“Hope’s Board of Trustees is not shy about addressing issues which relate to its core values of providing excellent academic programs in the liberal arts and nurturing a vibrant Christian faith”

The chairman of the Board of Trustees at Hope College accused a “small group of dissenting alumni” of promoting “ambush journalism” in an ongoing fight over the school’s stance on homosexuality.

The alumni group challenged the Christian college’s position after Hope officials rejected a campus appearance by gay rights activist Dustin Lance Black, who won an Oscar for his screenplay about gay activist Harvey Milk.

Trustees chairman Joel Bouwens said the board will discuss the matter at its May 6-7 meeting. But he was critical that Hope leaders received the petition after organizers had already voiced their displeasure via the media.

“Although I find this attempt to promote ambush journalism to be offensive, Hope’s Board of Trustees is not shy about addressing issues which relate to its core values of providing excellent academic programs in the liberal arts and nurturing a vibrant Christian faith,” Bouwens wrote in a letter.

Bouwens’ open letter offended Ron Wiegerink, part of the alumni faction.

“It’s a kill-the-messenger approach, and they’re not dealing with the substance of our arguments,” Wiegerink said. “They’re trying to marginalize us and distort how this happened.”

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