College professor must choose between school, church

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Professor Denise Isom loves her work at Calvin College, Grand Rapids, Mich., and Messiah Missionary Baptist Church. The problem: Isom must choose between the two.

In October, the Calvin board refused to exempt Isom from a rule that requires professors to attend a congregation with ties to the Christian Reformed Church (CRC). The issue sparked a student “prayer protest” and discussion about how the church-membership policies may hurt diversity on campus.

Isom, an assistant professor of education since 2003, is black and her research focuses on race and education. Since the board’s Oct. 18 decision, college leaders and Isom have been exploring her options, according to Provost Claudia Beversluis.

Those include Isom’s departure from the private college or finding a partnership with a CRC church. Beversluis said the issue is a difficult one that has prompted much discussion on how to retain the college’s CRC identity while becoming more diverse.

“I wish there was a (CRC) congregation in Grand Rapids that was fully multicultural or even that there was one that was largely African-American,” Beversluis said.