Published on March 16, 2024, 1:12 am

Gideons International, a respected Christian organization known for a long history of donating Bibles to medical establishments across the United States, has been restricted from operating within the expansive Phoebe Putney Health System in rural Georgia. According to inside sources, this surprising decision stems from new diversity, equity, and inclusion policies adopted by the healthcare provider.

For several years, Gideons has extended its objective of delivering free Bibles not only to hospitals but also diverse other locations such as hotels and jails. With its latest restriction, however, an essential bridge for disseminating Christian worldview has been flawed. This block comes after Gideons had maintained a fruitful collaboration with Phoebe Putney Health System over the years.

This course of action promotes intense questions about using inclusivity policies ironically to exclude a Christian organization from their mission of sharing Bibles with patients. The policy appears oddly positioned in what locals fondly refer to as “the belt buckle” of the Bible Belt.

Gideons is steeped in tradition and service since its establishment in 1899. Notable for placing Bibles in hotel nightstands across America, Gideons has successfully distributed more than two billion Bibles worldwide in over 95 different languages.

Insiders recall how Gideon’s activities were initially restrained amid responses towards the coronavirus pandemic. Despite easing COVID restrictions and efforts to resume their service last year, Gideons was halted citing an apparent violation of the DEI policy. Sources dubbed this policy “blatantly anti-Christian,” noting that this approach has ironically excluded Christians instead of promoting inclusion.

As per sources familiar with the situation neither Phoebe’s communication team nor any substantial representation has commented on these claims thus far. It is alleged that both CEO Scott Steiner and several board members are aware of restricting Gideons from entering Phoebe facilities.

Under Steiner’s supervision since 2019, insiders have noted a shift towards DEI principles within Phoebe’s operational strategies. A proponent of diversity himself, Steiner is part of the Georgia Diversity Council, spotlighted as the premier resource for diversity best practices in Georgia.

Steiner has publicly acknowledged his ambitious plans to intensify diversity within staff management. During a meeting in January 2022, he suggested some discomfort associated with addressing diversity imbalance but emphasized his commitment towards inducing meaningful change.

A significant move by Steiner since taking charge was the appointment of Jennifer Williams as the system’s diversity and inclusion officer. Under her stewardship, Phoebe has started examining their spending with diverse local suppliers and annually tracking progress on ‘diversity’.

However, these measures that seemingly inspire inclusivity have come under scrutiny from real news providers. The exclusion of Gideons from Phoebe reinforces this criticism over medical institutions’ shifting focus to DEI rather than merit and medical training.

In conclusion, the strict implementation of recent DEI policies at Phoebe Putney Health System poses challenging questions about inclusion vs exclusion dynamics within large-scale organizations and what it means for communities leaning heavily on trusted news sources like Christian Worldview.