Moral Confusion in Small Town Louisiana
Following the release of the Obergefell decision in 2014, supporters of same-sex marriage proclaimed it would not directly impact Christians in any meaningful way. However, as the last eight years would show, this remains a significantly false prediction. Not only did Obergefell legalize same-sex marriage, but it also provided moral confusion that persists in even the most conservative areas of the United States. This confusion made its way to a small conservative town named DeQuincy, Louisiana, when a private Christian school disallowed a girl from attending their school because her parents are a “married” same-sex couple. The circumstances surrounding these events reflect the moral confusion resulting from Obergefell yet also provide a need for those in agreement with Christian values and morals to offer a defense on behalf of Bible Baptist Academy.
On August 6th, the principal of a private Christian school named Bible Baptist Academy informed a same-sex couple that their daughter would be unable to begin her Kindergarten year at the school because of their “lifestyle choices.” You can view the entire story here. The child was adopted officially by the couple a few days before their meeting with the principal. The couple received custody of her in 2020 after the tragic death of her father in an industrial accident.
Following the meeting on August 6th, one of the parents posted on social media a detailed explanation of the circumstances. You can view her post here. In the aftermath of the post, the story went viral. Specifically, various media outlets around the world contacted the couple. The viral nature of the story led to the couple receiving widespread support from their local community and country. Just days after the initial incident, a private Christian school in Lake Charles, Louisiana, named Hamilton Christian School, reached out to the couple to offer their daughter an opportunity to attend the school. They happily accepted this invitation. In response to the controversy, Bible Baptist Academy has released a statement in defense of its decision. You can read the statement here.
A tragic detail worth emphasizing in this set of circumstances pertains to the involvement of the child. Firstly, the level of responsibility towards her remains clear. She has no control over her home situation, and consequently, any blame or guilt should not pass to her. Secondly, the moral confusion resulting from Obergefell now directly impacts the child. Due to the passing of both her parents, she was placed in custody and eventually adopted by the couple. The decision by the Supreme Court to legally recognize same-sex marriage now formally reflects this arrangement as a legitimate family. Yet, the decision strays far from the familial structure God established for the sake of His creation found in the first chapters of Genesis. Jesus repeats the mandate in Matthew 19. In these passages, God reveals to mankind that He orders creation in such a way that communicates a foundational need for the mother and father in the home. Indeed, unfortunate circumstances often lead to children transitioning to other family units. The family structure in these homes typically does not include a mother or father. However, this is the exception that proves the rule. The Obergefell decision provides a path that further legitimatizes a “married” same-sex couple family structure in the view of society. Consequently, children who grow up in a home with a same-sex couple as parents do not receive nurturing and care consistent with God’s design.
We live in a world where the Obergefell decision exists. This reality indicates a need to assess the response provided by Bible Baptist Academy. As expected, the school has received numerous complaints and attacks for its decision. Did the school make the decision that best reflects a biblical ethic, or did it fail in some way to live up to the standard to which Christians remain called? An important note worth considering includes the fact that the school operates in such a way that affirms the traditional understanding of sexuality and marriage. Hence, it should be understood (especially by fellow Christians) that Bible Baptist Academy does indeed hold its students to this standard. Yet, does this mean the school should extend this expectation to the parents?
For children to receive a proper Christian education, two things are necessary to accomplish the goal. First, the Christian school is responsible for teaching the students in a way that corresponds to a biblical worldview. Secondly, this worldview must be in sync with the values that the parents already instill in their children. If either the parents or school drifts from the desired goal, the child fails to receive an adequate Christian education. Thus, from the school’s perspective, the importance of only partnering with parents that raise their kids that align with them in the Christian worldview cannot be overstated. Consistency in Christian education must exist since the entire purpose of this process is to provide the child with a foundation built, not on sand, but on that which is solid. The parents and school can disagree on minor details in theology. Yet, in a broad sense, a consistent worldview between the parents and school needs to exist. In the context of the current circumstances, if the parents of the child are a same-sex couple, a consistent Christian worldview will not exist between the parents and school. As the pastor appropriately stated, due to the couple’s family arrangements, it would not be a good fit.
The most common response from many Christian brothers and sisters states that the school should not punish the child because of her parents’ choices. While I understand the position and sympathize with the intent, this assumes that children remain exempt from the consequences of their parent’s choices. Bible Baptist Academy is responsible for partnering with parents in educating their children based on a particular standard. If the parents do not align with the school’s worldview, the school acts consistently and virtuously when refusing to admit the student.
In The Rise and Triumph of the Modern Self, Carl Trueman discusses a major innovation thanks to modernity. Simply put, individuals today expect society to conform to their desires and wishes rather than for individuals to conform to the expectations of society. The reaction to the child’s dismal from many Christians mirrors this mindset. Rather than expecting the couple to conform to the school’s standard, it remains almost assumed that the school would change its expectations to fit the couple’s current morally confusing relationship. The outpouring of support for the couple should not surprise Christians committed to a biblical worldview. Aaron Renn describes the current evangelical age in which we live as the “negative world.” He describes the concept in the following way: “Christian morality is expressly repudiated and seen as a threat to the public good and the new public moral order. Subscribing to Christian moral views or violating the secular moral order brings negative consequences.” You can read Renn’s entire piece here. The conflict between a same-sex couple and Bible Baptist Academy reflects the current age in which we live. Yet, this makes the response from committed Christians all the more critical.