The Canadian Association of University Teachers (CAUT) is an organization to which 65,000 Canadian university employees belong. It routinely investigates complaints brought forth by its members. However, perhaps out of boredom with no complaint in hand, its executive director James Turk, decided to investigate four Canadian Christian colleges which require that their faculty members sign a statement of Christian faith before being hired. The schools are Trinity Western University in Langley B.C., Crandall University in Moncton N.B., Canadian Mennonite University in Winnipeg, MB  and Redeemer University College in Ancaster ON.

            In defending his actions, James Turk puts forward the theory that “A school that requires its faculty to subscribe to a particular belief or ideology cannot be practising academic freedom” (Charles Lewis “Faith as a guide to higher learning”, Nat. Post, 30 Jan. 2010).

            This theory is usually put forward by atheists.  They rarely reflect on their own biases.

            In their view only the godless are “free thinkers, ” even though as G.K. Chesterton noted 100 years ago, those who don’t believe in anything, actually believe in any thing at all, because they deny the greatest truth of all, of God existence.

            Jonathan Raymond, president of Trinity Western, says that the report has put the school “under a cloud of suspicion.” He said that their faculty think as informed Christians, but don’t force their views on anyone. “They (the teachers) can raise all perspectives, but we expect they will also raise the Christian perspective.” He also remarked that Trinity Western was not even informed that it was being “investigated” by CAUT, and says that it is “outright anti-Christian discrimination” (ibid).

            For its part, the Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada with its membership of 92 universities and colleges, said they have never found any problem with academic freedom at Trinity Western.

            Let us hope the CAUT will elect a new and more intelligent director in the spring.

P.S. Dear Jimmy Turk:

            There are several thousand Catholic institutes of higher learning in the world. May of their faculties take an annual oath of fidelity to the Church’s Magisterium (This is Latin for “teaching authority). They do so willingly and joyfully. A few of these exist in Canada. You better find them. Otherwise you may never be worthy of the Order of Canada.