christian higher education analysis

8/14/2019 Christian Higher Education Analysis

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The Continuing Crisis inThe Continuing Crisis in

Christian Higher EducationChristian Higher Education

An Examination of the Ability of ChristianColleges and Universities to Compete in

the Academic Marketplace and Impact theCulture


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Faith and Learning OnceFaith and Learning OnceConnectedConnected

European originsEuropean origins

The American experienceThe American experience


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How the Divorce HappenedHow the Divorce Happened

The two spheres illusionThe two spheres illusion

Church outbid by secular donorsChurch outbid by secular donors


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The Great Mistake:The Great Mistake:Education is Not a CommodityEducation is Not a Commodity

Christian education is not:Christian education is not:

mere nicenessmere niceness

public education plus chapelpublic education plus chapel

best practicesbest practices

Christian education involves a relationshipChristian education involves a relationship

between faith and learningbetween faith and learning


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The Buckley Example

God and Man at Yalecontroversy in 1951

Yale defended itself Contrast Yale today.

No defense or

defensiveness atbeing calledunChristian.


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The Secular Revolution

Christian Smiths thesis:Secularists movedAmerican higher ed.

The Carnegie professorspension fundexample: Buying

churches away fromdenominations


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The Heritage of SecularizationThe Heritage of Secularization

EvictionEviction

MarginalizationMarginalization Lack of resourcesLack of resources


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9/21

Levels of UniversitiesLevels of Universities

Premier and Virtually UnlimitedPremier and Virtually Unlimited

Premier, ComprehensivePremier, Comprehensive

Comprehensive, NationalComprehensive, National

Premier Liberal ArtsPremier Liberal Arts

National Liberal ArtsNational Liberal Arts Regional, Masters-GrantingRegional, Masters-Granting


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Premier, Virtually Unlimited

Examples include Harvard ($35b),Yale ($23b), Princeton ($16b),MIT ($10b)

Scholarships at will Elite student body

Train Ph.D.s and professionals inlarge numbers

Teaching load 2:1 or less

Finest scholarly publications


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Premier, Comprehensive

Examples include University of Chicago($6.2b), Emory University ($5.6b),Rice University ($4.7b)

Broad scholarship funding

Elite student body

Train large numbers of Ph.D.s andprofessionals

Teaching load 2:1 or less.

Some scholarly publications are toplevel


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Comprehensive, National

Examples include Michigan State Univ.($1.2b + state $)University of Florida($1.2b + state $), University ofDelaware ($1.4b + state $), Baylor

Univ. ($1.0b). Some scholarship funding, often with

major state tuition subsidies if public.

Competitive, large student body

Train large numbers of Ph.D.s andprofessionals

Teaching load 2:2

Some scholarly publications are strong


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Premier Liberal Arts

Examples include Williams College($1.9b), Grinnell College ($1.7b),Amherst College ($1.7b).

Heavy Scholarships (replace loanswith grants)

Elite student body

Wide range of undergraduate

programs, well-funded Teaching load 2:1

Pipeline to the Premier, Unlimiteds


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National Liberal Arts

Examples include: Berry College($683m), Furman ($545m),Wheaton ($363m), Calvin

($99m). Some tuition dependency

Near-elite student body

Good range of undergraduate

programs

Teaching load 3:3

No strong scholarly journals


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Regional, Masters Granting

Examples include: HoustonBaptist University ($85m), Biola($54m), Azusa Pacific ($36m),Seattle Pacific ($47m),

Westmont ($80m). Heavily tuition dependent

Virtually no Ph.D. or professionalschools

Teaching load 4:4

Rare to host scholarly journals,almost never of high rank


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Where We Are

Regional

Undergraduate

Tuition dependent

Localized in influence

Heavy teaching loads limit facultycontribution

Best faculty leave

Virtually no training of Ph.D.s


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Education

Education with formation

Professional education

Strong scholarship capability

Research and publication

Full range of undergrad programs

Doctoral programs

Formulation of social and

scientific knowledge

Levels of Higher Educational Impact


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The Price of Limited VisionThe Price of Limited Vision

Graduate students not trainedGraduate students not trained

Seminars not heldSeminars not held

Doctoral degrees not conferredDoctoral degrees not conferred

Conferences not convenedConferences not convened Journal articles not writtenJournal articles not written

Cultural presence not establishedCultural presence not established

Inability to address scientific controversiesInability to address scientific controversies

academicallyacademically Inability to establish social knowledgeInability to establish social knowledge

Perpetuation of perception of faith and reason asPerpetuation of perception of faith and reason asseparate realmsseparate realms


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What Is Needed?

Someone to take up the banner of the unaccomplishedmission of Billy Graham and Carl F. H. Henry.

A comprehensive, Christian university that takes theconfession of Christs Lordship seriously


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What Is a ComprehensiveWhat Is a ComprehensiveUniversity?University?

Full range of programmingFull range of programming

Moving toward tuition independenceMoving toward tuition independence

Strong power to scholarshipStrong power to scholarship

Very strong student bodyVery strong student body

Publishing facultyPublishing faculty

Scholarly journalsScholarly journals

Broad cultural impact including scientificBroad cultural impact including scientificthoughtthought


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Why Should We Focus on HigherWhy Should We Focus on HigherEducation?Education?

Incredibly strategic time of decision forIncredibly strategic time of decision for

studentsstudents Church participationChurch participation

MarriageMarriage

VotingVoting

VocationVocation

Philosophy of lifePhilosophy of life

MentorsMentors

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