Christian Universities in Historical Perspective

Adrian, William

doi:10.1080/15363750302205

Cited by 9 publications

(20 citation statements)

References 13 publications

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“…In those days there was tension between the two as universities sought for truth as well as the freedom to carry out that search (Adrian, 2003).…”

Section: Historical Overviewmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The earliest American collegesHarvard in Massachusetts, William and Mary in Virginia, and Yale in Connecticut-were all established by Protestant churches, although tied to civil government (Geiger, 1992). All three were founded to train ministers and help build a Christian civilization (Adrian, 2003). Princeton, Chicago, and Duke are additional examples of early universities that emerged from Protestant denominations.…”

Section: Historical Overviewmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Over the ensuing centuries universities continued to adapt and evolve. During the Reformation, Protestant traditions established universities that depended on the Bible as the foundation for the educational experience (Adrian, 2003). The earliest American collegesHarvard in Massachusetts, William and Mary in Virginia, and Yale in Connecticut-were all established by Protestant churches, although tied to civil government (Geiger, 1992).…”

Section: Historical Overviewmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The largest category is composed of church-related institutions such as Harvard, Duke, or Chicago that retain only a historical connection to their original denomination (Garrison, 2010). The remaining three broad categories of religious institutions are (a) non-affirming institutions, those with a formal connection to a denomination but who pay little notice to religion; (b) defenders of the faith, a smaller group of primarily fundamental colleges closely tied to their denomination and perceived as opposed to current intellectual thinking; and (c) free Christian colleges, the smallest group, who attempt to integrate faith and learning while holding tight to Christianity (Adrian, 2003).…”

Section: Defining the Christian Universitymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Their theory, known as institutional isomorphism, suggests that external pressures from a variety of sources, including regulators, other institutions, and professional associations, steadily push organizations to resemble one another. Over time, the majority of American colleges and universities originally founded as Christian institutions have become essentially secular in nature (Adrian, 2003;Benne, 2001). The purpose of the research is to explore how isomorphic forces continue to interact and shape perspectives at Christian universities in the wake of Obergefell v. Hodges.…”

Section: Purpose Of the Researchmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Withstand or succumb : Christian universities and the implications of Obergefell v. Hodges

Pickering¹

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Most Christian universities support a traditional view of human sexuality. It is uncertain if they can survive with their religious identity intact, given the rapid increase in societal acceptance of same-sex marriage. The 2015 Obergefell v. Hodges decision legalizing same-sex marriage increases pressure to be more affirming. Thirty-four presidents at universities in the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities (CCCU) participated in a survey, and twelve were interviewed to explore their perceptions regarding that pressure and potential responses. The study was framed by institutional isomorphism theory, and data were analyzed using basic qualitative research methods. The results show that coercive isomorphism is the strongest mechanism, with current pressure to conform emanating from state and federal government.Regional variance is considerable as institutions in the South report little pressure while those in blue states like California report strong local pressure. It is experienced in actual or implied threats to remove student access to state and federal financial aid and eliminate tax-exempt status at universities that discriminate based on sexual orientation. Liberal voices within the Church, accrediting agencies, LGBT advocacy groups, and changing student values are other sources of pressure. Universities seek compromise solutions but are prepared to mount a legal challenge based on the Free Exercise Clause of the First Amendment. They are not prepared to deal with changing student values, the strongest long-term source of pressure. To withstand pressure to conform, Christian universities must craft a unified response; find alternative sources of funding; engage and educate their boards; and find a way to assure young people that it is possible to be kind and loving while holding non-affirming policies related to same-sex marriage.

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“…In those days there was tension between the two as universities sought for truth as well as the freedom to carry out that search (Adrian, 2003).…”

Section: Historical Overviewmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Historical Overviewmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Historical Overviewmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Defining the Christian Universitymentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Purpose Of the Researchmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 3 more Smart Citations

Withstand or succumb : Christian universities and the implications of Obergefell v. Hodges

Pickering¹

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“Careful with your ‘We’”: Worldview minority faculty at sectarian institutions.

Foste¹,

Staples²,

Fisher³

et al. 2023

Journal of Diversity in Higher Education

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The United States' higher education landscape includes over 600 colleges and universities affiliated with a Christian denomination. Many of these institutions employ faculty whose worldview identities depart from the Christian ethos of the campus. The present study draws on case study data to examine how worldview minority faculty members make sense of the climate for religious and spiritual diversity at church-affiliated colleges and universities. Findings illuminate how worldview minority faculty members navigate tensions between their identities and church-affiliated institutional contexts. We use the concepts of worldview climate and identity taxation to explore the ways in which these faculty distinctively support worldview minority students in both official and unofficial capacities, and the important role these faculty play in advocating for nondominant perspectives on campus.

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“A Question Everybody Danced Around”: Gay Men Making Sense of Their Identities in Christian Colleges

Bailey

Strunk

2018

Educational Studies

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Despite broader social changes in attitudes and policies regarding LGBTQ people, the space available for gay students to develop and express their identities in Christian colleges provides only limited and fleeting relief because of the culture of heteronormativity central to their history and identity. Yet, in an era of enrollment competition in higher education, Christian colleges must navigate their traditional mission to preserve and advance the faith, changing cultural attitudes regarding LBGTQ people, and the financial realities facing contemporary institutions. This paper draws from interviews with men who attended Christian colleges. First, we present their narratives to render the presence of LGBTQ people visible in these sites. Secondly, we seek to understand how these men made sense of their sexualities within educational cultures saturated with retention imperatives, institutional surveillance, and denominational ambivalence or hostility about LGBTQ persons. The men's narratives highlight the challenges they faced as "unfit subjects" (Pillow, 2004), their absorption of normative constructions of gender and sexuality governing their educational context, and the need for Christian colleges to better serve their gay students of faith.

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Christian Universities in Historical Perspective

Cited by 9 publications

References 13 publications

Withstand or succumb : Christian universities and the implications of Obergefell v. Hodges

Withstand or succumb : Christian universities and the implications of Obergefell v. Hodges

“Careful with your ‘We’”: Worldview minority faculty at sectarian institutions.

“A Question Everybody Danced Around”: Gay Men Making Sense of Their Identities in Christian Colleges

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