Bob Jones University Apologizes for Racist Policies

Bob Jones University has issued an apology for racist policies that persisted right up until the year 2000. According to a statement, Bob Jones University acknowledges that it's policies such as refusing to admit black students and then refusing to allow interracial dating, were rooted in polarizing cultural rules of the day not biblical scripture.

For almost two centuries American Christianity, including BJU in its early stages, was characterized by the segregationist ethos of American culture. Consequently, for far too long, we allowed institutional policies regarding race to be shaped more directly by that ethos than by the principles and precepts of the Scriptures. We conformed to the culture rather than provide a clear Christian counterpoint to it.

In so doing, we failed to accurately represent the Lord and to fulfill the commandment to love others as ourselves. For these failures we are profoundly sorry. Though no known antagonism toward minorities or expressions of racism on a personal level have ever been tolerated on our campus, we allowed institutional policies to remain in place that were racially hurtful. ...

Given that slave owners twisted the gospel of the New Testament to justify slavery, it is heartening and encouraging to see a college that trains future ministers, come out and profess that God's word promotes unity and celebrates diversity:

[The Bible] teaches that God created the human race as one race. History, reality and Scripture affirm that in that act of creation was the potential for great diversity, manifested today by the remarkable racial and cultural diversity of humanity. Scripture also teaches that this beautiful, God-caused and sustained diversity is divinely intended to incline mankind to seek the Lord and depend on Him for salvation from sin (Acts 17:24–28).

The true unity of humanity is found only through faith in Christ alone for salvation from sin-in contrast to the superficial unity found in humanistic philosophies or political points of view. For those made new in Christ, all sinful social, cultural and racial barriers are erased (Colossians 3:11), allowing the beauty of redeemed human unity in diversity to be demonstrated through the Church.

Do you think this statement will have a softening effect on the hearts of bigots who call themselves Christians?