Written by Michael Wester
“Be One.” That was the message Dr. Mike Williams gave us as he spoke in chapel on the first week of the 2022 school year. It was not only the theme of chapel this school year, but a message intended to spark unity among the student body as we enter this new chapter in Harding’s history.
Every student body strives for unity. In the past, things like race relations, gender and sexuality issues have afflicted Harding just as they have wider society. In Williams’ speech, he made a point to call out those who may feel like they don’t belong at Harding and assure them that this was not the case. While his sentiment sparks hope, past words and actions of many on campus make me hesitant to trust this appealing vision. How can Harding be one when we separate the gender roles and call them “equal?” How can this be a motto we rally behind when the sound of a woman lifting her voice in worship to our creator causes us to leaveBenson Auditorium because it’s “not biblical?” Have we forgotten Miriam, or Deborah, or Mary the mother of Jesus? How can we be one in a chapel where we are not all represented in worship?
For years, Harding’s recruitment slogan was “You belong at Harding,” so why do we revoke that sentiment when we find out who someone is in a relationship with? Can we really be one while still using words like “gay” as an insult, or throwing out slurs directed toward a community of people who have continually faced oppression at the hands of “the bride of Christ?”
“Be one.” Is this truly an attainable goal? Can we really be one? I believe the answer is yes, and it starts with a choice. It starts with a choice to see the person next to you as a child of God and someone who deserves the same respect you would demand yourself. It starts with a choice to stand up for those whose voices are not being heard and fight for change wherever we see inequality or injustice. We all have a choice. We can choose to stay comfortable where we are, or we can choose to be proactive and inspire change in our circles, which will spread to the community around us.
You and I get to decide to make Harding’s campus a better place, a place where everyone is empowered and everyone truly belongs. We as a student body must choose to do better, we must choose to be better and we must choose to be one.
