President of Union Theological Seminary Advocates for Academic Freedom and Social Justice in Response to Campus Protests over Israel-Gaza Conflict

As president of Union Theological Seminary, a renowned institution dedicated to faith, spirituality and social justice, I was deeply disturbed by the heavy police presence outside our campus last week as hundreds of officers descended on nearby Columbia University to forcibly remove peaceful student protesters. Their demand: that the university cut ties with Israel in response to ongoing violence in Gaza. As an institution committed to academic freedom and social justice, we at Union stand by these students’ right to protest peacefully, even when their views differ from our own. In fact, I felt compelled to remind members of my community – including faculty, staff and students – that as a safe haven for vulnerable communities, we will always protect free speech on campus.
In the wake of similar events unfolding at colleges across the country, several Columbia University professors requested that their suspended student lecturers teach classes at Union instead. Suspended Jewish students also asked if they could host Passover seder services – traditional meals commemorating freedom from slavery in ancient Egypt – on our campus since they were no longer permitted to do so on their own grounds. Once again, we said yes: Our small but dedicated staff worked tirelessly behind the scenes to ensure everything ran smoothly as a diverse group of Union and Columbia students came together for an uplifting service that brought us all closer in spirit.
As tensions continue to escalate across Israel-Gaza borderlines, many individuals around the world are struggling with profound feelings: despair at violence which continues daily to result in both Palestinian lives being taken along side tragic loss of Israeli life; deep concern for friends and family members caught up in this conflict abroad or grappling locally against bigotry at home. Above all, what so many of us truly desire right now is not Thursdays, with all the hurt and suffering that seems to come hand-in-hand on those days – but Mondays: quiet moments of introspection during which we might try and heal old wounds; where hope may still be possible despite everything.
Union’s experience over these past few weeks serves as a powerful reminder that our world is currently divided in so many ways, with campuses torn apart by fierce debate surrounding this conflict – just one among countless other challenges confronting us today. As an institution committed to social justice and peace-building efforts around the globe, we at Union have been engaging students in rigorous community conversations aimed not necessarily at achieving consensus but rather fostering a safe space for dialogue centered on shared values of equality and compassion.
We are far from perfect: as Christians ourselves, we acknowledge that Christianity has often perpetuated forms of hatred and violence – and pledge to work against this with humility. But whatever our differences may be in these troubled times, I am convinced above all else that campuses must remain spaces for free speech and vigorous debate aimed at building a better world rather than destroying it further still.
As events continue to unfold both nationally and abroad over the next weeks – days that promise both deepest joys of liberation in concert with harshest lessons reminding us all too painfully how far we have yet to go before true justice is achieved for so many across this troubled planet- let us hold on to our highest values as educators, working together tirelessly towards a better tomorrow.