Evangelical Christian university in Oklahoma offering pro-life summer courses

CB Condez Thursday, June 09, 2016

The Oklahoma Wesleyan University, an evangelical Christian educational institution, is offering summer courses that aim to train students in pro-life advocacy.

"We humbly acknowledge that God defines life and that men do not," the university's president said, as quoted by The College Fix.

A police officer watches pro-life and abortion rights supporters demonstrating in this file photo. | Reuters/Jim Young

Called "Pro-Life Training and Applied Bioethics," the training has two certificate programs. Track 1 is the Certificate of Pro-Life Training, which include Ethics of Abortion from July 11 to 15, and Public Speaking to be offered from July 18 to 22. Track 2 is the Certificate of Ministry Essentials, which include Foundation of Life Training as well as Non-Profit Organization, Development, and Management, also from July 11 to 15 and July 18 to 22, respectively.

"Universities have the right to run these courses, and students have the right to attend. However, it is interesting they feel the need to do so," abortion provider British Pregnancy Advisory Service told The Independent. "Abortion is a fact of life. That anti-abortion activists feel the need to receive such extensive and expensive training to present a 'compelling' argument against a woman's right to choose rather suggests they are struggling to make their case."

The course on Ethics of Abortion studies both sides of the issue, while the Foundations of Life Training explores the Biblical foundations of human life. The course on Non-Proft Organization, Development, and Management is about different aspects of a 501c(3) or (4) organization, while Public Speaking, as the name suggests, develops a students' skills in presentation.

"Our goal is to train up powerful advocates for the unborn and center and clinic directors who can persuasively mount a case for their work, raise financial, volunteer, and prayer support, and be of service to area churches, civic groups, and schools," Marc Newman, founder of Speaker for Life and the instructor on the Public Speaking course, said.

According to the website, the summer courses include a week-long intensive instruction. Each course costs $250 per credit hour or $3,000 for all four courses. However, the deadline for registration was on May 1.