Regarding the editorial entitled, "What would Jesus do?" posted in Saturday, April 26th's edition of the Citizen, I am writing to defend Trinity Western University's right to establish a law school irrespective of its position on sexual morality related entrance requirements of its students. As a religious institution, Trinity Western certainly has the right to ask its students to sign a covenant that calls for lifestyle practices consistent with its religious views. It definitely seems discriminatory for a professional body to make an institution's student entrance requirement in this regard an issue in allowing fully qualified graduates from being credentialed to practice their profession -- that being law, in this case.
This was the same issue Trinity Western faced some years ago in seeking to establish a degree-granting education faculty. In the end in 2001, by a decision of 8 - 1, the Supreme Court of Canada acknowledged this distinction in accepting graduates from TWU, thus calling for the BC College of Teachers to comply. Evidently, in granting preliminary approval for Trinity's law school program, the Federation of Law Societies of Canada, the Law Society of British Columbia, and the BC Advanced Education Ministry also understand this valid difference.
Mr. Godbout's editorial that speculates on Jesus's views about this matter doesn't take into account the whole picture. His comments don't consider Jesus's additional teaching that everyone is ultimately responsible to God (i.e. John 5:25-30). Jesus was not saying that Caesar and God are two equally powerful authorities. He was simply acknowledging the importance of government and everyone's responsibility to it. The Bible's teaching is that governments exist by God's decree (i.e. Romans 13:1-7). Mr. Godbout's conclusions should not be considered as obvious as he makes them appear. There is no absolute distinction between church and state. They are not mutually exclusive. One affects the other. Historically, it can be shown that the rule of law itself has been significantly influenced by matters of faith.
I'm happy to hear that Trinity Western is continuing with plans to establish a school of law by 2016. I believe TWU has an important contribution to make in preparing students to practice their professions with a very high degree of skill and objectivity. I wish them every success in this pursuit.
Ed Drewlo
Prince George
