University Gets Flack for Employee Lifestyle Pledge

Employees have been told that they must either sign the statement as a pledge, or face termination. Shorter University, based in Rome, Georgia, and affiliated with the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC), “expects its staff to help it further its Christ-centered goals,” reports the New American.  

By signing the statement, employees pledge to not engage in the use, sale, possession, or production of illegal drugs and reject as acceptable all sexual activity not in agreement with the Bible, including, but not limited to, premarital sex, adultery, and homosexuality. In addition, the pledge requires employees to not use alcoholic beverages in the presence of students.   

According to the news report, Shorter’s president, Donald Dowless, told the Christian Post that the reasoning behind the updated pledge was to clarify the university’s stand as a Christian institution.