A prominent christian school removed a social media post congratulating an student on his visit to the Trump administration, causing argument and controversy.
Over the weekend, Wheaton College removed a message congratulating Russell Vought on becoming the Office of Management and Budget producer of President Trump.
Campus officials made the call after receiving severe condemnation from Twitter users for the congratulatory article.
” On Friday, Wheaton College posted a letter of congratulations and a request to pray for an student who had been confirmed to a White House blog. The university posted on Instagram that” we would usually do this for any student who reached that level of authorities.”
” The political climate surrounding the interview, however, caused a major problem to be expressed online. We did not intend for the College to be stung in a social debate or controversy. Our administrative and religious commitments are apparent that the College, as a non-profit organization, does not make social testimonials. Wheaton College’s emphasis is on Christ and His Kingdom”.
The college simply stated that it was” Wheaton College congratulates and prays for 1998 graduate Russell Vought regarding his senatorial confirmation to serve as the White House Director of the Office of Management and Budget.”
Reactions to the article included:
” I can tell you that many of us students desire this Project 2025 communism the most. His political philosophy, which focuses on the least of these, is utterly anti-Christian.
” What!? Grant me a tear! What about all the incredible younger people who have been hired by USAID and World Relief but are now leaving because of this Christian Nationalist government? This is a crazy political blog. This interview should not be celebrated”.
This is not an occasion to enjoy as a Wheaton College graduate and as a former employee there for almost 15 times. Instead, it is a moment to mourn”.
” I’m embarrassed and ashamed that my old school supports a person whose words and ideas go so far as to refute the thoughts and ideas of Jesus,” I said.
However, deleting the article has even sparked anger:
” We are disgusted that Vought represents our school in such a bad way,” Vought said.
” You taught us’ for Christ and His Kingdom.’ That wasn’t meant to mean imposing His kingdom on people through autocratic fascism. Your speech on this is nowhere to be found. I urge all other students, and most of all Wheaton itself, to speak out against the anti-American and illegal activities Syllabus and his fellow citizens are taking. If you don’t speak up, at some point we in the students area will begin taking note of this as either a lack of foundation, or later, complicity”.
You deleted a blog congratulating an alumnus because you don’t do politics, but you deleted it. This is also elections”.
This is just the totally silliest, most awkward thing imaginable. You congratulated an student for receiving a significant appointment and said you would Worship for him without giving a political support. Next, when you say your emphasis is on Christ and His … photograph. twitter.com/GgIFy6x3mb
— David L. Bahnsen ( @DavidBahnsen ) February 8, 2025
It’s not entirely surprising that a Christian university may make for a walk, according to Owen Anderson, a teacher at Arizona State University and vocal Christian.
I frequently hear Christian households dismiss radical communist infiltration of state universities because they believe the school is still safe, according to a professor at a state university. Nevertheless, he claimed via email on Sunday that the reality is that Christian colleges also employ professors who were trained in the same applications as their condition college counterparts.
The ability of Wheaton University to thank a student who has been appointed to a higher position in the Trump administration should serve as a reminder to all Christian parents who believe these Christian colleges are also conservative, he said.
Megan Basham of Daily Wire reported that Wheaton frequently sided with anti-Trump politicians:
Wheaton hosted a social event with anti-Trump speakers, though it did not make any official political endorsements in the weeks leading up to the 2024 presidential vote. On September 12, it welcomed The After Party, a democratic Bible study program created by New York Times journalist David French, Christianity Today editor-in-chief Russell Moore, and Duke Divinity discussing doctor Curtis Chang, all three of whom openly opposed Trump’s election. French went as far as to endorse Kamala Harris, while Chang called Trump’s win” a disaster for the country” that left him in “anguish”.
The After Party claims its goal is to “reframe Christian political thinking,” but it was entirely funded by left-wing secular funders, including Bill Kristol’s anti-Trump organization, the Defending Democracy Together Institute, which the campaign finance watchdog Open Secrets identified as a major source of dark money in the elections of 2020 and 2024.
In contrast to Wheaton, Hillsdale College, another Christian institution, stood behind its congratulations of Vought, posting on X:” Trigger warning: We will not be deleting our earlier post congratulating @RussVought”.
MORE: A court ruling invalidates an atheist group’s lawsuit aimed at restricting college students ‘ religious freedoms.
IMAGE: X screenshot / Vought
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