Biola’s dancing policy was formally discussed in a chapel sermon for the first time in 21 years Wednesday. During the sermon president Corey addressed AS’s recent request to permit on campus dancing.

Corey did not announce any definitive decisions about the issue, and gave no indication of what his final decision would be. Corey presented multiple sides of the dancing debate, often interspersing his points with humor. Near the beginning of his sermon he showed a picture of himself as a teenager posing in front of his car, dressed up in a tux before his first dance.

“I want to talk about dancing, not recommend a decision,” Corey said. “So if you got out of bed for that, it’s too late to leave.”

At the time of the last dance-centered sermon in 1988, the student contract was changed to allow students to dance off campus.

The topic of dancing was re-opened last year when AS executives drafted a request for a change in the Biola Student Handbook, which currently states that “no social dancing is permitted on campus at any time,” a rule that extends to those students who are studying abroad or on mission trips.

The requested changes are for “dances on campus or at Biola-sponsored events like the spring banquet off-campus,” said Brian Shook, assistant to the president. Corey presented the request to the 28-member Board of Trustees this past January after it was reviewed by both himself and Student Development. A small committee consisting of staff, faculty and board members formed to discuss this issue has held meetings throughout the year, with Wednesday’s message serving as a milestone on the path towards a final decision.

AS President Mark Heath was asked if the subject of dancing was important enough to merit a sermon in chapel:

“I think it’s appropriate … . Students have kind of been in waiting for a while, and this is I think Dr. Corey saying, ‘I know you’ve been waiting, and here’s some information. Your wait has not been in vain.’”

Ultimately, Corey will play a key role in the decision to accept, reject or revise the proposed policy, Shook said. Corey made it clear, however, that even if there is not a change in the policy, it is not because the Board of Trustees or Corey is closed-minded about the issue.

“I don’t equate dancing with sin, and neither does the Bible,” Corey said toward the beginning of chapel.

From the podium, Corey made the point that the opinions of graduates and “the broader Biola family” have to be considered in addition to current students’ feelings. He also sorted out the meaning of the community standards as a whole.

“Whatever happens to the dancing policy, the core of our community needs to be unchanged,” he said. “I don’t want you students to think about the contract as if it were some electric fence that marked the boundaries that you better not cross.”

Other private Christian universities such as Azusa Pacific do allow dancing on campus. Heath said that, while looking at what other universities are doing is “not insignificant,” it’s not crucial to the argument.

“This is about Biola and what Biola wants to do,” Heath said.