Dec. 18--A Wheaton College professor suspended for saying Muslims and Christians worship the same God said Thursday she has submitted a theological statement requested by school administrators and now will focus on grading final exams and praying.
"I am committed to engaging in dialogue with appropriate colleagues at Wheaton toward the goal of reaching reconciliation so that I may continue to live out my vocation as a Christian scholar and teacher with my faculty colleagues and my remarkable students," Larycia Hawkins said in a statement Thursday.
Students protesting her suspension said they met with the president and provost of the west suburban evangelical school, seeking an explanation for what they believe was an abrupt and "un-Christian" decision.
"The impression I'm getting is the administration is wanting to work toward reconciliation," said Wyatt Harms, 22, a senior from Dallas. "And Dr. Hawkins is working toward reconciliation.
"At the end of the day, her faithfulness to Jesus will be evident," Harms said.
On Dec. 10, Hawkins, a tenured political science professor, announced on Facebook she would don a traditional Muslim headscarf to show support for Muslims who have been under scrutiny since mass shootings in Paris and San Bernardino, Calif.
"I stand in religious solidarity with Muslims because they, like me, a Christian, are people of the book," she wrote in her Facebook post. "And as Pope Francis stated last week, we worship the same God."
Though the college did not take a position on her wearing the hijab, the rationale she posted for doing so irked some evangelical Christians, who believed her statement should have spelled out what makes Christianity distinct from Islam. Not doing so put her in conflict with the statement of faith all Wheaton faculty must sign and live out, some critics said.
The suspension, effective immediately and expected to last through the spring semester, sparked protests on the campus Wednesday from students, calling for Hawkins' reinstatement and an apology from the college.
Student leaders said Thursday they are in conversations with the administration about posting a video on the school's website featuring a Q with President Philip Ryken and Provost Stan Jones. College officials could not be reached for comment.
"It gives me hopes that understanding will come from this," said Matthew Adams, 20, a junior from Fort Lauderdale, Fla. He also hopes Hawkins will return to campus if given the opportunity, despite what has happened.
