Janell Hullquist, Associate Director for Marketing and University Relations at Southern Adventist University (SAU), published a statement disavowing the student-led Fight Night scheduled for this Saturday. Instead of making her statement publicly available for everyone to read, she sent it out via email. The statement addressed the boxing match that both students and staff would be attending. The statement said:
From: Janell Hullquist <janell@southern.edu>
To: “adventmessengers@gmail.com” <adventmessengers@gmail.com>
Date: Apr 6, 2023, 8:02 AM
Subject: Southern Adventist University Statement Regarding Off-Campus Boxing Event
Mailed-by: southern.edu“Southern Adventist University does not support violence in any form and does not condone the organization of or attendance at the upcoming boxing event that was mentioned in the recent Accent article. Furthermore, we do not believe this event, which begins during the Sabbath hours, represents the high ideals of Sabbath keeping that we, as a Seventh-day Adventist university, embrace. Southern expects primary attention be given to worship, rest, Christian fellowship, and service from Friday sundown until Saturday sundown.”
“Throughout the Bible, including Proverbs 3:31, we are called to reject the ways of the violent. Ellen White speaks out against brutal sports such as boxing, saying ‘The love of domination, the pride in mere brute force, the reckless disregard of life, are exerting upon the youth a power to demoralize that is appalling’ (Education, p. 210).”
“Southern Adventist University has a higher expectation for conduct than that of the secular world around us. We pray that the students and employees of this institution will daily exhibit that higher calling whether on campus or in their private lives, living out the principles found in Philippians 4:8, ‘Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things’.”
“We strongly encourage our Southern community to not support this event, but instead participate in the Gym-Masters Home Show the same evening, April 15, at 9 p.m. in Iles P.E. Center. This Southern-sponsored group of students, run by the School of Health and Kinesiology, promotes positive lifestyle choices, including healthy living, teamwork, and Adventist values.”
Janell Hullquist
Associate Director
Marketing and University Relations
Southern Adventist University
Although Southern Adventist University said in this statement that it did not support or condone this boxing match organized by its students and “strongly” discouraged “students and employees” from attending, the statement ultimately said that it would be up to each individual to decide what to do in their “private lives.”
“We pray that the students and employees of this institution will daily exhibit that higher calling whether on campus or in their private lives.”
The administration is praying that both employees and students will do the right thing. But if they choose to participate anyhow, it seems like there will be no consequences. There was no mention of any consequences for violating the Sabbath, embracing violent sports, or having a reckless disregard for human life.
SAU is essentially saying that their authority is only limited to matters pertaining to the university, and that they can do nothing about what students or staff members do in their private lives outside of the campus. SAU can only pray that they will act morally toward Sabbath-breaking, violent sports, and the disregard for human life. No. That is untrue. The authority and influence of the administration of any church-owned institution also extends off campus if an event will directly affect the education and the spiritual development of these students. And if teachers attend these abominable events, they can and should be fired.
Church-owned universities are supposed to have policies that govern certain types of behavior outside of their institutions, such as prohibiting both employees and students from engaging in activities that could harm the church’s reputation or create conflicts of interest. Many secular businesses and government jobs demand that their employees uphold certain standards of behavior both inside and outside of the workplace. So why do SAU administrators make these weak statements about praying that people will do the right thing?
Too often, those in positions of trust hesitate to take a strong stance for the right out of fear of alienating their support base. Many will refrain from saying or doing anything that could hurt their bottom line (money). To try to appease both sides, weak compromises and middle-ground solutions are adopted. Instead of being spirit-filled leaders who take unwavering positions, they have become negotiators for sin and apostasy.
SAU’s statement exemplifies exactly how we ought not to respond in a crisis because they are not dealing with sin in the way God expects. That’s what this boxing match during the Sabbath is: sin. God doesn’t just want us to make statements; He expects us to actually take actions in dealing with sin:
“No church officer should advise, no committee should recommend, nor should any church vote, that the name of a wrong-doer shall be removed from the church books, until the instruction given by Christ has been faithfully followed. When this has been done, the church has cleared herself before God. The evil must then be made to appear as it is, and must be removed, that it may not become more and more widespread. The health and purity of the church must be preserved, that she may stand before God unsullied, clad in the robes of Christ’s righteousness” (Gospel Workers, p. 501).
“Deal faithfully with wrongdoing. Warn every soul that is in danger. Leave none to deceive themselves. Call sin by its right name. Declare what God has said in regard to lying, Sabbathbreaking, stealing, idolatry, and every other evil. ‘They which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.’ Galatians 5:21. If they persist in sin, the judgment you have declared from God’s word is pronounced upon them in heaven. In choosing to sin, they disown Christ; the church must show that she does not sanction their deeds, or she herself dishonors her Lord. She must say about sin what God says about it. She must deal with it as God directs, and her action is ratified in heaven” (Desire of Ages, p. 805).
Hoping and praying that everyone will do the right thing is a dereliction of duty.
“God cannot use men who, in time of peril, when the strength, courage, and influence of all are needed, are afraid to take a firm stand for the right. He calls for men who will do faithful battle against wrong, warring against principalities and powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. It is to such as these that He will speak the words: ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; … enter thou into the joy of thy Lord.’ Matthew 25:23.” (Prophets and Kings, p. 142).
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The administration is praying that both employees and students will do the right thing. But if they choose to participate anyhow, it seems like there will be no consequences. There was no mention of any consequences for violating the Sabbath, embracing violent sports, or having a reckless disregard for human life.
so you want to promote governing conscience? wow? Show some consistency.
The falling away !!!
Satan is seducing our children and we want to take half measures?
Students can be expelled for drugs and alcohol but not this?
So basically, are they going to tolerate an open rebellion on campus?
Those who seduce our students into sin should be given an ultimatum. Cease and repent or goodbye.
Too little, too late!!! What a copout. This is a joke, the school making a statement like they did. They should have stopped it last year when it got started.
This is so sad. I attended Southern in the early 80’s, back then a student could be expelled for attended a rock concert or going to a movie theater, both off campus, whether during Sabbath hours or not. My how things have changed and not in a good way.
I pray God does not remove his hand of protection from this university and that the university will focus on teaching and counseling all who attend and instruct the ways of the Lord and that we are to be in this world and not of this world.
What would make students even want to attend this event much less participate? Something is very wrong within the church, schools, universities and yes, the homes that our young people if they think physical violence in any form is “okay” to watch much less attend an event where the “doors open” during Sabbath hours. Praying they hear God’s direction and that the university will step up and give Godly direction to they young adults.
Bonjour,lorsque le peuple d’Israël était dans le désert ,il est dit qu’un homme sortie le jour du sabbat pour y ramasser du bois,celui-ci fût ,puni pour avoir désobéit,en faisant ce qui n’était pas permis de faire ce jour,qui est consacre a L’éternel,mais faire ce genre de manifestation,que ce soit après,avant,où n’importe quel jour,cela ne devrait pas se produire,en plus les responsables adventistes étaient bien au courant de la chose.Mais quelle tristesse.
It was not at all a cop out! I don’t stand with the fight night, and the students are deceiving themselves with it, but people like you who misunderstand the gospel make all of this worse! First of all, they are not “doing it for money”, that makes no sense. They LOST donors over the misunderstanding of the fight night being publicized in their newspaper. It was an oversight by a professor who was supposed to uphold university values, and now Southern administration will personally review the publications before they go out because they were against any promotion of this event. Students are claiming that Southern is stealing their “free speech” of the press, but Southern is standing strong.
These kids are OLDER THAN 18, and ARE OF AGE to make decisions and USE THEIR FRONTAL LOBE. What they do off campus is not the fault of the university. Even though they SHOULD uphold the university’s values off campus, they cannot be forced. God never uses force, it is the method of Satan, and Ellen White addresses this very thing! Her own son wore watches and read novels in front of her when he was going through his rebellious phase, and though he knew how she felt, she DID NOT KICK HIM OUT OF THE CHURCH as you are suggesting.
The biggest thing I took from this article is how WEAK you seem to think prayer is. REALLY? the University praying is now considered a weak course of action? What do you want them to chain the kids up to the dorm?? How little you understand God and the gospel. The seeds of prayer are small yet POWERFUL, to the point where God can even save the thief on the cross at his very last breath, after rebelling and doing MUCH WORSE than these kids are doing.
How interesting, that you did not bold this statement, “No church officer should advise, no committee should recommend, nor should any church vote, that the name of a wrong-doer shall be removed from the church books, until the instruction given by Christ has been faithfully followed.” The students HAVE BEEN WARNED and the sin CALLED BY ITS NAME, but God never EVER REMOVES FREE WILL. Get your gospel right first before you go preaching at everyone.
“Dealing with sin in the way God expects”. Read your Bible. God does not force, but touches the heart through small seeds over time. I do not work for SAU, but I happen to know that all of the staff vowed not to go, and they were in fact, not present at the event, according to the creator of the event who stated publicly that no southern staff endorsed or appeared.
I should add I meant to comment, Ellen whites son wore jewelry and read novels IN CHURCH to spite his mother. She NEVER reacted with force and let him come of age to conciously decide with his heart to turn himself over to the Lord. He was never kicked out of church or sent to throw his novels in the trash. Everyone at church saw his acts of rebellion and guess what Ellen White did? Same as Southern, she PRAYED. And he came back because PRAYER IS POWERFUL, and actually works when you HAVE FAITH.
I should add I meant to comment, Ellen whites son wore jewelry and read novels IN CHURCH to spite his mother. She NEVER reacted with force and let him come of age to conciously decide with his heart to turn himself over to the Lord. He was never kicked out of church or sent to throw his novels in the trash. Everyone at church saw his acts of rebellion and guess what Ellen White did? Same as Southern, she PRAYED. And he came back because PRAYER IS POWERFUL, and actually works when you HAVE FAITH.
“There was no mention of any consequences for violating the Sabbath, embracing violent sports, or having a reckless disregard for human life.” As it should be. What would consequences do? Are you so dense that you think consequences would force all the students to get in a line on the path of righteousness? A person convinced against their will is of the same opinion still. Punishments simply make martyrs. “SAU is essentially saying that their authority is only limited to matters pertaining to the university, and that they can do nothing about what students or staff members do in their private lives outside of the campus.” Also as it should be. Trying to control someone’s actions to keep up appearances but not saving their heart is Satanistic. This method of religion, the one you promote, is the reason Jesus has not come yet. It’s papal.