The VU Board issued a press release expressing its shock upon hearing De Vries’s statements. In a recent interview with the Dutch daily AD, the theology lecturer – one of the people behind the initiative to publish a Dutch version of the Nashville Statement – said that churches should speak out against the prevailing gender ideology. “When Nazi ideology was forced on society, the churches remained silent. Now gender ideology is being forced on us, and once again churches too often remain silent.” He has since said that he regrets making these comments.
VU Amsterdam announced a debate about the controversial Nashville Statement. According to Advalvas, five VU staff members have signed the anti-gay manifesto, which was first drafted in the US.
Last Monday, the university did not hesitate to distance itself from the statement and fly the rainbow flag. Other Dutch universities, including EUR, also raised the flag to show their support for the LGBT+ community. The statement has been signed by some 250 Dutch citizens. To the best of our knowledge, none of the signatories is employed by Erasmus University Rotterdam.
