Another Attack in New York

With the enormous shot-in-the-arm to Ann Coulter's career brought on by the premiere of George Clooney's 'Good Night and Good Luck' I cannot but recall some bigtime 'Liberal McCarthyism' going on last Spring when we heard from Stanley Kurtz at National Review Online about the challenge to accreditation for a school called The King's College located in the Empire State Building in New York City:

King’s College has been accredited by the New York State Board of Regents for over 40 years, and all was on track for yet another renewal. After the college was scrutinized by the New York State Board of Education and an external site visit team, the Regents’ own Advisory Council recommended a five-year extension of King’s accreditation. So the stage was set for a fascinating experiment in higher education — an ultimate encounter of red and blue America.

That was until King’s College caught the attention of John Brademas, a quintessentially liberal politician, and one of the newest members of the State Board of Regents. Brademas had been a liberal Democratic congressman from Indiana, but was defeated in 1980 (according to this study with major opposition from the Moral Majority). After his defeat, Brademas went on to serve as president of New York University for a decade — a period during which NYU consolidated its reputation as a liberal bastion.

Pretty alarming stuff, a real 'Culture Wars' skirmish if there ever was one. But as Kurtz points out, that's not all...
John Brademas

And the public is watching. Recent political and social developments have encouraged traditional Christians to believe they may not have to hide themselves away in order to survive. The decision of King’s College to move to New York City in order to prepare students for public leadership reflects that change. Fearing this (and forgetting America’s long history of religious education) some residents of blue America are busy spinning out fantasies of an imminent theocracy. The result, I fear, is exactly the sort of discrimination liberals claim to oppose — yet now themselves inflict on the traditionally religious. Well, the jig is up. Conservatives of all stripes are tired of being shut out of the academy and America’s other cultural centers. We want in — and that includes New York City, whether the John Brademases of the world like it or not.

You go, Stanley!

So, what about King's College anyway? Here's a snapshot from World Magazine:

The King's College, a conservative, Christian institution that holds its classes in the Empire State Building, may be shut down. Despite a solid record of achievement and positive outside assessment, a member of the New York state Board of Regents is trying to do just that. Founded in 1955 in Briarcliff Manor, N.Y., the college closed 10 years ago but was purchased in 1999 by Campus Crusade, which moved it to New York City. Its student body is small—260 students—but average SAT scores are 1,140 and high-school GPA is 3.5. The school has programs through Oxford University and majors in politics, philosophy, economics, and business. (The New York program of the World Journalism Institute, a WORLD affiliate, is held at The King's College.) The school passed its accreditation review, which allows students to receive federally subsidized financial aid, with flying colors, and the state Education Department recommended a five-year extension. But when the recommendation went to the state Board of Regents, a step that is usually a formality, one member objected.

Brademas on the stump

So what do elite Brahmins of the Liberal Salon like John Brademas think about Evangelical Christians, really? Insight comes from this New York City seminar called "Examining the Real Agenda of the Religious Far Right" that included bestselling author Karen Armstrong on "Fundamentalism: The Fear and the Rage" among other presenters. How do they describe it? Let them tell you:

Most Americans outside the Bible Belt have little idea of the beliefs held by millions of fundamentalist churchgoers. We have an almost total lack of awareness of the rise of Dominionism and Christian Reconstructionism, forms of theology that advocate a biblical vision of God’s kingdom on earth. Some fundamentalists also foresee events such as The Rapture, the Times of Tribulation, Armageddon, and the Second Coming of Christ as we enter The End Days.

This conference will give rigorous attention to the worldview of Dominionism, its influence in contemporary political culture and its agenda for America. While not all Christian fundamentalists are Dominionists, Dominionism’s influence is powerful and growing. Its adherents play a significant role in secretive organizations such as The Council on National Policy, which exerts a strong influence on the strategy of the religious right.

The 2004 election tells us that socially conscious citizens need to awaken to the ambitions of this influential religious movement. What do fundamentalist theologies advocate regarding theocracy, abortion and homosexuality? What is the nature of the world order under God’s law that they anticipate? How do many fundamentalists interpret the role of Israel? How does this affect U.S. policy? Why are so many fundamentalists opposed to environmentalism and the UN? Why are millions in America drawn to this form of belief, and how can we come to understand them?

Wow, once these liberals understand this stuff, my bet is we'll have more neo-cons coming along! In order to understand the depths of left wing paranoia, check out the discussion of "dominionism" here and here - this is what extreme liberals mean when dropping the term "theocracy" (defined here and here) so incessantly. They rail away (notice how they said "dominionism" four times in two paragraphs above) in exactly the same way fringe elements on the right are fundamentalist. Basically the fundamentalist fringes are in competition here. And reasonable people will see that - when taking a truly objective look at this debate. It goes way beyond the bounds of debate, however, when elites use their power to shut down the debate as Brademas has against Kings.

As for the intra-faith dialogue organization Council on National Policy, which is no more (or less) secretive than left-wing Christian organizations like Bread for the World and the Fellowship of Reconciliation, but it certainly must be "threatening" - what with its membership of Roman Catholics, Evangelical Christians, and (the horror) mainstream Protestants like Episcopalians and Presbyterians! Especially since for "Chicken Little" left wing demagogues, if Republicans aren't giving away the play book and then (finally!) start to lock the backroom door like liberal think tanks and labor unions do when they get together with academics and Hollywood elites, well, then so-called theocracy is afoot. And make no mistake: the CNP is absolutely wide open "big tent" kumbaya-singing scout camp in comparison to left wing organizations like Greenpeace and everything to do with the Boys Club finances of Air America. Hey, everyone's not going to be like George Soros! By the way, notice that every time a liberal talking head starts spouting about "theocracy" - the host never asks the obvious follow up like "either provide a realistic theory of how that word definition applies to America or 'can it' already!" You know, WWBOD? (what would Bill O'Reilly do?)

Photo: World Magazine

So what happened with John Brademas' all-out attack to snuff out King's College? He almost succeeded. The Christian Post picks up the story:

The March meeting ended in confusion with the Board opting to limit the school's accreditation to one year, which some call "strangulation" as opposed to instantaneous death. At this point, the school sought help through prayers, its national network of supporters, and also the media, and gained the attention of the State, which required the school to undergo an additional review rather than rebuking the Board of Regents. After the second site visit, during which professionals submitted a flawless report, the Board of Regents extended the college’s accreditation to five years on July 21.

"I know we created a lot of discomfort for politicians who though they could squash an evangelical college in NYC, and nobody would care. They found out that that isn't the case," said Provost Dr. Peter Woods.

About Brademas, Woods said, "He tried to destroy the college but he failed. He was up against a stronger and higher power than he realized."
So the little school at the Empire State Building succeeded against a King Kong-style attack by the elite liberal uber bureaucrats of Gotham. But the question remains, why would liberals go to such great effort to kill a school? Why not just leave them alone? These are questions that need open and frank discussion.

Maybe it is the continuing failures of the left at the ballot box, but these folks are bent on a 'Culture War', as the City University seminar betrays:
Join us for this important conference as America grapples with the growing influence of fundamentalist religion and its political goals. Clearly, something within this movement addresses the need for spirituality and community in an America submerged under materialism and consumerism. The time has arrived to take the ambitions and prophecies of extreme Christian fundamentalism seriously, and to examine the compatibility of these beliefs with democracy as we currently know it.

The ongoing lionization of Edward R. Murrow in relation to his engagement on the issues with Republican Senator Joe McCarthy - is all about prior restraint on free speech and free expression. It was a challenge to democracy during McCarthy's time - on the public stage in exactly the same way that conservatives are today "outed" and marginalized in the mainstream media, civil service, and at most universities. Yeah, we got McCarthyism today - in faculty hirings on 90% of the college campuses in America. Make no mistake: liberals questioning Christian faith regarding the "compatability of these beliefs with democracy as we currently know it" - smacks of exactly the kind of zealotry and fundamentalism which liberals try to pin on their chosen adversaries. And all it takes is one champion hothead (are you listening Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean?) to morph into the neo-McCarthyism we have right now. No wonder FNC (Fox News Channel) is such an annoyance to liberals - it is the only major television media outlet they haven't taken down. The difference is today we have many neo-McCarthy's: Howard Dean, Bill Maher, Al Franken, Nancy Pelosi, Barney Frank, Jim McDermott, Richard Durbin, Patrick Leahy, Carl Levin and...

If you ask me, it is precisely because of this tension that The King's College is doing important work, in an important place, at a very important time. And exactly because important non profits like the Gates Foundation and World Vision are in my home city, Seattle Pacific University has no less a challenge. At SPU the theme is "Engaging the Culture, Changing the World" - and Christian universities, once engaged on that quest (none my dare call it Crusade) will do just that.

All of you mystified secular humanist liberals wanting some insight regarding post-modern Christ-followers, explore the world of Pastor Erwin Raphael McManus. Its a land of barbarian love: prepare to be transformed by The Guy he follows...