Firing of Dr. Kenneth Howell to be Reviewed By University of Illinois Committee

Agreed. This is not only a violation of academic freedom, it is a violation of religious liberty. Based on what I have read this decision does not just cross a line, it seeks to move the line to an unconstitutional place. A state university cannot fire a professor from the position of teaching Catholicism just because he actually believes in Catholicism.

If Dr. Howell really means what he said before that a student’s personal views do not influence the grade he gives (that is, the student can vehemently disagree with what the Church teaches, but will get an A if he correctly states what the Church in fact teaches), then he is a rare find indeed.

Very good background on the firing from the author of Cosmos, Liturgy, Sex (who was fired by the same director who laid off Howell):

http://cosmos-liturgy-sex.com/2010/07/14/they-finally-won-background-on-ken-howells-firing/

Of the two classes evaluated, one was on Vatican I and the Church’s response to Liberalism. The other was on the background leading up to the calling of the Second Vatican Council. While I think I was fair, I clearly laid these issues out from an interior Catholic perspective trying to explain the Catholic worldview and how this led to the events we were studying. A few days later, I was called in to Robert McKim’s office. He informed me that the “star chamber” had decided that I was not appropriate to teach within the Program. He said that he could not share with me their deliberations and that the decision was final. He did indicate to me that in general, the feeling was that I came across too much as though I believed what I was teaching. McKim is one (perhaps the only one in what is now a Department) who thinks that students should not know what the professor thinks about what he teaches, presuming that this is the only way to be “objective.”

With my departure, this left finding a way to eliminate Ken Howell as the final step in a battle that had begun nearly 60 years prior, that is to eliminate people of faith from teaching subjects having to do with their faith. To be fair, there are others who practice their faith who teach about their faith. Conspicuously missing are those of the Judeo-Christian traditions.

Fascinating information and background at Cosmos, Liturgy, Sex Christopher. I had previously passed on to the local paper in Champaign-Urbana, the News-Gazette, that the author had information they could find useful. I do not know if they have done any follow-up.