Patrick Henry College

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Patrick Henry Christian College(PHC) a.k.a. "God's Harvard"^[1] is a college in Purcellville, Virginia, which caters to Christians, especially those who have been homeschooled. The college teaches that the Bible is the inerrant word of God, and creationism is taught as literal fact. Michael Farris, the founder and chancellor emeritus of the college—now President of the conservative Christian watchdog group Alliance Defending Freedom—stated on The Colbert Report that if a student was to write "Goddidit" on a biology test, that would be a correct answer.^[1] Students may not drink alcohol, smoke or mess with the opposite sex outside marriage during term time on or off campus.

The school is clearly attractive to outspoken Evangelical and political leaders, many of whom have visited PHCC to offer chapel messages, lectures, and commencement addresses.^[2]

Background[edit]

PHC is accredited by the Transnational Association of Christian Colleges and Schools (TRACS), a creationist accreditation authority, to offer Bachelors degrees.^[3]

The college requires incoming students and faculty and staff to sign a "Statement of Faith."^[4]

• The Universe? Goddidit!
• Evolution is wrong.
• Human Nature "Man is by nature sinful and is inherently in need of salvation."
• Homosexuality is sin.
• Jesus saved us from the penalties of sin.
• Satan is a malevolent being from Hell that consciously torments non-believers for all of eternity.^[5]

Main objective[edit]

One of the primary aims of Patrick Henry College(PHC) is to train committed Christians for government posts,^[6] and many graduates of the College found positions in the Bush administration.^{[7][8][9][10]} The UK based Wilberforce Academy jointly set up by the Alliance Defense Fund (US based) and the Christian Legal Centre (UK based) has a similar purpose.

A 2019 article in the Washington Examiner reports that PHC is among the top three conservative colleges in the nation for the number of its graduates going to work as White House interns.^[11]

Controversies[edit]

Mass resignation of professors, heretics, etc.[edit]

In 2006, five professors at PHC, who at the time constituted an entire third of the faculty, resigned from the institution, alluding to the rather obvious fact that academic freedom is badly proscribed there. One of their complaints concerned the firing of a library clerk for heresy, viz., for believing in baptismal regeneration along with all Eastern Christians, Roman Catholics, Lutherans, and Anglicans.^[12]

One of the resigning professors, David Noe, a minister of the fundamentalist Orthodox Presbyterian Church, was under fire for writing an article containing the blasphemous suggestion that any books besides the Bible possessed any truthful or otherwise useful content.^[13]

Forced resignation of President Walker[edit]

On October 15th, 2014, the immediate resignation of college president Dr. Graham Walker was announced at a surprise all-campus meeting. Walker was ousted by the Board of Trustees along with the help of the independently-run Alumni Association. The college has refused to announce the reasons for the sudden departure, but it appears that for several months the Board had been struggling to gain Walker's cooperation with an independent investigation regarding sexual assault allegations, as well as the future of growth and accreditation for the college.^[14][15]

Sexual assault policy[edit]

The prevailing mood at PHC is that bodies are corrupting and the onus is on women to avoid tempting the men. One former student shared this with The New Republic several years back:^[16]

One student, Claire Spear claimed that a man made serious sexual contact without asking her permission first; she was found lying in grass crying and saying she'd been violated. Her accusation was overlooked and the college disciplinary system was more concerned that she had been drinking alcohol. Another female student fell asleep after a party and woke with a man assaulting her.

When an anonymous woman reported that a male student sent threats that included an email claiming he "wanted to forcibly take my virginity," the dean told the woman

In later meetings she was told to consider how the clothing she wore put certain "ideas ... in men’s minds." The dean would not consider asking security to guard her against the threatening man.

The College (undoubtedly noticing gaps in policy) later found the need to revise their Student Honor Code^[17] and now have put in place a process for filing a formal grievance, which includes sexual misconduct.^[18]

Notable alumni[edit]

• Theresa Scanlan, Miss America 2011^[19]

• Lindsay See, Solicitor General for West Virginia^[20][21]

External links[edit]

• Official website

References[edit]