Ousted Christian Prof Optimistic, Sees God's Hand in His Firing
by Jim Brown
March 14, 2005
(AgapePress) - An evangelical Christian professor at the University of Colorado is speaking out after allegedly being fired for his political and religious conservatism.Controversial CU professor Ward Churchill may still have his teaching job, but CU history professor Phil Mitchell will not. Mitchell was recently told his contract would not be renewed after this school year because his teaching did not meet department standards and because he was proselytizing students in the classroom. The instructor says he was informed by department head Dr. William Wei, who Mitchell describes as a "wonderful man and a strong supporter."
"It was not his decision," the ousted teacher explains. "It was a decision handed down by 'unnamed persons' in the history department -- [but] I've never learned who they were."
According to Mitchell, a CU administrator was offended that he had students read Charles Sheldon's book In His Steps. Mitchell makes no apologies for using the Christian book.
"Quite frankly, the person who confronted me is a specialist in Eastern Europe [studies] and knows nothing about American Protestantism, and really didn't know what he was talking about," he says. But ... he was in a position of authority in the department and he criticized my use of that book. I took it quietly, but I filed away in my own mind that he did not know what he was talking about. It's an excellent book."
And Mitchell says he can see God's hand in the situation. "I don't believe that my firing and the Ward Churchill fiasco happened at the same time by accident," Mitchell says. "I believe that God put those together."
He explains that he had confessed to the Lord recently in prayer that he was discouraged because neither CU nor the history department seemed to appreciate his efforts -- and that he expected he would be "rewarded" by being fired. "I said [to the Lord] 'I really would just like to have a little bit of encouragement.'"
Since his firing was made public, Mitchell has received scores of e-mails and phone calls from former and current students showing their appreciation for his work.
Mitchell says when he leaves CU, he hopes to find a teaching job at a Christian college. As he puts it: "My life is in the Lord's hands, and I am His to use as He wishes."
Jim Brown, a regular contributor to AgapePress, is a reporter for American Family Radio News, which can be heard online.
