Cairn University is an evangelical Christan institution and community with sincerely and long-held religious beliefs based upon the Bible, and a conviction that Holy Scripture is true and authoritative to all of life and learning. The Cairn University Statement of Faith declares “the Bible to be the inspired, the only infallible, authoritative Word of God.” The integrity of biblical higher education institutions depends on consistent application of historically understood biblical truths to all areas of human life and experience. All members of the Cairn community are thereby obligated to affirm, agree with, and align with its foundational statements which are approved by the Board of Trustees and are integral to the manner in which the University maintains community and executes and fulfills its mission. Therefore, signing the Cairn University Foundational Statements indicates agreement and alignment with all of the following:

Mission Statement & Institutional Objectives

Statement of Faith

1. We believe that there is only one God, Creator of heaven and earth, who exists eternally in three equal persons – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
2. We believe that the Old and New Testament Scriptures are the inspired Word of God, written under the guidance of the Holy Spirit without error in the words of the original documents and providentially preserved as the supreme authority for faith and life.
3. We believe that human beings were specially created by God, as male and female, to be perfect bearers of His image, but that through sin they alienated themselves from Him. Consequently, they have inherited a nature incapable of pleasing God and have incurred the certainty of physical death and the prospect of eternal punishment.
4. We believe that Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of God and second person of the Godhead, is the Word made flesh. He was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary. He is therefore fully divine and fully human.
5. We believe that Jesus Christ, being without sin, died as the substitute for sinful humanity, and that His death is sufficient both to satisfy the justice of an offended holy God and to reconcile sinners to Him. We believe that Jesus Christ was raised from the dead bodily and ascended in that form into heaven, where He sits at the right hand of the Father and is presently interceding for His own as High Priest and Advocate.
6. We believe that sinners are justified by faith alone, forgiven, reconciled to God, kept by Him, and granted eternal life as a gift of His grace, which they receive by faith alone in the crucified and risen Savior, Jesus Christ. We believe that all who trust Him are born of the Holy Spirit and thereby become the children of God.
7. We believe that the Church is the body of Christ and consists solely of those who have trusted Jesus Christ for salvation. We believe that its members are indwelt by the Holy Spirit from the moment of conversion and are enabled by Him to glorify the Lord Jesus by living godly lives, strengthening one another, and making disciples throughout all nations.
8. We believe that Jesus Christ will return to the earth personally and physically to receive His people into His presence, to bring judgment on an unbelieving world, and to establish His sovereign rule of righteousness and peace over the earth. We believe His coming could occur at any time.
9. We believe that both believers and unbelievers will be raised from the dead bodily, believers to conscious eternal blessedness in God’s presence and unbelievers to conscious eternal punishment and separation from Him.

We believe that all human life is sacred and created by God in His image. Human life is of inestimable worth in all its dimensions, including pre-born babies, the aged, the physically or mentally challenged, and every other stage or condition from conception through death, and thus compels our respect and protection. (Genesis 1:27; 2:7; 9:6; Psalm 139:13-16; Jeremiah 1:4-5)

Human sexuality is fundamental to a biblical understanding of God’s created order and purpose, not merely biblical morality. Beginning with the Genesis account of creation and continuing consistently throughout the canon of Scripture, God’s intent and actions affirm His creation of humanity as two immutable and distinct biological sexes, male and female, which reflect the image and nature of God. (Genesis 1:27-28; 2:20-25; Mark 10:6)

Marriage is a God-ordained, unique, exclusive, and lifelong union between one man and one woman, within which sexual relations are honored and affirmed by God. All sexual relations outside of marriage differ from His design and are sinful and detrimental to human flourishing. (Genesis 2:20-25; I Thessalonians 4:3-8; Hebrews13:4)

Individual experiences regarding biological sex do not always reflect God’s original design. Adoption of an identity discordant with one’s biological sex differs from His design and is sinful and detrimental to human flourishing. (Deuteronomy 22:5; Romans 1:24-27; I Corinthians 6:9-11)

Since all human beings are created in God’s image, all people stand as equals before God regardless of race, ethnicity, or sex and are to be viewed and treated as such. The identity, dignity, and value of persons must be separated from those actions identified as sinful in the Scriptures. Those whose beliefs, self-identification, and behaviors differ from biblical standards and teaching must be treated with grace and compassion. God embraces, forgives, and heals all people who are responding to His grace. (Psalm. 32, 51; 2 Timothy 2:24-26; I Peter 3:15; I John 1:9)

Community Life Covenant

Cairn is an academic community of Christian students, faculty, and staff. As such, and in keeping with the mission and vision of the University, members of the Cairn community are to exhibit biblical wisdom and Christian maturity regarding their personal conduct and behavior toward others. They should be sensitive regarding the testimony of their personal lives in representing the Lord Jesus Christ, His Church, and the University. Members of the University community should live according to 1 Corinthians 10:31: “Whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.”

Christian community involves covenantal responsibility and mutual obligation to one another as members of one body living together before a righteous and holy God. Therefore, members of the University community are to be guided by biblical admonitions to demonstrate Christian love and concern for others, honesty, fairness, justice, kindness, forgiveness, mutual edification, self-control, deference, respect, and social responsibility toward one another and all people regardless of race, ethnicity, or sex as divine image bearers. (Prov. 27:17: John 15:12-13; 1Cor. 24b-26)

Because Christian community exists in social and cultural context, members must be careful to demonstrate civility and respect for those with whom they disagree, while exercising wisdom in evaluating the ideas and activities of others. Christians living in harmony share a deep concern for the Body of Christ, defer to one another, reason together, and express genuine Christian love, as outlined in Romans chapter fourteen. (Rom. 14:17-18)