2nd Opinion: Survey’s implications for education

The new American Religious Identification Survey, sponsored by Trinity College, reveals interesting facts that could impact religiously affiliated American universities, including Baptist schools, in coming years.

The survey suggests the U.S. religious landscape is changing dramatically. First, American citizens embracing Christianity are now only 76 percent of the population compared to 86.2 percent in 1990. Second, an increasing number of Christians identify with no particular denomination; rather than being Catholic, Baptist, Presbyterian or Lutheran, many Christians now want to be referred to more generally as “Christian” or “Believer.” Third, non-Christian religions are growing too. Buddhism, Hinduism, Islam, Sikhism, Scientol-ogy, Daoism, spiritualism and other nontraditional religions have more adherents today than in 1990. Fourth, Americans claiming no religious ties have grown more than any other group surveyed. What the survey calls “Nones”—atheists, agnostics, humanists, secularists—now comprise 15 percent of the American public, up from 8.2 percent in 1990.

All of this suggests the Christian population in America is shrinking—percentagewise at least—while non-Christian groups are growing. These changing demographics provide an opportunity to reflect on how Baptist universities might be affected, especially if these surprising trends continue.

If Christianity is in decline in our nation, the obvious conclusion is that fewer students might seek a Christian education. Consequently, not only might the number of colleges and universities that define themselves as Christian decline, but those that remain Christian might experience dramatic drops in enrollment. We might see a new wave of universities turning away from their Christian beginnings, much like Harvard, Yale, Columbia and Princeton did in the 19th century.

Looking at it in another way, however, the new trends might be an opportunity for Christian universities to flourish.

If our culture increasingly turns away from its Christian heritage, Christians might increasingly seek “safe havens”—Christian universities—where they can pursue higher education free from the assaults against their faith that seem now to be on the rise. Why not see this as an opportunity for Baptist universities across America to deepen their Christian commitment, despite the fact the percentage of Christians—and Baptists too—is shrinking? (For example, only 20 percent of Texans are now Baptists, down from 32 percent in 1990.)

Baptist universities, deeply committed to their Baptist and Christian heritage, might increasingly attract Christian students from many backgrounds. Moreover, most of these universities, as part of their Christian mission, have opened their doors to non-Christian students, and there is no reason why Baptists would want to retreat from this commitment. In sum, the opportunities to help Christian students mature in faith and to introduce other students to the Christian faith should increase in the days and years ahead.

Second Timothy 4:3-4 predicts a time when many people “will not endure sound doctrine” and “will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance with their own desires.” Perhaps these days are now upon us as never before. In the next verse, the Apostle Paul tells us to “endure hardship” and to “fulfill your ministry.”

Baptist universities should strive diligently to fulfill these directives faithfully. The result can be a prosperous set of Baptist universities that, in the years ahead, will provide a much-needed Christian education for considerably more—not fewer—students whom God brings their way.

Derek Davis is dean of the Graduate School and dean of the College of Humanities at the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor.