Letters to the Editor

Full investigation

To the Editor:

I am writing to inform you that the executive committee of the Faculty Senate, after due deliberation, is calling for an in-depth and impartial review of the events of Oct. 11 involving Rui DaSilva. The executive committee is also asking that a report of the findings of this review be made to the University community. We also want to express our support of Ann Farnsworth-Alvear and Rui DaSilva's request that the Police Department's policy regarding profiling and race-based stops be made known to all community members.

Lance Donaldson-Evans Chairman, Faculty Senate Note: The Penn Police Department policy on bias-based profiling is online at http://www.publicsafety.upenn.edu/dpsForms.asp

A wrongful affiliation

To the Editor:

The Christian Association at Penn is a progressive, YES, progressive Christian organization that is committed to social justice and human liberation. Tuesday's article in the DP about the case involving "Brother Stephen" incorrectly states that Penn for Jesus is an umbrella group for all Christian organizations on campus. The Christian Association is not supported by, nor seeks recognition from, Penn for Jesus or Campus Crusade for Christ.

Why do we not seek this affiliation? To quote the article in the DP: "Representatives of Christian groups on campus said they agree with what White stands for theologically, but find fault in his approach." Rev. Beverly Dale, executive director of the Christian Association, condemned both the tactics and theology of hate espoused by Brother Stephen in a guest column this past summer ("Christianity's sexual quagmire," The Summer Pennsylvanian, 7/17/03). This fact was missing from the Oct. 21 article.

Our Christian voice is one of prophecy, awareness of structural oppression and corporate accountability for communities and organizations that support theology of shame, hatred and denigration of the body. Obviously, some conservative Christians seek individual salvation to the exclusion of justice-seeking and human healing.

As a Christian committed to liberation for all, I believe it is vital that we remember Brother Stephen's human failings as part of systems of misogyny and homophobia, leading to judgment and rejection of healthy life-affirming sexuality. Brother Stephen failed to present a Christianity that embraces love and compassion both by his inflammatory preaching and through his shame-based sexual expression and attempts to blame others for his own sexual struggle.

Victoria Pearson The writer is the minister of interfaith and interracial dialogue at the Penn Christian Association.

Please note All comments are eligible for publication in The Daily Pennsylvanian.