Christian apologist Frank Turek claims Baylor U 'did everything they could to shut down' outreach event

A planned campus event at a historically Baptist university in Texas featuring Christian apologists Frank Turek and Corey Miller has been postponed after organizers cited a sharp late increase in security costs and other restrictions.

Baylor’s chapter of Ratio Christi, a national Christian apologetics group, had scheduled the keynote for Oct. 5 in Waco Hall with Turek, founder of CrossExamined, and Miller, Ratio Christi’s CEO. The event was ultimately postponed over the weekend.

In a statement shared with CP, a Baylor spokesperson said: “The Ratio Christi fall event was postponed by the student organization due to security costs, which per Baylor University policy are the responsibility of the hosting organization.”

According to the university, Ratio Christi failed to submit required documentation for the event “on several occasions,” leading to the last-minute security estimate. 

“Upon receipt of the full security estimate, the student organization decided to postpone, rather than work with campus leaders to identify a different and possibly less expensive location,” the university said. “We understand this is a disappointing outcome for those who were scheduled to speak and attend, and campus leaders stand ready to support our Ratio Christi student leaders on another event in the future, provided appropriate information is shared in a timely manner.”

The event was also designated an “expressive activity,” which Baylor Student Activities defines as “any form of organized communication or conduct intended to convey ideas, perspectives, or information.” That classification restricted marketing, limited attendance primarily to the campus community, and imposed other procedural requirements. 

While a flyer for the event billed its focus on the questions “Is Christianity true? Is it good?” Turek’s association with Turning Point USA, which was also labeled as “expressive” for its own event at Baylor in April, may have resulted in a similar designation for the canceled appearance.

In an Oct. 9 episode of his “Cross Examined” podcast, the 64-year-old Turek detailed the sequence of obstacles as unprecedented in two decades of campus speaking. He said Baylor “did everything they could to shut down the event” and listed six barriers, including the fee increase, the expressive-activity label, and a ban on livestreaming. 

“In 20 years of going to college campuses, I’ve never experienced more pushback, more administrative roadblocks, and more last-minute changes that could be classified as extortion to thwart my presentation on the evidence for Christianity than we just experienced at Baylor University,” said Turek. “Yes, the Baylor University that advertises itself as a Christian school — a Baptist school.”

In what he described as an act that “could be interpreted as extortion,” Baylor officials at the last minute nearly tripled their security fee from $2,600 to $8,500 for the event, even though, he said, the official who issued the $8,500 invoice is on record stating that security fees “top out at $3,500.”

“Since we had a security team flying there on Sunday and the Baylor administration gave us no time to question, negotiate, or get clarification on any of this, they left us no choice but to cancel the event immediately,” he added. “We didn’t even know if they would take the room away from us at the last minute if we didn’t cough up almost $9,000.”

Turek contrasted Baylor’s treatment for his event with the university’s decision to initially accept a $643,000 grant to study LGBT-inclusion in churches before later returning the grant. 

“Their statement on human sexuality says this: ‘It is thus expected that Baylor students will not participate in advocacy groups which promote understandings of sexuality that are contrary to biblical teaching,’” he said. “Yet Baylor itself is inviting [LGBT-identified] speakers that are contrary to biblical teaching. Why are they doing this? They have this policy that’s consistent with the Bible, but then they ignore it when somebody political, quasi-political comes to town.”

The university drew criticism earlier this year after it approved an LGBT event headlined, “All Are Neighbors,” scheduled for the same day as a previously approved Turning Point USA rally on campus. 

Hosted by a coalition of five student organizations, the event was believed to be the first time Baylor has allowed an openly gay Christian advocacy speaker on campus for such an occasion.

In response, the Baptist General Convention of Texas (Texas Baptists) announced a formal review of its 140-year relationship with the university.