A Most Thoughtful Discussion On Christianity In The Academy

OS is an unabashed Christian. If forced to absolutely declare which flavor of Christianity he would be forced to adhere to for the remainder of his days, he would probably opt for a Protestant stance based upon the Apostle's Creed and Westminster or Augsburg Confessions. But he was raised old-school Baptist, and there is something about that wonderful tradition that settles in the bones.

He is an uncomfortable Christian in his current existence within US culture. It's a looong story, that can't yet be told without violating the privacy of a lot of folks, so someday...

In any case, here is a thoughtful discussion found on Inside Higher Education about the experience of Christian adherents in academe. There are no real heroes and villains here--examples of bad behavior are cited from several directions, and the tone is thoughtful and kind, which is a welcome relief from the normal clamor.

Both authors have great credentials, and write well, so it's well worth the time devoted. They give a good snapshot of what's happening in the US culture.

First, from Timothy Larsen of Wheaton College in Chicago, 'No Christianity, Please'.

He relates a story of a student who was academically thrashed by a professor for expressing his Christian views; and how his own work was trashed, not for content, but for his Christian world-view.

In response, Adam Kotsko, now teaching at Kalamazoo College, offers thoughtful words, and OS will share a few of them here, in hopes that you will read both essays.

On every front, the conservative evangelical community perceives itself to be under siege, particularly its children, since indoctrinating children in secular ideology is the most effective means of undercutting Christianity. Education has therefore always been a particular flashpoint, as the recurring debates over school prayer and the teaching of evolution illustrate. Believing that evangelical students are under continual attack, conservative evangelical leaders encourage them to boldly defend themselves whenever possible. Overall, the attitude their most prominent leaders promote in conservative evangelical students is a combination of extreme paranoia and defiance (conceived as self-defense).

Conservative evangelicals as a group, therefore, are not just one among many excluded groups. Rather, they are sui generis insofar as they have constantly been encouraged, from a very young age, to expect and create conflict in the classroom.

I should say immediately that not all conservative evangelicals take such extreme views seriously. My own parents, pastors, and youth leaders, for example, had fairly sensible views — certainly they were more conservative than I have wound up being, but they were fundamentally reasonable. However, in their desire to provide young people with wholesome, Christian edification, they gave credence to leaders and, much more insidiously in my opinion, to "Christian contemporary" pop groups whose members espoused views much more extreme and militant than they themselves would have been comfortable teaching their children.

That final paragraph is especially cogent. The 'Christian Media Industry', especially the part that produces music and recordings, has done great harm to Christendom, and has a lot of 'splainin' to do, Lucy. (As one wag put it: The Christian Music Industry--not Christian, not an industry, and certainly not music.)

Both articles well worth the ten minutes spent to be read in tandem. If you read from overseas, it will be especially helpful as a window into the present US culture.