Looking for god in the university: examining trends in Christian higher education

• Published in: Higher education Vol. 61; no. 6; pp. 721 - 755
• Main Authors: Glanzer, Perry L, Carpenter, Joel A, Lantinga, Nick
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Dordrecht Springer 01.06.2011; Springer Netherlands; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Africa; African Christianity; Book publishing; Canada; Catholic schools; Christianity; Christians; Colleges; Colleges & universities; Colleges and universities; Eastern Europe; Education; Educational Finance; Educational Trends; Forecasts and trends; Foreign Countries; God; God (Judeo-Christian); Higher Education; Hochschule; Identity; Kirche; Latin America; Literature reviews; Naming; New York; Orthodox Church; Polls & surveys; Privatization; Protestantism; Religion; Religionswissenschaft; Religious Colleges; Religious Education; Religious Factors; Religious schools; School Size; Secularism; Secularization; Sociology; Subcultures; Surveys; Trend Analysis; Trends; U.S.A; United Kingdom; United States; Universities; URLs; Wissenschaft; New York; United Kingdom; Eastern Europe; Africa; Latin America; Grand Rapids Michigan; United States > US; Baltimore Maryland; Christian; Higher education; Privatization; Global; International
• ISSN: 0018-1560; 1573-174X
• DOI: 10.1007/s10734-010-9359-x

Amid the many recent treatments of the global growth of both Christianity and higher education, little to no attention has been given to distinctly Christian higher education. The survey reported in this essay uses an understanding of Christian education developed from analytical work by Robert Benne to examine the number and nature of colleges and universities that retain and nurture a distinct Christian identity. The results indicate that Christian higher education continues to expand throughout the world, challenging the assumed linear trend toward secularization. This paper focuses upon the results of our survey in countries beyond Canada and the United States where most of the recent growth is occurring. We found a total 579 institutions outside of these areas. When we analyzed the origins, denomination, size, funding, and areas of study of these institutions we found some unique patterns that shed light upon the group as a whole and how they relate to larger trends within higher education.