Wheaton Professor Loses His Teaching Job Over Divorce
- Posted by: Todd
- Posted on: Wed, April 30, 2008
- Viewed 65
- (16) comments so far
“I think it’s wrong to have to discuss your personal life with your employer,” he said, “and I also don’t want to be in a position of accusing my spouse, so I declined to appeal or discuss the matter in any way with my employer.”
Officials say they were willing to allow Gramm—who has been at the school for 20 years—to remain at the college for another year as he sought work, but he declined.
The issue has become the talk of the campus, covered in the newspaper, circulated in a pro-Gramm petition and debated on a Facebook site. The matter has gained attention in part because Gramm is a popular professor, said Ruth Moon, editor in chief of the Wheaton Record.
“It’s a big deal on campus,” said Moon, who has taken a creative non-fiction class taught by Gramm.
The issue emerged after the professor notified administrators that he and his wife, Lynelle, had filed for divorce last month.
Many theological conservatives say the New Testament permits divorce only in cases of adultery or desertion. Wheaton requires faculty and staff to sign a faith statement and adhere to standards of conduct in areas including marriage, said Provost Stan Jones.
Read more here at the Chicago Tribune...
YOUR INPUT: Should the professor have lost his job? How should divorce be handled in the Christian academic situation; and how should it be handled on the church staff? Have you ever had to deal with a staff member’s divorce? What did you do?
At another college, professor Kent Gramm's divorce from his wife of 30 years might be a private matter known only to friends and close colleagues. But at Wheaton College, the end of the popular English professor's marriage has cost him his job—and sparked a debate about whether a divorce should disqualify a faculty member from teaching there. Though the college has sometimes hired or retained staff employees whose marriages have ended, officials say those employees must talk with a staff member to determine whether the divorce meets Biblical standards. Gramm told administrators about his divorce but declined to discuss the details...
Comments
if you want a Globally Recognized Avatar (the images next to your profile) get them here. Once you sign up, they will displayed on any website that supports them.
John Cheatham on Wed, April 30, 2008
“Wheaton requires faculty and staff to sign a faith statement and adhere to standards of conduct in areas including marriage, said Provost Stan Jones.”
It appears that he signed something regarding this, although I didn’t see any details in the original article. If he was found in breach of contract with Wheaton, this decision makes sense. I’m curious what he signed exactly…
Peter Hamm on Wed, April 30, 2008
First off, my wife and I have been married for over 21 years, never divorced before that… (full disclosure)
But I took myself out of the running for a job about 4 years ago.
Here was the situation.
They had a bylaw that stated that a divorced person couldn’t lead a ministry. I told them that was a sticking point for me. (One of my “hot buttons” is this kind of legalistic and, I believe, unbiblical nonsense I told them.)
Here’s my argument. According to their rules, if my wife and I divorced, I couldn’t lead in their church, but if I killed my wife, spent a few years in the slammer, repented and came out of prison yearning to serve, I could lead.
This is what I call straining at a gnat and swallowing a camel.
CS on Wed, April 30, 2008
Peter:
“Here’s my argument. According to their rules, if my wife and I divorced, I couldn’t lead in their church, but if I killed my wife, spent a few years in the slammer, repented and came out of prison yearning to serve, I could lead.”
Yeah, that type of philosophy is pretty stupid overall. Good for you in not going to this job. I knew you could be pretty smart sometimes. =)
In this particular story, I think the boundary that makes things a little vague is how it applies to the job of being a professor at a job.
I understand the rationale of 1 Timothy and Titus, which lays out the offices of the church, and how those men requesting a post need to be married, have kids, and be good to their families. In this situation, the man is serving as a professor at a Christian college, so that doesn’t quite apply.
I also understand Mark 10, 1 Corinthians 7, and Matthew 18 about how someone seeking a divorce as a Christian should not do so, and until true repentance is made, the person can be excluded from being a part of the church for their sins. Again, this person is not acting within the church, but holding a job, partially excluding these passages.
The Christian nature of the college is where the line gets fuzzy. If this were a secular college, no doubt a lawsuit would be in order. But since he signed an agreement to have his personal life scrutinized by the college, to where it could affect his job, I would have to side overall with the college on this one for their actions. It’s too late to say, “Hey, you should stay out of my personal life!” when you’ve already agreed to it.
—
CS
DanielR on Wed, April 30, 2008
Also in the interest of full disclosure, I have been divorced. While I was in the Army my wife of a dozen years announced that she no longer wanted to be married to a husband who was gone more than he was home. Being an Army wife is not easy and I understood her feelings. I then found out that whenever I was away it was her practice to behave as though she were not married, at which point I also wanted a divorce. So although I was divorced I believe there were biblically acceptable reasons for it.
This article isn’t completely clear but it sounds like the school would not have been satisfied with him simply telling them the divorce was for biblically sanctioned reasons, they wanted details which he stated he was not willing to discuss with them.
If the school would have been satisfied with him stating that there were acceptable reasons, and he declined to discuss it at all then I think they’re justified. If they would not have been satisfied with that answer and wanted salacious details then I think the school would be wrong in firing him.
John Cheatham on Wed, April 30, 2008
I still think it all goes back to what he signed from the school. If he said he would discuss the terms of any divorce, than he should - that is keeping your word. If it wasn’t specified, than that is another issue. Since I don’t specifically know what he signed, I don’t know if he is in the wrong or Wheaton is.
Daniel on Wed, April 30, 2008
Todd, as the website owner, you have a responsibility to frame your ‘follow-up’ questions, well, responsibly. Inviting moral judgment of decisions made in contexts divorced from our own is just cheap voyeurism.
So if you’re interested about the formal dynamics of this situation, then talk about contracts, colleges and personal responsibilities. But don’t ask was this right when we have no way of knowing all the relevant details. I’m considering leaving MMI for good because of the moral voyeurism you often encourage.
Peace,
-Daniel-
Eric Joppa on Thu, May 01, 2008
I think I agree for the most part with you CS. If you indeed signed a contract stating that you would hold certain standards, and one of those is sharing with the faculty the situation, you really don’t have a leg to stand on.
That said, I am not sure that a Christian College is the same as a religious institution (church). I think it troubles me that a college views itself as church leadership. To apply these standards to staff members is to say that you operate as the church. While on the whole, all of your staff and students may be a part of the body of Christ, I do not think they are a church, or should act as thought they are church leaders.
I think no matter what it is true the the point that divorce destroys, period.
BTW, Daniel,
Why are you acting as though Todd is your pastor and taught something you didn’t like, so now you want to leave his church? Why should anyone care if you are here or not? I am not trying to be confrontational, but I am not sure why you felt the need to post something like that publicly when you can click a link and email him. Might not be the place for those comments.
-E
Randy Ehle on Thu, May 01, 2008
Gotta agree with Eric’s last paragraph re: Daniel’s slamming of Todd - do it privately. And, while I often disagree with your theological perspectives, Daniel, I have appreciated your participation in these discussions and would miss that if you left. But frankly, I was quite surprised by your rather harsh and manipulative words (“moral voyeurism”?!? gimme a break!)
Chastising aside, Daniel raises a good point, that we cannot come to a clear judgment on this situation in the absence of all the facts. We’ve had that discussion here on many prior occasions. Regardless of how the questions may be framed, though, an appropriate and useful intent is to figure out how we might behave in a similar situation…filling in details on our own as needed.
In this case, it appears that Professor Gramm has acted honorably on several levels - not wanting to discuss the details of his personal life, not wanting to “publicly” accuse his wife (even if only to a school official), and not taking legal action to keep his job…probably recognizing that he may not have a legal case. It also appears that the school is acting honorably - it is abiding by its contract, and offered him a year to continue while he sought another job.
Now about how divorce ought to be handled in academics and the church: I would suggest that in both areas, a well-reasoned doctrinal position is the first need. Then, “policies” should flow out that are consistent with that position and with the balance of scripture, and that are appropriate to the environment (e.g., the difference between a church and a school, or different standard for administrators versus faculty versus support staff). Next, we need to have a well-reasoned means of handling exceptions. For example, can a professor - or pastor - hold a different view of divorce (or baptism or eschatology or ...) than the school or church, but still be on staff? This gets down to that age-old question, what is essential and what is non-essential? We won’t all agree on the answers, but we do need to agree on how to play when we don’t agree on the answers.
Todd Rhoades on Thu, May 01, 2008
Wow. Daniel, this musta hit a nerve. I’m having a bad day myself, so I’ll refrain from too much of a response.
Hope you’ll stick around even with my follow-up question ineptness.
Todd
nora on Thu, May 01, 2008
Daniel, I’m not tracking you here, either, brother, as this is not typical of you. I think an important issue has been raised here, ie, the difference between the behavioral consequences of Christian college faculty and church staff members, and I am curious to see what people wiser and more knowledgeable than myself think about these matters.
Gently,
Nora
Daniel on Thu, May 01, 2008
Todd, I apologize if that came off harsh. And certainly if you’re already having a rough day, it can’t have been pleasant to read.
I guess I was just imagining what it would be like to be this person, and then to run into something like this post on the blogosphere. I think my first reaction would “how can these people dare to judge, when they know almost nothing and have no relationship with me?”
My comment was trying to give voice to that reality.
Exercises in discernment through case-studies might be helpful, but this is not a clinical setting, and comments made from the safety of our home (or work?) computers circulate dangerously quickly throughout the internet.
My comment was public because Todd’s follow-up questions are public. It’s nothing personal and we’re adults. My goal is not vanity or pride, but rather the upbuilding of the Body. I would encourage everyone (Todd, other commentors, and myself especially) to make comments at the level of formal characteristics (e.g. ‘Christians ought to keep their contracts’, ‘Christian schools ought to make their contracts clear’, etc.) rather than at the level of individual blame (e.g. ‘Bob X is a sinner’, ‘Clearly Jane Doe made a morally wrong decision’). The latter, I believe, is only appropriate to the extent that we are in a relationship with or affected by others.
Hope this has been helpful. Again, my purpose is to exhort, not to tear down. I apologize if I have in any way caused the latter.
Peace,
-Daniel-
Todd Rhoades on Fri, May 02, 2008
Daniel,
Thanks for the clarification. I wasn’t asking anyone to personally judge this professor. My question (at least from my standpoint) was whether or not a Christian College or church should fire in a situation such as a divorce.
And honestly, this man is going through a divorce, has lost his job, and was written up in the Chicago Tribune. I doubt that seeing something on MMI would send him over the edge. http://www.mondaymorninginsight.com/images/smileys/smile.gif
I pray for him, his wife, the college, and everyone involved. These things are never good; and surely don’t bring a smile to the face of God.
Todd
Randy Ehle on Fri, May 02, 2008
Daniel, thank you for your humble and gentle response - definitely seems more in line with what I have observed of your character! Your encouragement toward “formal characteristics…rather than…individual blame” is a good one - and a reminder that is needed far more often than we get, probably.
To the extent that we can use these real-life situations as case studies, without excessive judgment based on ignorance, I think it is possible to wisely and gracefully teach and learn from others.
Melody on Mon, May 05, 2008
As I recall, Wheaton has fairly strict standards for students as well. Given their mission, I don’t personally have a problem with holding faculty to similarly strict standards which, in their belief, reflects Biblical rather than worldly manner of living out faith.
Clearly, not all divorced are barred from employment. This is a change in life which came about WHILE serving as a teacher and role model for students. They didn’t just kick the guy to the curb; he chose to leave right away rather than comply with the agreement he made before being added to the staff. It’s not like they wanted him to air all of his personal business in public; he chose to do this. Rather, they wanted him to counsel privately with a staff member who presumably would serve the role of elder for the school.
Doesn’t the Bible say, “Be not many of you teachers for they face greater condemnation.” Teachers in any school or university with a clear Christian mission should expect to be held to higher standards of behavior while serving in their post.
The parents laying down private college tuition could save a lot of money by sending them to a secular school if their desire was an environment where the faculty reflected worldly rather than Biblical standards, at least as that school defines them.
GR Guy on Mon, May 12, 2008
I echo Daniel’s sentiment in that we can’t make sound judgement without knowing all the facts of a story (that’s why I no longer read newspapers or watch the news—- they never give you the relevant facts in context.
I guess the lesson is to reserve judegment until you ask “What’s missing in this story?”
Page 1 of 2 pages 1 2 >
Post a Comment