Report: Fuller Seminary Weighs Revising Its Stance Towards LGBTQ+ Students

Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena is deliberating whether to adopt standards acknowledging the diversity of thought among Christians pertaining to human sexuality, according to a draft of proposed revisions to the seminary’s sexual standards obtained by The Associated Press.

The move could make Fuller the first evangelical seminary in the country to take such a step, John Hawthorne, a retired professor and expert on Christian colleges, told the AP.

According to the AP report, the Seminary’s draft, dated April 3, states “that there are thoughtful Christians and churches that have different interpretations. Therefore, we expect all members of this global, evangelical, and ecumenical seminary student and learner community to live with integrity consistent to the Christian communities to which they belong.”

However, the document is less clear when it comes to standards for trustees, administrators, faculty, and staff, requiring them “to abide by the sexual standard regarding sexual intimacy within the boundaries of the traditional understanding of marriage,” the Associated Press report said.

Fuller’s President, David Goatley, appointed a task force to review the school’s sexual standards after Ruth Schmidt, a senior administrator, was fired in January for refusing to sign them.

In 2019 and 2020, two former students sued Fuller, alleging they were expelled for being in same-sex marriages. Courts upheld Fuller’s right to enforce its policy in October 2020.

Fuller issued a statement saying the deliberations are ongoing, and it is unclear when the Board might consider the matter.