The covenant refers to the Bible as “the infallible Word of God and fully authoritative in matters of life and conduct …” and spells out behavior to avoid, such as sexual immorality and “sinful attitudes and behaviors.” It also affirms the “worth of every human being from conception to death.”

MONTREAT, N.C. – Some employees at Montreat College are raising concerns about the school’s new “community life covenant,” a document defining expectations for Christian living that includes affirming “the sanctity of marriage between one man and one woman.”

Employees are expected to “affirm, support and comply” with faculty and staff handbooks containing the covenant.

Montreat College officials say they worked on the covenant for more than two years. The process included 13 listening sessions “in which the college listened to and responded to the concerns of faculty, staff and alumni,” according to Adam Caress, the school’s director of communications. Changes were made as a result of those sessions, he said.

The covenant refers to the Bible as “the infallible Word of God and fully authoritative in matters of life and conduct …” and spells out behavior to avoid, such as sexual immorality and “sinful attitudes and behaviors.” It also affirms the “worth of every human being from conception to death.”

“The Community Life Covenant is rooted in core biblical values that have been central to Christianity for 2000 years and central to the college throughout its 101-year history,” Caress said in an email. “The Community Life Covenant does not represent a change in the college’s core beliefs, but is rather an affirmation of what the college — and orthodox Christianity in general  — has always believed.”

College employees are expected to hold these same beliefs.

“The college believes that, in order to deliver the kind of Christ-centered education that it promises to students and their parents, college employees must affirm and support the biblical values which are the foundation of that education,” Caress said.

But at least a few faculty members have opted to resign rather than sign a form related to the covenant.

Corrie Greene, who works part time in the English department, is one of those who has raised concerns.

Greene and other Montreat employees stressed in interviews they were giving their own opinions and not speaking for the college.

“No. 1, for me, signing anything that has an expectation of 24-hour adherence for me was a red flag because I know myself and I know my own path of faith and that is fluid,” Greene said. “And I’m constantly being shown by God areas that I can improve on or change or think more deeply about.”

She said it was dangerous to be asked to “freeze my faith and testimony in one moment in time.”

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