Art and fashion are two of the most subjective forms of expression in any church, so it’s common to see a Christian tattoo, faith-forward fashion or cross necklaces up and down the pews. If you’re a person of faith, you want to express your faith with what you enjoy. So, when a headline hails from Victoria, Australia discussing how a local Methodist school deemed cross necklaces “offensive,” you think surely something is amiss there.
That’s what we thought too, until someone sent “Close to Home” a link from the Melbourne Herald Sun.
“Bullish Behavior: Priest slams school’s stance on religious crosses.” Something was probably taken incorrectly. Someone must be having a bad day. This is the prestigious Methodist Ladies’ College (MLC) in Melbourne. And they are the ones with angst about someone wearing Christian jewelry? Surely, not.
“My friend was wearing a cross and there was another girl in our class who said she found the cross really offensive and so the teacher told her to take it off,” an anonymous student was quoted as saying. “My friend’s parents, who are very religious, tried to get answers from the school and were told ‘it’s not a good look for the school.’”
Maybe this was a recent school dress code change? Perhaps some people wear more ostentatious decor than others, so everyone else has to bring it down a notch. Right? MLC does have a strict dress code policy regarding makeup, jewelry, and long hair. See? That’s normal in a school. But wearing a cross? There must be something else.
Maybe…
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Cross-Eyed Over Jewelry
Methodist Ladies’ College has a rich history. Since 1882, it has taught young women about the ways of the world and the Bible. Until 1978, the headmaster of the school was an ordained minister. While the ecumenical oversight may have gone by the wayside, the foundation stood firm. Or so locals in Melbourne thought.
Since when are cross necklaces no longer “a good look for the school.” You know, this school?! The story reports the woke agenda–code for “Christian prejudice” in many places–struck another local school. That time, a student was allowed to “identify as a cat,” because that’s in the best interest of scholastics. Girls can go furry or show pride, but jewelry is now subject to inspection. Students are now to “take off their crosses by teachers when other students complain they are offensive to non-Christians.”
That’s all it takes at MLC. “I don’t like that thing,” and away it goes.
Furries are permissible but that whole Jesus thing isn’t acceptable in the eyes of the Christian school. Supposedly. Cue the MLC talking head and obligatory statement:
“These statements are false and irresponsible. MLC is a proudly Christian girls’ school. We do not find Christian symbols offensive,” said Principal Julia Shea to Sky News. “We aim to apply a consistent uniform policy that prohibits visible jewelry. We do not have any students attending school wearing furry tails and ears.”
She continues to tell the news (and everyone paying $39,000 a year) that school policies apply to all students to “foster unity within [the school’s] diverse community.” One person who isn’t buying that argument is a local champion of the student protest, Melbourne Baptist Church pastor Murray Campbell.
“I have empathy for schools; It’s difficult as there’s lots of social pressure on them to promote and support the latest ideas and fit with the latest cultural expectations,” he wrote in a blog post. “Unfortunately, church and school don’t always equate to Christianity. Nonetheless, MLC is formally a school belonging to the Uniting Church. On this occasion, they’re not opposing the cross by rejecting Biblical teaching (which the Uniting Church has a habit of doing), they are telling students that it’s not okay to even wear the cross.”
The topic continues to be polarizing in Melbourne. Now that it has reached an international audience, both sides of the issue are being shared. One side says that it is a story that has blown way out of proportion. The other is screaming “Fight the Power” and telling students to ignore the demands of another “Marxist woke school.” Wherever the truth can be found in this argument, one thing is certain, God’s Word is never out of fashion.
Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution. But evil men and impostors will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived. But you must continue in the things which you have learned and been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them, and that from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.
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