Pepperdine University: Professor Banished From Campus for Teaching About Black Jesus and Criticizing Colleagues

In May 2026, Pepperdine University imposed a 15-month ban from campus on Professor Christina Littlefield for teaching about a black Jesus in her Christianity and Culture course and criticizing colleagues who supported censoring an art exhibition as following the “fascist playbook.” The university faulted her teaching because it “made students feel uncomfortable” and her criticism for using “derogatory names toward colleagues in public settings.” On September 29, FIRE publicly called on Pepperdine to uphold its academic freedom policies, which protect professors' freedom to teach controversial material in the classroom and preclude punishment for speech subjectively deemed uncivil. Littlefield filed a faculty grievance challenging her punishment, and FIRE urged Pepperdine to reinstate her.