The patriarch of the Jonas Brothers’ family is partnering with a conservative Christian university in Virginia to start a new music center for evangelical college students.
Jonas, who launched the Jonas Brothers’ music careers in 2005, was once a Christian music artist himself and was a pastor of an Assemblies of God church in Wyckoff, New Jersey. The three brothers were raised in the Pentecostal Christian tradition, wore purity rings and took an abstinence pledge when they were younger.
Kevin Jonas Sr. (second from left) poses with the Jonas Brothers and their younger sibling Frankie Jonas at the Nickelodeon's Kids' Choice Awards on March 28, 2009 in Westwood, California. (Photo: Kevin Mazur via Getty Images)
Liberty University, one of the largest Christian universities in the country, was founded in the 1970s by Jerry Falwell Sr., a fundamentalist preacher who led the Moral Majority movement of the 1970s and 1980s. Its current president, Jerry Falwell Jr., is a longtime, loyal supporter of President Donald Trump who has often stepped in to defend the president’s controversial behavior and statements.
Last year, Liberty University cinema students and faculty helped film and produce “The Trump Prophecy,” a movie that promotes the belief that Trump was specially chosen by God to help create a more Christian nation.
As a private faith-based institution, the university explicitly maintains the right to discriminate against potential and current employees based on its conservative religious beliefs. The school also holds students to a strict honor code. One recent Liberty graduate who is queer reports that the campus is “not a safe space for LGBTQ students.”
Liberty University students wear homemade T-shirts spelling "TRUMP" while waiting for the arrival of then-candidate Donald Trump during a campaign rally at Liberty University on Jan. 18, 2016, in Lynchburg, Virginia. (Photo: Chip Somodevilla via Getty Images)
The university’s new music center, named the Michael W. Smith Center for Commercial Music after the popular Christian musician who will serve as its director, will be opening this fall. Liberty University is also planning to launch a record label to attract new and already successful artists.
Al Denson, Liberty’s commercial music industry liaison and a former Christian recording artist, sees Jonas as a crucial link between the Christian music industry and more mainstream pop music.
“Kevin has the most integrity of anyone I know on the pop side of music,” Denson said in a press statement from June. “He’s going to give us depth into a market where we’ve never been; he has relationships with people who can be a Christian but still be on the pop side; he’s a liaison to the other side of the coin.”
FIJI Water At Lacoste L!VE Coachella Desert Pool Party - Day 1
PALM SPRINGS, CA - APRIL 13: Musicians Nick Jonas (L) and Joe Jonas of the Jonas Brothers attend the FIJI Water At Lacoste L!VE Coachella Desert Pool Party on April 13, 2013 in Palm Springs, California. (Photo by Imeh Akpanudosen/Getty Images for FIJI)
Jonas Brothers
The Jonas Brothers, perform at the Vina del Mar International Song Festival in Vina del Mar, Chile, Tuesday, Feb. 26, 2013. Believed to be one of the largest musical events in Latin America, the annual 5-day festival was inaugurated in 1960. (AP Photo/Luis Hidalgo)
Jonas Brothers
The Jonas Brothers, from left to right Nick, Joe and Kevin, perform at the Vina del Mar International Song Festival in Vina del Mar, Chile, Tuesday, Feb. 26, 2013. Believed to be one of the largest musical events in Latin America, the annual 5-day festival was inaugurated in 1960. (AP Photo/Luis Hidalgo)
Jonas Brothers
Joe Jonas, member of the band Jonas Brothers, performs at the Vina del Mar International Song Festival in Vina del Mar, Chile, Tuesday, Feb. 26, 2013. Believed to be one of the largest musical events in Latin America, the annual 5-day festival was inaugurated in 1960. (AP Photo/Luis Hidalgo)
Kevin Jonas
Kevin Jonas, member of the band Jonas Brothers, performs at the Vina del Mar International Song Festival in Vina del Mar, Chile, Tuesday, Feb. 26, 2013. Believed to be one of the largest musical events in Latin America, the annual 5-day festival was inaugurated in 1960. (AP Photo/Luis Hidalgo)
Nick Jonas
Nick Jonas, member of the band Jonas Brothers, performs at the Vina del Mar International Song Festival in Vina del Mar, Chile, Tuesday, Feb. 26, 2013. Believed to be one of the largest musical events in Latin America, the annual 5-day festival was inaugurated in 1960. (AP Photo/Luis Hidalgo)
CHILE-VINA SONG FESTIVAL-JONAS
Joe, and Kevin Jonas (R) of the American pop rock band Jonas Brothers perform during the 54th Vina del Mar International Song Festival on February 26, 2013 in Vina del Mar, Chile. AFP PHOTO/MARTIN BERNETTI (Photo credit should read MARTIN BERNETTI/AFP/Getty Images)
Jonas Brothers Surprise Inner City School - Launch We Day Minnesota
MINNEAPOLIS, MN - FEBRUARY 06: Nick Jonas of the musical trio the Jonas Brothers shakes hands with Siddartha Paari after surprising 600 students at Minneapolis Patrick Henry High School to launch 'We Day' on February 6, 2013 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Adam Bettcher/Getty Images for Free The Children)
Jonas Brothers Surprise Inner City School - Launch We Day Minnesota
MINNEAPOLIS, MN - FEBRUARY 06: (L-R) Joe Jonas, Kevin Jonas and Nick Jonas of the musical trio the Jonas Brothers surprise 600 students at Minneapolis Patrick Henry High School to launch 'We Day' on February 6, 2013 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Adam Bettcher/Getty Images for Free The Children)
KIIS FM's 2012 Jingle Ball - Night 1 - Show
LOS ANGELES, CA - DECEMBER 01: Musician Kevin Jonas of the Jonas Brothers performs onstage during KIIS FM's 2012 Jingle Ball at Nokia Theatre L.A. Live on December 1, 2012 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Christopher Polk/Getty Images for Clear Channel)
Jonas Brothers Surprise Inner City School - Launch We Day Minnesota
MINNEAPOLIS, MN - FEBRUARY 06: (L-R) Joe Jonas, Kevin Jonas and Nick Jonas of the musical trio the Jonas Brothers surprise 600 students at Minneapolis Patrick Henry High School to launch 'We Day' on February 6, 2013 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Adam Bettcher/Getty Images for Free The Children)
KIIS FM's 2012 Jingle Ball - Night 1 - Show
LOS ANGELES, CA - DECEMBER 01: (L-R) Musicians Nick Jonas, Joe Jonas, and Kevin Jonas of The Jonas Brothers perform onstage during KIIS FM's 2012 Jingle Ball at Nokia Theatre L.A. Live on December 1, 2012 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Christopher Polk/Getty Images for Clear Channel)
KIIS FM's 2012 Jingle Ball - Night 1 - Show
LOS ANGELES, CA - DECEMBER 01: Singer Joe Jonas of the Jonas Brothers performs onstage during KIIS FM's 2012 Jingle Ball at Nokia Theatre L.A. Live on December 1, 2012 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Christopher Polk/Getty Images for Clear Channel)
KIIS FM's 2012 Jingle Ball - Night 1 - Show
LOS ANGELES, CA - DECEMBER 01: Musicians Nick Jonas (L) and Joe Jonas of the Jonas Brothers perform onstage during KIIS FM's 2012 Jingle Ball at Nokia Theatre L.A. Live on December 1, 2012 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Christopher Polk/Getty Images for Clear Channel)
KIIS FM's 2012 Jingle Ball - Night 1 - Arrivals
LOS ANGELES, CA - DECEMBER 01: (L-R) Musicians Kevin Jonas, Joe Jonas and Nick Jonas of the Jonas Brothers attend KIIS FM's 2012 Jingle Ball at Nokia Theatre L.A. Live on December 1, 2012 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Imeh Akpanudosen/Getty Images)
KIIS FM's 2012 Jingle Ball - Night 1 - Show
LOS ANGELES, CA - DECEMBER 01: Musicians Nick Jonas (L) and Joe Jonas of the Jonas Brothers perform onstage during KIIS FM's 2012 Jingle Ball at Nokia Theatre L.A. Live on December 1, 2012 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Christopher Polk/Getty Images for Clear Channel)
KIIS FM's 2012 Jingle Ball - Night 1 - Show
LOS ANGELES, CA - DECEMBER 01: Musician Nick Jonas of the Jonas Brothers performs onstage during KIIS FM's 2012 Jingle Ball at Nokia Theatre L.A. Live on December 1, 2012 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Christopher Polk/Getty Images for Clear Channel)
KIIS FM's 2012 Jingle Ball - Night 1 - Show
LOS ANGELES, CA - DECEMBER 01: Musicians Joe Jonas (L) and Kevin Jonas of the Jonas Brothers performs onstage during KIIS FM's 2012 Jingle Ball at Nokia Theatre L.A. Live on December 1, 2012 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Christopher Polk/Getty Images for Clear Channel)
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