"Imaginary differences (between religions) are far more dangerous than real ones." - Anindita Balslev

"Scripture is not a text, it's an activity. Until the Protestant Reformation no one read scriptures literally. Our scriptures are violent because we are violent. Compassion should make us look out at the world and feel profoundly uncomfortable. " - Karen Armstrong

"You are the seeds of goodness. Plant yourselves and you will all be able to harvest the fruits of goodness." - Rabbi Rachel Mikva

"The most dangerous person in the world is the one who has nothing to lose." - Shayk Omar Suleiman

"We can never forget the tie that people have to the religion in which they were brought up."

"Everyone has within them what is needed to promote peace." 

 

Responding to the "Red Scare" of the last century, educational philosopher Robert Hutchins (then president of the University of Chicago) noted that without a vibrant commitment to free and open inquiry, a university ceases to be a university. (1)  Cherry Hill Seminary is also committed to free and open inquiry in all matters, particularly in light of the wide diversity found among contemporary Pagan teachings and practice.  Hence, we support all members of our seminary community - faculty and students - in their search for meaning, giving them the broadest latitude possible to share their thoughts, write, listen, learn and challenge each other. These ideas will, and have at times, presented natural conflicts.  But it is not the proper role of either a university or seminary to censor ideas that some may find unwelcome, disagreeable, or even deeply offensive. (2)

Recently, one of our faculty members signed a petition that some people found hurtful and offensive.  Cherry Hill Seminary has been pressured to terminate this faculty member.  The fact that we have been pressured suggests to us that the Pagan community may be confused about the role of higher education.  We all want diversity of sex and race, for example, although we would seem to be less comfortable with diversity of ideas. But we do not serve our students well by suggesting that the way to respond to those with whom we disagree is to silence them.   

Some may not understand our mission as a seminary: we are not a religious tradition, do not have elders or priests, and do not provide ordination. Our sole mission is education; in that process we help people learn to listen to one another, to reach across boundaries, to foster tolerance for difficult ideas. We caution all who have expressed concern to keep in mind the limited and often unreliable nature of hearsay and social media as their only source of information. We call for our Seminary family to embrace this controversy as an opportunity to support each other with respect in our search for personal authenticity, upholding the interfaith principle that each may only speak her or his own truth, her own belief and story. As both an institution of higher education and a seminary, Cherry Hill Seminary will continue to hold a safe space for dialog on the issues which might otherwise divide us.

Bass, Scott A.  and Mary L. Clark. The Gravest Threat to Colleges Comes From Within, September 28, 2015.   

Huckabee, Charles.  Former Chief Quits U. of British Columbia's Board After Academic-Freedom Review, October 15, 2015. 

Kahn-Harris, Keith.  Being Civil Doesn't Have to Mean Remaining Silent, October 08, 2015.