which to argue against it being used to describe him.
Now, Reverend Fox is entitled to hold his position, just as people of faith are entitled to that position as members of the Emory community and just as professors at Candler are entitled to that position as faculty of this university. Emory’s non-discrimination policy covers a variety of categories, including non-discrimination on the basis of religion. No one is asking the university to strip Reverend Fox of his Emory degree. No one is asking that prospective students who agree with Fox be denied admission to this university or that current students with similar beliefs be expelled. No one is calling for faculty and staff to be questioned about their beliefs as a precondition to employment. Let’s be clear, then: Reverend Fox is free to hold anti-gay positions (which he does) without running afoul of the university’s non-discrimination policy because he enjoys whatever measure of protection from that policy that is appropriate to any alumnus of the university.
Nonetheless, bestowing the award on Reverend Fox is a violation of both the spirit and letter of Emory’s non-discimination policy because it provides institutional backing to a position that is clearly anti-gay. The university, through the decision of the School of Theology, is affirming Reverend Fox in his work. The School of Theology does not have the luxury of stipulating what part of Reverend Fox’s life and work it affirms; the university does not have the luxury of claiming that it upholds the non-discrimination policy while allowing one of the academic units of the university to specifically honor someone who violates it. The effect is not merely rhetorical or theoretical; it is quite real in the lives of LGBT people in this university who expect the university to abide by its own standards and now discover that it is unwilling to do so.
Through its non-discrimination policy, Emory should be a place where Methodists can debate the pros and cons of LGBT inclusion in the church drawing on reason, Scripture, tradition, and experience as sources for such debate. Emory should be a place where Reverend Fox and others who believe like him should be able to express their opinions just as it is a place where I can express mine as a queer Christian man. It should not be a place that honors clearly discriminatory positions through awards. It should not be a place where those who espouse discriminatory positions feel free to disavow the labels that clearly flow from such positions even if those positions are motivated by religious belief.
The letter by Dean Love that you reference may demonstrate that she supports and actively encourages dialogue on this issue. That’s great. Nonetheless, in her decision to bestow the award on Reverend Fox (and to her credit, Dean Love does accept responsibility for that decision) she violates the university’s policy. She is undoubtedly in a difficult position as the Dean of a school covered under Emory’s policy and of a school that is part of Christian tradition that holds a position contradictory to that policy. I do not envy her having to be there. But she made a decision in this instance to stand on the side of the church’s position and against the university’s. That is perfectly okay in her position as a laywoman in the United Methodist Church; it is not okay in her position as a senior Administrative official of this university. I am disappointed that the editors of the Wheel were unable to see those distinctions in writing this editorial and refusing to name anti-gay behavior for what it is.
“We are not judging Fox to be “anti-gay,” since we simply do not have enough information to reach such a conclusion.” I thought that was the point of journalism! Do your research. Rev. Eddie Fox has been the #1 leader of the United Methodist Church’s anti-gay faction that is currently ripping the church apart. I find Google to be a wonderful starting place for research…
Dear John Blevins, as a former member of the World Methodist Evangelism Institute, who met Dr H. Eddie Fox there I am glad his work is being honoured. Not because he is or isn’t anti-gay, he has never expressed an opinion either way to me, but because he has worked hard as Director of World Methodist Evangelism, and facilitating the World Methodist Evangelism Institute. To judge a man’s achievements through the lens of one issue seems very narrow minded to me. I know for certain that some of those who have attended the World Methodist Evangelism Institute would describe themselves as gay Christians and will have benefited from Dr Fox’s leadership in that context. It seems to me that regardless of his beliefs about homosexuality, there is room for people of differing opinions on sexual morality to say ‘this man’s life, contribution to the alumnus, and academic work is worth honouring (and I may vehemently disagree with him on this issue or that issue but I am thankful for the conversation and dialogue it can open up)’. Yours faithfully, James Church
James, thanks for taking the time to reply to what I posted. Clearly, Reverend Fox has impressed many with his work in the World Methodist Evangelism Institute. I hope that it contributes to God’s work of reconciliation of people to God and to one another. The Institute, the UMC, and other Christian bodies can and have chosen to honor Reverend Fox. But in my opinion, Emory University should not because Reverend Fox has clearly-stated, public positions that align with the UMC’s position on homosexuality. That position runs contrary to our university’s non-discrimination policy. Because of this, the university should not (again in my opinion) single him out for an award because doing so places the university in the position of endorsing a position contrary to its own stated policy. It is, to me, that simple.
If in all good conscience Reverend Fox believes that his stated positions on homosexuality are a true expression of his Christian faith then he should be free to express them and live by them. If anyone were working to deny him that, then I would argue and work against their efforts. Those opinions, however, are not neutral; he is taking a stand. And it is a stand that names those of us who are gay Christians as “less than.” Such an effect is rightly called anti-gay in my opinion. And while Reverend Fox should feel free to follow his conscience on these issues, Emory University as an organization which prohibits institutional discrimination against LGBT people should not bestow an honor on him. I would be happy to discuss this further with you in another forum with you if you would like. Blessings to you. John