There is a Christian liberal arts college in Illinois called Wheaton College. One of the teachers there, professor of science Larycia Hawkins, an African American, mentioned on her Facebook page that Christians and Moslems worship the same god, and undertook to wear the hijab during Advent in solidarity with American moslems. The last time I looked mainline Christians and Moslems worship the same god. Indeed, they share the same prophets.
She was told by the head of the college that her comments “raised significant theological questions” and that she should provide a theological statement to explain her position. Hawkins refused and she was placed on administrative leave. She has since resigned, saying that she didn’t want to be subjected to “a theological inquisition”. To be fair, Hawkins received stout support from her fellow faculty members, but the incident illustrates both the feeling against moslems in some parts of America and highlights the fact that America evangelicals, who believe in a Trinitarian God, reject the beliefs in god shared by Judaism and Islam. Theologians apparently can’t agree whether Christians and Muslims understand God in the same way, nor do they define “worship” similarly.
As an Epicurean this is a storm in a teacup and would be funny if these people were not so vocal, political and powerful. Apparently, it is not only the students who are becoming intolerant of other people’s views. Epicurus would probably exhort them to drop the intolerance and treat their fellow men with respect.
It’s an interesting theological question as to whether the Christian and Muslims god is the same person. The best way to resolve such a question is through a reasoned and intelligent debate. Shutting people down for expressing their views only leads to a totalitarian culture where dissidence is suppressed, instead of being encouraged as it should be.
Having said that, Christian colleges are far from being the only ones to perpetuate intellectual intolerance. In secular colleges in both the US and the UK, free speech is increasingly regulated by speech codes, excessive political incorrectness, a desire never to say anything offensive for fear of triggering ‘micro-aggressions’, ‘no-platforming’ (refusing to allow someone to speak on the basis of their viewpoints, groupthink and the constant malicious accusations of prejudice. People are prohibited from expressing their views if they are seen to be racist, homophobic, etc… But it doesn’t really whether someone’s views are extreme or not. Everyone has an equal right to be heard. Overly sensitive students, be they extremely religious or of the far left, should shut up and listen. They may actually learn something.