Elmer Towns on Caner

==I don't expect anything major to happen. These type of situations usually cause universities to circle the wagons. Until I see otherwise I worry that this is just a way for Liberty University to deflect some of the heat.

==I agree. As an alumnus of Liberty University I have believed for a long time that Ergun Caner is bad for the University. His personality and lack of academic rigor have brought shame to LU. It is time for him to go. He should never have been made a seminary president.

 

Just received an email...The AP has the story.


Liberty Theological President Focus Of Probe
(© 2010 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

I wonder if the AP picked this up from CT and that this is the Media outlet that has, more or less, forced Falwell's hand?

 

If these things are true then one would wonder if he fears God rather than men. It reminds me of the time I heard a speaker say, "Humble yourself, before God has to do it."

 

http://www.aomin.org/aoblog/index.php?


http://babyloniansquirrel.blogspot.com/2010/05/caner-file.html

 

I think that they underestimated the legs that this story was going to have. As someone mentioned, in the DB from a week ago, this is the type of story that the secular media loves to sink its teeth into. Sooner or later this story was going to hit the national news outlets. I do not doubt that Liberty wants to ignore the story; that was Dr. Towns' mission last week when he was doing damage control. It seems that it did not work.

The thing that bothers me about all of this is the way Liberty is responding. I have held off judging the merits of the case even though much of the evidence is public record. Still I was mystified at Towns' claim that the accusations were not concerning ethic or morals. It seems that they believed such a statement, along with saying that there had been an in-house investigation and exoneration, would be enough to allow all of this to blow over. If so, then they simply do not realize the media's appetite for going after Christian leaders who smack of hypocrisy.

The fact that they are having to put together an official review shows that, at the very least, Fallwell Jr. is realizing that the situation is getting much more heated. They might have bought a little time, but the story is unlikely to go away in the meantime. Now that the AP has it for sure...it isn't hard to imagine this making it to CNN's front page. If it does, it is my opinion that Liberty will be severely damaged regardless of what the outcome of the investigation will ultimately be.

By the way, here is the ABP's latest:
Liberty U. to investigate alleged untruths by seminary president

 

Agreed. I made this point in a previous thread.

Another fair point.

Agreed, nor should he. The stakes are too high. LBTS has come to far to be brought low.
Problem is, Caner isn't the only one culpable. Was Liberty culpable? Are they now? Should they have checked him out? Did they do their due dilligence? There are many stories of churches, universities, etc., hiring people who turn out to have had a sordid past, and it either looks like the entity didn't care or didn't care to know. The longer this drags out, the worse it looks for both Ergun and Liberty. Liberty can perhaps salvage itself. I thought at one time that Ergun could. That ship is sailing.

 

That is what happens is when one takes their eyes off the master and begins to do things their own way. God is not mocked.

 

I received an email today(quoting an article) stating that the investigative board will be comprised of individuals who are both LU insiders as well as respected individuals outside of Liberty.

Also, it is amazing at how Liberty is shuffling off its previous statement. As noted previously, Dr. Towns implied that a thorough investigation had already taken place by the University Board of Directors. Note that now Johnnie Moore, Liberty's spokesman, states that the March "investigation" was simply a "passing discussion". He further stated, "It wasn't an inquiry or anything like that." Moore also pointed out that the meeting was not of the full board, but only of the Seminary subcommittee.

I find it intriguing that they are distancing themselves from Towns' statment. It seems that they want to sink any idea that this has been thoroughly looked into up til now. This gives them a clean slate. From my limited orginizational experience, this is not usually the behavior of an organization that plans on rolling out a circus.

 

I think he meant leverage. Caner embellishing his testimony was the theological leverage he needed to gain a platform for the gospel. Theological leverage = the ends justifies the means.

 

Speculation

"Investigation? What investigation? Is that all they determined after all this time? They should have used another phrase; something like : Caner was competely within the parameters of Liberty's standards.This whole ordeal was just a tempest in a teapot? C'mon!"

Just sayin' what I might say on July 1.

 

Okay, it's not July 1 yet, but the board came up with their findings (in a manner). My speculation above was not on the mark. The board did more than I expected they would. Their decision was less than satisfactory though. It's Ergun's turn now to do the right thing.

 

Exactly Dr Bob

 

They did not say he was going to teach in the Seminary. He may well be in the University, teaching undergrad students.

However, pursuant to him making a public confession and apology, I would have no trouble learning under him. You have lied this week, Dr. Bob, and if you haven't, you have committed adultery, stolen, or something else. So has every other human being in the world.

The issue is his repentance. Peter denied Jesus! Yet Christ sent him back into the ministry. We should (if Ergun repents and apologizes), follow His example.

 

"Humble yourself before God has to do it."

Col. 3:25, "For he who does wrong will receive the consequences of the wrong which he has done, and that without partiality."

 

We have seen the result already. Isn't it obvious? Where does the sensitivity to sin come into play among God's people.

 

Yes yes. Everyone else's sin is always horrible, and our own "isn't that bad." I've heard the line before.

And easy believism? You are talking to the wrong guy. There is a big difference between easy -believism, and a true heart of forgiveness.

Your sin is just as bad as Caner's, Dr. Bob. The only difference is: #1 Presumambly you repent, and #2 No one knows about yours.

 

He is listed as seminary faculty. If he were only teaching undergrads, he would be listed in the school of religion.