Wheaton Professor Suspended for 'Same God' Comments: 'We Want To Be Very Clear: The Love of Christ Compels Us'

Dr. Larycia Hawkins, the Wheaton College professor suspended this week for public comments suggesting Muslims and Christians worship the "same god," released a statement Dec. 17 elaborating her position and her remarks to the press on Dec 16. The full text of her statement is below. The college also released a statement explaining its actions on Dec. 16, and can be read here.

 

I want to thank everyone for the outpouring of support from family, Wheaton alumni, friends, and others from around the country.

 

Today and the in the coming days I will be completing required duties for Wheaton College. I just submitted a theological statement, as requested by Wheaton College. As a commitment to my students and the College I will also be grading final exams.

 

I am now moving into a time of prayer and discernment.

 

I reiterate my intentions. My motivation is to demonstrate Christ’s love during a time of profound marginalization of our Muslim brothers and sisters. I act out of my love for Jesus and His call for me to love all my neighbors.

 

I am committed to engaging in dialogue with appropriate colleagues at Wheaton toward the goal of reaching reconciliation so that I may continue to live out my vocation as a Christian scholar and teacher with my faculty colleagues and my remarkable students.

 

Below is my complete statement from Wednesday's press conference.

 

Wednesday 12/16/15 Statement:

 

Thank you for being here this afternoon. I would first like to share some facts of the series of events.

 

Thursday December 10^th 10:00 PM — I made a Facebook post announcing my Advent embodied solidarity wearing hijab.

 

Friday December 11^th — Was my first full day of wearing hijab

 

Sunday December 13^th — I made my rejoinder clarifying the goal of my project and appealing to unity.

 

Tuesday December 15^th— I was called to a meeting with the Provost of Wheaton College and was notified for the first time that my act was under administrative review and that I was placed on administrative leave.

 

Thank you again for being here — I’m blessed and humbled to be surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses. Thank you to Arise and to former students who have sent me messages of support and who are here showing support today.

This advent, I'm standing with my Muslim neighbors out of my love for Jesus and the love I believe He has for all of the world. And I’m not alone in this. Here in Illinois and throughout the U.S., other followers of Jesus have shown that the loud anti-muslim voices we hear in the media do not speak for all American Christians.

 

We want to be very clear: the love of Christ compels us. As we celebrate His birth, we are reminded of the ways Jesus calls us to love our neighbors, far and near. Christmas celebrates God's embodied, loving commitment to all of humanity. And I’m praying that this Christmas season will be one where our hearts are opened to love others more, where we learn to see people the way Jesus sees them--with embrace and love. 

 

Thank you for your attention and God bless you.