Hunter v. U.S. Department of Education

Dear Moody Family,

Some of you may be aware of media reports regarding Hunter v. U.S. Department of Education. This is a federal, class action lawsuit that seeks to strip longstanding religious protections from Title IX by preventing students from utilizing Federal financial assistance (e.g. tuition grants and student loans) at schools such as Moody Bible Institute that operate according to biblical beliefs on human sexuality matters.

While a former student at Moody Bible Institute is a plaintiff, Moody Bible Institute is not a defendant in this federal lawsuit. Along with the Council for Christian Colleges & Universities (CCCU) and many other Christian colleges and universities, we are following this very closely. If successful, this would greatly impact students being able to choose and access the college of their choice that shares their biblical conviction such as Moody Bible Institute. For helpful information and perspective on this litigation, I encourage you to visit the CCCU’s website.

As an institution founded and based on the Word of God, Moody Bible Institute holds to a number of biblical convictions, including a historic, biblical understanding of marriage as part of broader religious convictions around human sexuality and gender. As you know, upon admission, students voluntarily agree to support our doctrinal statement and adhere to school policies, of which includes areas related to human sexuality. This is true for faculty and staff as well. Our doctrinal statement is publicly available on our website at www.moodybible.org/beliefs.

We are committed to stand firm on our biblical convictions regarding human sexuality. At the same time, I want to stress once again the sincere desire of leadership to provide a healthy, God-honoring culture that allows our students to grow and mature in a safe and wholesome environment. We believe all persons are created in the image of God and possess full dignity, value, and worth. There is zero tolerance for any bullying, harassment, or assault of any kind on our campuses. Whether you are a student, staff, or faculty member with concerns, you have access to resources and support from the Student Counseling department, the Student Development office, as well as the Title IX Coordinator, or our Human Resources team for staff.

Please let us know how we can serve and help you in your time at Moody. Please be in prayer for the entire Moody family as together, we seek to carry out our mission to proclaim the Gospel, and equip people to be Biblically grounded, practically trained, and to engage the world through Gospel-centered living.

Prayerfully,

Dr. Mark Jobe
President