Covenant of Community Life

Living Out the Faith Together

Introduction

Providence College and Theological Seminary is an interdenominational school with a rich heritage of ministry as an evangelical Christian educational institution. Although Providence serves a constituency from many churches and denominations, it focuses its ministry particularly on those parts of the Body of Christ which are sympathetic with the broadly evangelical theological and world-view perspectives of the school. Providence College and Theological Seminary’s Covenant of Faith holds and teaches the essential doctrines of the Christian faith generally embraced by evangelicals.

As members of the Body of Christ, we all assume common rights and responsibilities. We all voluntarily and cheerfully accept the expectations of the Providence College and Seminary community which includes faculty, staff, Board of Governors and enrolled students. As God’s representatives, members of the Providence Community agree to this Covenant of Community Life in addition to beliefs, convictions and actions that reflect moral law, civil law, and practical principles of community living.

This Covenant of Community Life consists of the principles and policies which guide the life and activities of this community, and are determined by and are the responsibility of the President’s Cabinet. The President’s Cabinet is made up of the President, Executive Vice President and Provost, Vice President for Administration, Vice President for Seminary Academics, Vice President for College Academics and Vice President for Student Services. Each cabinet member is responsible for their respective departments and gives direction for the overall operation of the college and seminary. Providence College and Seminary reserves the right to establish and use procedures at any time which allow for the orderly and efficient administration of the school.

The standards of conduct for members of the Providence Community must comply with the Providence Covenant of Faith and be in conformity with standards as set out in the Scriptures, as interpreted and applied by the President’s Cabinet and the Providence Board of Governors.

In particular, but without limiting the generality of the following, this covenant is deemed to be in conformity with the Providence Covenant of Faith.

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Globally

Members are encouraged to take every opportunity to share their experience and understanding of Christ with others. As a witness to the world, it is expected that members will practice a living faith in Christ by active involvement in service to those in need.

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Institutionally

Members of the Providence community shall maintain the harmony and integrity of the institution by adhering to the Providence Covenant of Faith. This applies to school-related activities, invitations to leaders or groups who speak or minister on campus, or in the promotion of seminars and other events in the name of the school. The appropriate Vice President’s office should be contacted regarding invitations to leaders or groups to speak or minister on campus, or in the promotion of seminars and other events in the name of the institution or seminary.

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Corporately

We affirm together:

1. The Lordship of Christ over all of life and thought; this involves whole-hearted obedience to the moral law of God as taught in the Old and New Testaments and exemplified in the life of Christ, the careful stewardship of mind, time, abilities, funds, and opportunities for intellectual and spiritual growth, and care of our bodies as temples of the Holy Spirit, as interpreted and applied by the Board of Governors of the College and Seminary and as reflected in the Covenant of Community Life of Providence.
   
    
2. The responsibility to love God with all our being and to love our neighbour as ourselves: this means that unselfish love and service should be the motive in all of life’s decisions, actions, and relationships.
   
    
3. The responsibility to seek after righteousness, to practice integrity in our dealing with one another and in our social institutions, and to help those in need.
   
    
4. Access through Jesus Christ to the forgiveness of God and to the help of the Holy Spirit in doing heartily what God requires of us.

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Personally

Members of the Providence community shall seek to nurture spiritual life through the study of God's Word, through prayer and through participation in a local church that is consistent with the Providence Covenant of Faith. Recognizing that life is a gift from God, each should strive to exercise stewardship of time, talents, mind, body, and financial resources.

Above all else, members are encouraged to spend their time on things that are good and deserve praise: things that are true, noble, right, pure, lovely, and honourable (Phil 4:8 NIV). Practices, which are known to be morally wrong by biblical teaching in the opinion of the Providence Board of Governors, are not acceptable for members of the Providence community. These include, but are not limited to, drunkenness (Eph 5:18), the use of slanderous, blasphemous, or profane language (Eph. 4:29, 5:4), adherence to or participation in sectarian and cult organizations and practices (Acts 19:19, Gal. 5:19), engaging in lying or deceptive behaviour, including plagiarism (Prov. 12:22, Col. 3:9, Eph. 4:28), support of or participation in abortions or abortion-related activities (Ex. 20:13, Ps. 139:13–16), and the use of pornography in any form (1Cor. 6:12–20, Eph. 4:17–24, 1Thess. 4:3–8). An attitude of respect, dignity, and love is expected to be shown to each person, regardless of age, race, gender, disability, or culture.

Members of the Providence community shall respect and observe biblical principles for marriage and sexual relationships as interpreted and understood by the Board of Governors of Providence. Informed by the Evangelical tradition, the Board interprets and understands these biblical principles to state that sexual intimacy takes place within the life-long covenant of marriage between one man and one woman (Genesis 2:23-24). All sexual conduct outside of this interpretation is dealt with under the instruction and discipline of the covenant community.

We recognize that while the Scriptures do not provide specific teaching regarding all social practices, they do advocate self-restraint in that which may be harmful to the community. For safety reasons and community well-being, alcoholic beverages and use of tobacco are not allowed on the Providence campus and its residences. All members of the Providence community are to refrain from use of alcoholic beverages and tobacco products in formal and informal institutional events.

All members of the Providence community are encouraged to carefully consider their own hearts and minds as well as the good of the community in their choices of passive or active forms of entertainment. Members of the community are encouraged to maintain the harmony and integrity of the institution by showing respect for the heritage of the school.

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Commitment

Members of the community agree to accept the responsibilities of membership in the Providence community. It is understood that the College and Seminary reserves the right to impose disciplinary sanctions in the case of failure to uphold either the Covenant of Community Life or the general College and Seminary rules and regulations as set forth in this document, the various handbooks (student, staff, faculty, Board of Governors), and the Campus Living Guide.

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