An evangelical Christian college has suspended a professor who wore a hijab in solidarity with her “Muslim neighbour”.
Wheaton College said the Professor Larycia Hawkins was not subjected to the disciplinary action for wearing the headscarf but for the explanation she posted on her Facebook page.
Dr Hawkins, a tenured professor, wrote: “I don't love my Muslim neighbour because s/he is American. I love my Muslim neighbour because s/he deserves love by virtue of her/his human dignity.
“I stand in human solidarity with my Muslim neighbour because we are formed of the same primordial clay, descendants of the same cradle of humankind.
“I stand in religious solidarity with Muslims because they, like me, a Christian, are people of the book. And as Pope Francis stated last week, we worship the same God.
“As part of my Advent Worship, I will wear the hijab to work at Wheaton College, to play in Chi-town, in the airport and on the airplane to my home state that initiated one of the first anti-Sharia laws (read: unconstitutional and Islamophobic), and at church.”
Wheaton College President Dr Philip Ryken said the college had “no stated position” on headscarves and supported American’s “right to free exercise of religion”.
The college published a statement on its website saying: “While Islam and Christianity are both monotheistic, we believe there are fundamental differences between the two faiths, including what they teach about God’s revelation to humanity, the nature of God, the path to salvation, and the life of prayer.
“Some recent faculty statements have generated confusion about complex theological matters, and could be interpreted as failing to reflect the distinctively Christian theological identity of Wheaton College.
“We will be in dialogue with our faculty, staff and students in the days ahead to ensure that we articulate our love for our Muslim neighbours in ways that are consistent with our distinctive theological convictions.”
Students and faculty members have signed petitions and staged protests against the college’s decision, using the social media hashtag, #ReinstateDocHawk.
Professor Hawkins has been placed on administrative leave pending a review.
