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MARCH 3, 2003

Wheaton's New Community

— Martin E. Marty

When a liberal arts college adapts a new behavior code, other local colleges and the press yawn. But when Wheaton College in Illinois, the flagship of evangelical colleges, issued their "New Community Covenant" recently, the "allowing dancing" clause made its way to metro newspapers' front pages. Don't expect dance orgies on that campus, and don't believe exaggerated statements about code-change. Those of us who have long seen Wheaton alumni excel in graduate school have come to understand that they attend Wheaton because they choose to, and do not all chafe under every aspect of its fairly restrictive code.

Wheaton is changing, however, and even this very minor change quickens curiosity about the choice of moral issues pursued in the one-fourth of America that is the "evangelical sector." Here's a clue, one that the Wheaton adjustment typifies: when "everybody's doing it" (or wants to) religious conservatives make some changes. They once massively opposed rock music (the "devil's beat," the pelvic thrust) and now their Christian rock is a $1 billion-a-year industry. The way to keep "the kids" was not to oppose all their practices but to adapt.

Such change reminded me of University of Oregon sociologist Benton Johnson's presidential address at the 1996 Religious Research Association convention. We can only comment on one of the many provocative features: Johnson and his research team measured both what Oregon's moderate-to-liberal and conservative denominations' pastors were preaching in 1962 and 1987. The choice of issues by liberals and conservatives were typical and reflected the expected polarization.

Four issues in particular, however, saw great change: in 1962 virtually all conservatives (and many moderates) preached against divorce, gambling, and drinking alcohol, and for Sunday-closing laws. Only a few conservatives preached on these themes a quarter century later, and other issues had replaced them on the more liberal side. In 1987, Johnson found no churchly campaigns against no-fault divorce and legalized gambling, and no actions on laws affecting drinking and Sunday openings. It's clear from his essay that, with time, "everybody was doing it."

Then, as now, "it" means four things. Divorce reaches almost every preacher's extended family, so it's more often seen as tragic and not a stand-out sin. Church members make their living on river boat casinos or by working on Sunday afternoons at Wal-Mart, and most sip wine or drink beer. It would be hypocritical to pretend that they don't, and futile to rail against them. So preachers and churches adapt.

Johnson will be 84 in 2012 and promises a 50th year round-up.



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