2008 Woodie Awards
Liberty vs. UNCA
Outside of sports, the two liberal arts schools don't matchup
Ben Smith
Issue date: 2/28/08 Section: Editorial
When it comes to comes to hoops, Liberty University and UNC Asheville matchup like any great NCAA rivals. The two teams split the regular season and tonight's semifinals showdown has the makings of Big South Tournament lore.
But when the Big South Tournament comes to a close, Liberty's squad will go home to a campus that differs from UNCA as much as Saudi Arabia differs from the United States.
The UNCA department of biology, led by chair Betsy Wilson, requires students pass Biology 115, "Concepts in Ecology and Evolution."
The 14,438-student Liberty campus in Lynchburg, Va., requires biology students to take "Evangelism and Christian Life," "Old Testament Survey" and two sessions of "Theology Survey."
In opposing evolution, Liberty professor Harold Willmington claims "there is now mounting evidence that man and dinosaurs did indeed live on earth at the same time."
The code of conduct, called the Liberty Way, bans "hair and clothing style related to a counterculture."
It bans abortion, spending the night with a person of the opposite sex, attending a dance, "possession or consumption of alcoholic beverages" and "involvement with witchcraft, séances or other satanic or demonic activity."
The code makes no reference to homosexuality but forbids "immorality."
The gay-rights organization Soulforce, named after the nonviolent philosophy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Mahatma Gandhi, came to the university in 2005 and spoke with several students. During their trip they received letters from two closeted gay students. Police arrested 24 members of the group for trespassing when they returned in 2006.
After the event, founder and chancellor Jerry Falwell allowed a reform Rabbi to speak on tolerance of gay individuals. Asked by the Jewish & Israeli News Service about gay marriage, Falwell responded, "We do not believe in gay marriage or polygamy or any other family form than a man marrying a woman singly."
But when the Big South Tournament comes to a close, Liberty's squad will go home to a campus that differs from UNCA as much as Saudi Arabia differs from the United States.
The UNCA department of biology, led by chair Betsy Wilson, requires students pass Biology 115, "Concepts in Ecology and Evolution."
The 14,438-student Liberty campus in Lynchburg, Va., requires biology students to take "Evangelism and Christian Life," "Old Testament Survey" and two sessions of "Theology Survey."
In opposing evolution, Liberty professor Harold Willmington claims "there is now mounting evidence that man and dinosaurs did indeed live on earth at the same time."
The code of conduct, called the Liberty Way, bans "hair and clothing style related to a counterculture."
It bans abortion, spending the night with a person of the opposite sex, attending a dance, "possession or consumption of alcoholic beverages" and "involvement with witchcraft, séances or other satanic or demonic activity."
The code makes no reference to homosexuality but forbids "immorality."
The gay-rights organization Soulforce, named after the nonviolent philosophy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Mahatma Gandhi, came to the university in 2005 and spoke with several students. During their trip they received letters from two closeted gay students. Police arrested 24 members of the group for trespassing when they returned in 2006.
After the event, founder and chancellor Jerry Falwell allowed a reform Rabbi to speak on tolerance of gay individuals. Asked by the Jewish & Israeli News Service about gay marriage, Falwell responded, "We do not believe in gay marriage or polygamy or any other family form than a man marrying a woman singly."
Viewing Comments 1 - 3 of 3
Devon
posted 3/06/08 @ 5:22 PM EST
simply awesome angle for this article, your an awesome writer Ben, shit!
Jon
posted 3/06/08 @ 11:00 PM EST
Good job looking at the rivalry/comparison between more than just the sports teams, Ben.
Harry
posted 3/07/08 @ 1:16 PM EST
Liberty's 'liberal arts' education is not liberal at all, but rather an insular indoctrination of one person's views on God and man.
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