By Chad Groening
March 2, 2001
(AgapePress) - The President of the American Family Association says it is tragic that Southern Methodist University has decided to offer medical benefits and reduced tuition to same-sex partners of its employees.
The Dallas-based school says it needs to remain competitive for top-teaching talent. That is why the Methodist-affiliated university says it will start offering same-sex benefits next year.
SMU is one of just a handful of religious-affiliated schools to make such an offer.
AFA President Dr. Don Wildmon is an ordained United Methodist minister. He says this is just another example of how the church is ignoring what the Bible says about homosexuality.
“It’s tragic that Southern Methodist University would offer same-sex benefits to homosexual couples,” Wildmon says. “This obviously goes against everything Scripture has to say about this immoral lifestyle. But I think it’s a reflection also of a deterioration not only of our society, but really of a church structure that is unwilling to address the problem from a Biblical perspective.”
Wildmon says he is not optimistic that the church’s governing General Conference will do anything to sever ties or financial contributions to SMU or force it to reconsider its decision to offer same-sex benefits.
“I doubt very seriously the United Methodist Church will let this affect their relationship with Southern Methodist University, or will actually bring about any change of policies inside the United Methodist Church,” he says.
Emory University in Atlanta, which is also affiliated with the United Methodist Church, has a similar policy.
Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, which was founded by the Southern Baptist Convention but has loosened its ties with the denomination, also offers the benefits.
About 150 of 3,300 higher-education institutions nationwide have similar policies.
© 2001 AgapePress all rights reserved.
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