Valpo is officially dead. . .

Announced a month or so ago, Valparaiso University, Valparaiso, IN, has officially discontinued the theology major and minor.  Of course, there will be something in some way religious offered in the curriculum but who knows what this might look like or how it would be taught or who will teach it.  The final remaining philosophy faculty member will be terminated by the end of the next academic year.  The grand dream of a Lutheran university has been set aside and its once esteemed Christ College is barely a blip on the campus anymore.  What Valpo was, it no longer is.  It went the way of all flesh by diluting its identity slowly until there was nothing left.  At that point the leaders of this school tried to save it by making it into something different than it was or was ever intended to be.  Will it succeed?  It is highly unlikely that Valpo will have enough distinctives to merit a second look from prospective students or find a reason for spending big bucks when the same thing is available at state schools much more reasonably priced, 

If the school had any integrity whatsoever, it would sell off the Chapel that is the most prominent building on campus.  But it does not have any integrity.  The whole idea that you could be generically Lutheran did not endear itself to the Missourians who had once considered the school its own and it did not appeal to the ELCA people who seem to care little about the values that marked its legacy.  Now, with a Roman Catholic at the helm, the school has jettisoned many if not all of the things that once marked the reason to go there.  I am sad about it but not surprised.  Why bother with Valpo or any other churchly school unless it is true to its churchly identity?  

There was a time when Valpo had a certain cache to it.  It was not simply unique but profound.  With world class Lutherans in the executive offices and at the Chapel and on the faculty, the school seemed to have something to offer and something worth paying for for your undergraduate education.  Now it would seem that anything Lutheran is long gone and anything Christian is just about gone.  It is a shell of its former self.  I well recall seeing the chapel for the first time and hearing OP Kretzmann preach.  Old friends and acquaintances said the first mass there (Kenneth Korby) or served as dean of chapel and theology faculty (Norman Nagel).  The Liturgical Institute drew tons of pastors, seminarians, and parish musicians.  That is now as gone as they are.  The Lord will resurrect these men of God and give them new and glorious flesh to wear for all eternity.  I do not believe the Lord will raise Valpo from its moribund state and that is probably just as it should be.  They don't want to be what they were so they will have to find something better or the last one out the door will turn off the lights to this Lutheran dream.  

UPDATE

Valpo has apparently broken ground for their new Rafi Interfaith Center.  Valpo President Padilla joined U.S. Rep. Frank Mrvan (D) and the fellow paying the bill.  The donor's daughter, a VU grad, led a Muslim prayer to kick off the event. Apparently the donor owns the land and is paying for the building, so Valpo is really just putting their name on it and incorporating into their programming.  Again, so much for Christ College....