Recently, a seminary professor in St. Louis has come under fire after accusations of a second marriage have surfaced. The controversy allegations of polygamy, a blatantly unbiblical principle, have led to a debate among the Christian community as to why the Bible calls for monogamous marriage between one man and one woman.
According to Darren Young and Thurman Williams, two men involved in the Christian community in St. Louis, claim they joined an accountability group with Fuller Theological Seminary professor Vince Bantu. However, as the group discussed avoiding sexual sin, they claim that Bantu was an advocate of marrying multiple women.
“I was just dumbfounded,” said Williams, a pastor of a Presbyterian Church in America (PCA) congregation and the director of a homiletics program at Covenant Theological Seminary. “I should have just said, ‘Man this is crazy,’” he added. “But I tried to argue with him about it.”
Furthermore, reports indicate that Bantu confessed to practicing polygamy with another woman who attended his church, who he was secretly married to. Young noted that he was taken aback by the beliefs of Bantu, stating, “I never saw it coming. I just never would have thought that. He said he married himself and her ‘unto the Lord.’ That was the phrase he used, ‘unto the Lord.’”
Addressing the controversy, Bantu claims that the men in the accountability group are sowing lies against him. He said, “My brothers in Christ have fallen into the snare of jealousy and have made false allegations about me. I cannot fully comprehend the motivation for these accusations.” Bantu acknowledged that the topic of polygamy “came up in conversation,” but maintained that he wasn’t advocating for marrying multiple women. He said, “I believe biblical marriage is marital union between one man and one woman who enter into a marriage covenant with Christ.”
The Fuller Seminary claimed that it will be investigating the matter “Fuller Seminary is committed to thoroughly investigating any allegations of inappropriate conduct,” general counsel Lance Griffin said in a statement. “We are aware of these allegations and can confirm an internal investigation is underway.”
According to a statement by Covenant Seminary, “immediately suspended from teaching classes while the Seminary conducted a thorough Title IX investigation into the matter, during which Dr. Bantu confessed his sin and repented of what he had done. In light of his repentance, we allowed Dr. Bantu to resign his position, ending his relationship with the Seminary. We also shared this information with Dr. Bantu’s church at the time, who had begun a process of church discipline.”
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