Last month after the San Bernardino shooting, Larycia Hawkins, professor at Wheaton College, posted a photo of herself wearing a hijab and within her post mentioned she would show solidarity with Muslim women by wearing it as a part of her “Advent Worship.”

 

In the post, Hawkins says that Christians and Muslims “worship the same God,” to which the Christian college suspended Hawkins and have begun a “Notice of Recommendation to Initiate Termination-for-Cause Proceedings.”

On December 15th, Hawkins was placed on administrative leave “to explore significant questions regarding the theological implications of her FB post, including but not limited to those indicating the relationship of Christianity to Islam,” the school said at the time.

“Wheaton College faculty and staff make a commitment to accept and model our institution’s faith foundations with integrity, compassion and theological clarity,” the school said. “As they participate in various causes, it is essential that faculty and staff engage in and speak about public issues in ways that faithfully represent the college’s evangelical Statement of Faith.”

Wheaton College says this is not necessarily an effort to terminate Hawkins, but to begin the process for tenure. The final decision will lie in the hands of the Board of Trustees. As for college President, Philip Ryken, he has stated that it’s not about the hijab, as the college has no “stated position” on the gesture.