Bob Jones University
Bob Jones University (BJU) is a private fundamentalist Christian university in Greenville, South Carolina which traces its history to a school founded in 1927 by Bob Jones, Sr., an evangelist and revival-preacher. The university has attracted criticism for its racially discriminatory policies, which it defends on religious grounds.
The current president of the university is Bob Jones III, grandson of the founder. It sits on a 225 acre campus, has a staff of 1,500 and a student body of 5,000, and offers degrees in 150 majors, plus additional schools for kindergarden through 12th grade. The college, like many other fundamentalist Christian schools, has not sought accreditation due to concerns about governmental control over policy or curriculum.
Its mission statement is "Within the cultural and academic soil of liberal arts education, Bob Jones University exists to grow Christlike character that is Scripturally disciplined; others-serving; God-loving; Christ-proclaiming; and focused above."
History
BJU was founded in 1927 by evangelist Bob Jones, Sr., in College Point Florida. Jones was the son of an Alabama sharecropper. His stated purpose was to create a school where Christian students could receive a high quality education in a strongly traditional Christian environment.
The school moved to Cleveland, Tennessee in 1933, and to its present campus in Greenville, South Carolina in 1947.
Art Collection
Bob Jones, Jr., son of the founder, had a sincere interest in art depicting scenes from the Bible, especially those which had a highly illustrative nature rather than those relying on symbols. He began collecting after World War II, and concentrated on Italian Baroque painters. Despite the fact that these painters were Roman Catholics and his own religious tenets were opposed to Catholicism, the narrative clarity demanded for religious art by the Council of Trent resonated with his desire to have literal illustrations of biblical scenes. This style was much out of favor in the mid-20th century and the works were relatively inexpensive, and Jones built up an important collection. He donated his paintings to a museum at the University. While access to the campus itself is restricted, the museum is open to the public.
Creed
Students at BJU recite the University Creed at mandatory chapel services every day. They are also required to sign it annually as a statement of faith, as a condition of enrollment.
- I believe in the inspiration of the Bible (both the Old and the New Testaments); the creation of man by the direct act of God; the incarnation and virgin birth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ; His identification as the Son of God; His vicarious atonement for the sins of mankind by the shedding of His blood on the cross; the resurrection of His body from the tomb; His power to save men from sin; the new birth through the regeneration by the Holy Spirit; and the gift of eternal life by the grace of God.
Race Issues
Bob Jones University lost its IRS tax exemption in 1980 because it refused to admit students who married or dated members of another race, and expelled those who did so. The school appealed all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court, arguing that racial discrimination was part of its religion. U.S. President Ronald Reagan supported the school's tax exempt status, but the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in 1983 in favour of the IRS (see Bob Jones University v. United States, 461 U.S. 574).
The school's racial discrimination has a long history. Originally it refused to admit African-American students, until the government forced it to admit them. Then it refused to admit single African-American students, while it admitted single or married European-American students, until the government forced it to abandon this policy also. The school adopted a policy in the 1950s banning interracial dating or marriages among students, but that policy has been dropped (really? when?).
Presidential Campaigns
More recently, in 2000, George W. Bush, while campaigning to become U.S. President, addressed a function at the school. Many people disagreed with Bush's decision to address a function at a racially discriminatory institution, including many American Conservatives. On the day of Bush's visit, he denounced the school's policy of banning interracial dating, noting that his brother Jeb Bush could not have dated his wife (who is Latina) if he had attended the school. Bush also later wrote a formal letter of apology for the visit to Cardinal John O'Connor of the Catholic Church.
Bush's visit to the school follows a long line of visits from prominent politicians, including Ronald Reagan, George Bush, Sr., and the Democratic Governor of South Carolina, Jim Hodges.
The South Carolina election primaries fall early in the United States presidential race, and so they are considered very important in presidential campaigns, particularly the Republican primaries. Due to the history of presidential candidates speaking at Bob Jones, many voters watch to see whether a candidate speaks there as an indication of the candidate's political and religious positions. Generally, candidates who speak at Bob Jones are considered more conservative. Such an appearance is likely to gain them votes primarily among conservative Southern Christians, and lose them votes among more moderate and secular voters.