The Fearless Christian University

An emboldened vision for Christian higher education

What is Christian higher education, and what makes it distinctive? Sociologist and educator John Hawthorne laments the fact that fear has become a defining characteristic of many Christian universities today: fear of mission drift, public relations crises, demographic change, culture wars, and more. Hawthorne argues that when colleges focus their energies on such concerns, they fail to prepare students for constructive lives in a post-Christian society. Proposing a dramatically different vision, Hawthorne argues that the long-term success of today’s Christian university rests upon its ability to be fearless. He encourages Christian schools to center student questions and experiences, to pursue research that meets real needs in the church and society, and to participate boldly in their cultural contexts.

Hawthorne’s proposal draws on his decades of experience as a scholar and practitioner of Christian higher education, combining insights from administration and teaching roles in five different Christian universities with historical and sociological literature on conservative evangelicals and their institution building. The Fearless Christian University is essential reading for faculty, administrators, trustees, donors, and alumni and offers a clarion call to all who care about the future of Christian higher education.