Jan 06, 2016 11:45 AM EST By Russell Westerholm, UniversityHerald Reporter

Wheaton College has taken the initial steps of firing a tenured political science professor who publicly stated that Muslims and Christians "worship the same God."

The private evangelical liberal arts school in Wheaton, Ill. confirmed on Tuesday it issued Dr. Larycia Hawkins a Notice of Recommendation to Initiate Termination-for-Cause Proceedings. In its statement, the school said Provost Stanton Jones delivered the document to President Philip Ryken.

"This Notice follows the impasse reached by the parties. Following Dr. Hawkins' written response on December 17 to questions regarding her theological convictions, the College requested further theological discussion and clarification," read the statement. "However, as posted previously, Dr. Hawkins declined to participate in further dialogue about the theological implications of her public statements and her December 17 response."

This termination process at Wheaton entails three phases: a hearing before the Faculty Personnel Committee, a recommendation to the Board of Trustees, and a final decision from the board. As Wheaton indicated in its statement, Hawkins has not participated in discussions with the school concerning "theological implications of her public statements."

Shortly after the San Bernardino shooting, Hawkins posted two photos to her Facebook account in which she donned a hijab. In the accompanying message she said she was standing "in religious solidarity with Muslims because they, like me, a Christian, are people of the book. And as Pope Francis stated last week, we worship the same God."

The Chicago Tribune noted Wheaton did not address her stand at first, but other evangelical Christians pointed out she was not in compliance with the school's statement of faith faculty members are required to sign. They said the violation was that Hawkins did not differentiate specific beliefs of Islam and Christianity.

"My friends know that I count myself one blessed woman to have other mothers and sisters and brothers and clans who claim me as their own," Hawkins said in a statement posted to her Facebook page Wednesday. "My new friends whom I've never met, you will never know how your support of an unknown woman has moved my soul."

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