Students on a theology course at Glasgow University have been given ‘trigger warnings’ prior to studying the crucifixion over fears it might cause distress and concern to students.
The Daily Mail reports that students at Glasgow University on the ‘Creation to Apocalypse: Introduction to the Bible (Level 1)’ course were given the warning stating that course content ‘contains graphic scenes of the crucifixion, and this is flagged up to students beforehand’. The University confirmed that such warnings were being issued. Defending it, they said, “We have an absolute duty of care to all of our students and where it is felt course material may cause potential upset or concern warnings may be given.”
The so-called ‘trigger warnings’ have become more prominent over the last few years across universities, particularly in the US, but it is becoming more common in the UK now too. Whilst universities do have a duty of care for their students, they also have a duty to ensure a rigorous education is provided which sometimes involves dealing with subject matters that are not ‘nice’. The crucifixion and Jesus’ resurrection is absolutely central to Christian teaching. It is the very centrepiece of the Bible, so offering ‘trigger warnings’ that allow students to miss part of the course is not just wrong, but a dereliction of the university’s duty to cover all subjects. Studying the Bible is not about how we feel, it is about recognising the important part the events it documents have played in the history of the world. Some of those events sound quite nice, but just with life now, there are also undesirable aspects such as the crucifixion.
Generation Snowflake
Critics of such warnings have argued that it is political correctness gone mad and that liberal academics are being overly protective of students who need to face up to the realities of life. Last year, Glasgow University organised bouncy castles and ‘therapy dogs’ to help students ‘cope’ with exam stress and also introduced other measures that have become increasingly prevalent on campuses across the country all of which seek to treat students as special cases rather than help them to face up to the realities of life.
It is no coincidence that these warnings are being issued. Many in liberal circles believe they have a right to be protected from anything that may upset them and so they view such ‘trigger warnings’ as perfectly reasonable. However, where it misses the point is that universities are meant to exist for intellectuals in society to explore ideas. Protecting them from the realities of the Bible in this way is simply an attempt to dumb down and gloss over the realities of the crucifixion.
The Bible in a Bible Class – Who Would’ve Thought It?
Glasgow University, which is part of the Russell Group of prestigious universities requires students enrolling to have a reasonably high level of prior education. It might be expected therefore that students voluntarily enrolling on a course covering the Bible might expect parts of the Bible to feature in class. Quite why they need a warning that studying the crucifixion might cause distress is surely beneath their intellect.
The reality of the death of Jesus is that is was an absolutely horrid event. It was distressing for all involved, not least Jesus himself. Yet, as those of us who are versed in the Bible know, the death of Jesus is only half the story, for out of that darkness came light and the opportunity for new life made possible by the resurrection of Christ. Surely the potential ‘distress’ caused by studying the crucifixion would be outweighed by the great news of the resurrection, but that doesn’t stop liberals from attempting to remove everything from society that they don’t like and that doesn’t ‘sound nice’.
If students are having to be warned of the potential for biblical content on a Bible course, presumably maths students will be warned their course may discuss complicated numbers. Similarly, presumably students on ‘gender’ courses will receive a ‘trigger warning’ alerting them that some issues may result in unexpected reactions. Actually, that is exactly what is happening at Stirling University with the following warning being issued to students: ‘We cannot anticipate or exclude the possibility that you may encounter material which is triggering [ie, which can trigger a negative reaction] and we urge that you take all necessary precautions to look after yourself in and around the programme.’
This stuff is almost laughable, but also deeply concerning at the same time. It is laughable that people feel the need to try and alert students to the possibility that at same point on their course they might disagree with something, or worse still be out-debated on an issue. Again, perhaps it can be expected that students enrolling at an institution might expect to spend time challenging and being challenged on various ideas. The reality of life is that sometimes people agree with us, other times they don’t. Issuing such ludicrous ‘trigger warnings’ really is just cultural madness that makes a mockery of the higher education system that exists for the furtherance and debate of ideas.
Conviction Through the Crucifixion
It is not, from the outset unreasonable to expect some students might be adversely effected by watching Hollywood depictions of the crucifixion. After all, it was a pretty gruesome event, but no more gruesome than much of the drama on TV or in the cinema that so many gleefully spend their evenings filling their mind with (without a ‘trigger warning’ from university professors I might add). Much of the time such reactions are the spirit of God speaking to our hearts and convicting us of our sin. The Bible tells us “all have fallen short of the glory of God” and that “the wages of sin is death”. This is all pretty damnable stuff, the sort of content that really shouldn’t be presented in anything but its dark and awful reality. Yet, the issuing of ‘trigger warnings’ seeks to dumb down the crucifixion and present it as any other distressing event in history. To do so misses the entire point of the crucifixion and with it the most important event in the history of the world is relegated to a mere emotional issue that may cause some upset amongst fragile molly-cuddled students and so they must be protected from it.
It is a horrible reality, but each one of us would have been up on that cross with nails driven through our hands and legs if it was not for the sacrifice of Jesus Christ “who for the joy set before him, endured the cross, despising the shame”. The reality is that each one of us is a sinner. The reality is that we all deserve to die because of sin. Yet because of Christ’s sacrifice which paid for our sins in full, we need only come to him, ask for forgiveness and resolve to live a life free from sin (repent). Jesus wipes our slate clean and throws open the door to eternal life. It is a amazing gift that is on offer because of God’s unconditional love for us and there is certainly nothing distressing about that!
The reality is that the crucifixion prompts all sorts of reactions from people and that is exactly what is meant to happen. Most of the time it is a denying of the truth that we all need Jesus. Offering people the opportunity to skip part of a course at university because the harsh realities of it might upset a few precious snowflakes is a ludicrous attempt to protect people from the realities of life. One day we will all face God and be held accountable for our actions. I reckon its better to respond to Jesus now and get sin dealt with whilst we have the chance rather than regret later that I heeded to a ‘trigger warning’ and skipped class to avoid the ‘distressing’ details of the crucifixion in order to go play with the therapy dogs.
