[I received a free electronic review copy of this book from Netgalley and Eerdmans in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.]
Summary and Review
The author lays out a bleak picture for Christian universities, citing the rise of the “nones” (those who claim no religious affiliation or practice) and questions of the value and cost of college among other factors. As someone working at a small Christian university, the only surprises were some of the statistics shared by the author. The realities themselves are quite familiar to me.
The tone of this can come across as antagonistic and perhaps defensive, at least at first. The author has served in a variety of Christian institutions of Higher Education and brings his personal and professional experiences with him – good and bad. But over the course of the book, the author seems less antagonistic and more prophetic, pleading with the powers that be in Christian Higher Ed to change course.
Hawthorne recommends things like:
- keeping focus on quality education and pedagogy with a Christian identity, remembering students are being prepared to engage the world, not just to get a job
- improving the partnership between faculty and administration, reshaping the business model away from a “church” or “factory” type to a “laboratory” type (This was my favorite chapter.)
- targeting potential students more broadly than just white evangelicals
- reimagining the roles of the Church and the University in relation to one another.
The book includes examples of cultural change regarding LGBTQ+ students, asserting there are many ways for schools to support their queer students without having to declare themselves “affirming” or running up against Church stances on homosexuality.
The shining stars for me in this challenging read are the imagined examples of two “fearless Christian universities” in the closing section. The descriptions were inspiring and both schools felt like places I would love to serve. There are plenty of links in the author’s citations which make this an appealing e-book read.
Overall, I felt this book was prophetic, but sadly like the prophets of the Old Testament who warned of impending exile but were largely ignored. I’m not sure many schools will have the courage to hear and respond. Still, if I had the resources, I would buy this for every member of our Board of Trustees and school administration, not to mention for faculty and staff. This would make for an excellent conversation starter for those who love Christian Higher Ed and are looking for encouragement and potential solutions. Highly recommend.
Rating: ♥♥♥♥*
*♥♥♥♥ = Great! Might re-read.