We have all seen the headlines and cringed at the sight of the chaos consuming our colleges and universities. No one should be surprised to find that the ferocity of this hostility is directed mainly toward Israel and Jewish people, Christians, and conservatives in general.
Anything that smacks of traditional thought has been ostracized in many places of higher learning—to the detriment of the educational process. No longer are our youth taught to think. Instead, they are being filled with platitudes, mysticism, narcissism and the “freedom” of deviant sex without responsibility.
Repeatedly, reporters asking simple questions on our campuses about history, civics and other basic categories of learning are met by an almost totally ignorant audience. The “mostly peaceful” rioters find it difficult to explain the logic behind their vehement words. As they shout, “from the river to the sea,” they cannot tell you which sea or which river or the meaning of the phrase.
How did we get to this point? The first culprit is greed. Money flows in from places like China and various Arab countries—many of them sworn enemies of our nation. This influx of money into our colleges often comes with strings attached that offer opportunities to steal our technology and, most important, to spread dissent and discord among the student body. In short, we have encouraged our enemies to nest in our living room, leading to an infestation of potential destruction.
Second, our universities have shifted away from dispensing a much-needed classical education toward providing instruction in nonessential and often nonsensical areas. An easier curriculum attracts tuition dollars and government assistance. Too many of the younger generation arrive at college poorly educated and leave having accomplished little more than running up a large student debt while often living a hedonistic lifestyle.
The problems are often exacerbated by boards of trustees who turn a blind eye. As long as the “perks” are there for the embedded beneficiaries of the debacle, there is not a great incentive to change.
However, we are now beginning to see some alumni groups and state governments voice concern about disruptions and squandered educational opportunities, along with the destruction of property on campuses. Though not necessarily sensitive to the plight of those in the crosshairs of the venom, they are at least concerned that the excesses of poor management have nearly bankrupted some private colleges and caused many state-supported schools to request larger subsidies of taxpayer dollars. There is also growing angst in the public as the current White House unilaterally forgives bloated student loans in a massive payout to the incompetence being festered on the nation’s campuses. In other words, the average taxpayer is having to pay the bill for the ineptitude and excesses of a system of elites that is in failure status.
Thankfully for Christian students and parents, there are some good alternatives that provide a quality education useful to both the student and society. These options also help to instill a transformative Christian faith in the lives of students, with an eye toward sending out ambassadors for Christ. In the face of criticism and sometimes governmental persecution, these bulwarks of faith-based education are marching strongly against destructive forces.
These true institutions of higher learning need the encouragement and support of Christians now more than ever. The cultural forces of Marxism and evil are lining up against them as we speak, utilizing various wedge issues like the ones embedded in the LGBTQ movement; so-called diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives; and socialism. The current administration in Washington is even using the carrot of federal funding to force every college to toe the line regarding mandates fostered within these anti-Christian paradigms.
Consequently, solid schools are being forced to choose between academic and athletic opportunities for their students and staying true to their core beliefs. In the realm of academics, veterans are now faced with losing their VA benefits if gay, lesbian and transgendered individuals are not hired at all levels of their preferred college. These funds can literally mean life and death to these veterans who have earned them. Veteran tuition benefits are a significant part of the life-sustaining flow of revenue necessary to keep the doors open in many schools.
What then can Christians do? The first answer is always to pray—without ceasing (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18). Second, we need to support quality Christian education with our money and time, and encourage our young people to seriously consider attending a school that is both decidedly Christian and academically sound. Third, churches and families need to prioritize the discipling of our young people in a full understanding of their faith before they leave for college so they can more readily recognize deception when confronted by it.
Finally, we need to be informed constituents in the political process. Not only should we determine to vote accordingly, but we should also vocally support candidates who are favorable to both commonsense secular higher education and to the principles of religious liberty in higher education and beyond. Our young people deserve our efforts to impact the world of higher education, and the fate of our nation may well depend on how we as Christians react to this crisis. ©2024 Phil Ginn
Phil Ginn is president of Southern Evangelical Seminary (SES.edu), in Charlotte, North Carolina. Previously, Ginn served as both a lawyer and a judge, retiring as senior resident superior judge for the 24th Judicial District in North Carolina.
Above: Demonstrators gather on the UCLA campus June 12.
Photo: Damian Dovarganes / AP