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TRACKING GLOBAL CHRISTIAN HIGHER EDUCATION Perry L. Glanzer, Baylor University Joel C. Carpenter, Calvin College Nick Lantinga, IAPCHE & Susheila Williams, Bishop Appasamy College. The Aim of this Presentation.
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TRACKING GLOBALCHRISTIAN HIGHER EDUCATIONPerry L. Glanzer, Baylor University Joel C. Carpenter, Calvin CollegeNick Lantinga, IAPCHE & Susheila Williams, Bishop Appasamy College
The Aim of this Presentation • To present the findings from our efforts to compile the first global database of Christian higher education institutions. • To suggest some trends in global Christian higher education based on our findings.
Initial Framework • Secularization and nationalization of Christian higher education occurred at a global level (Arthur 2006). • Latin America: University of Mexico and University of San Marcos in Peru • Africa: Fourah Bay College and Gordon Memorial College • Asia: E.g., China: Yanjing University in Beijing, St Johns University in Shanghai, Jinling University in Nanjing • However, the secularization of higher education has proven uneven and sporadic. In addition, the factors driving secularization prove more complex than the original theories suggest (Smith 2003; Arthur 2006, Glanzer 2010).
Initial Framework • Based on preliminary findings predictions of the decline and demise of religious colleges have generally been proven false. The growth and creation of religious colleges in North America and around the world continues (Arthur 2006; Carpenter 2006; Ringenberg 2006). • Little scholarly attention has been given to the worldwide growth of Christian higher education. • A database of Christian institutions of higher education is needed to further knowledge ofglobal Christian higher education.
Our Method: Defining “Christian” • Excluded Secularized Church-Related Institutions • No attempt to link the religious identity to the mission (e.g., Wake Forest University) • Identification with Christianity is merely historical (e.g., Princeton) • State-funded schools with church-related theology departments (e.g., many European U’s) • Used Benne’s Typology (2001) to distinguish between church-related schools that see the “Christian vision as the organizing paradigm” and church-related schools that use “secular sources as the organizing paradigm”
Criteria for Deciding Borderline Cases 1. Institutional mission and identity descriptions 2. Marketing 3. Public rhetoric from the President 4. Required Bible or Theology courses (as opposed to general religion courses) 5. University sponsored Christian worship 6. Distinctive moral expectations for students 7. Some effort to hire Christian staff and faculty.
Definition of “College” or “University” • Institutions that are the equivalent of Carnegie classification baccalaureate colleges, master’s colleges and universities, and doctoral-granting universities. • Did not include special focus institutions, such as seminaries, teachers colleges or schools of engineering and technology or associate’s colleges. • They must offer majors in at least two distinct areas of study beyond those related to church vocations (e.g., theology, Biblical studies, church music, and Christian/Church education).
Definition of “College” or “University” • Did not include colleges within universities that only refer to disciplinary units (e.g., college of arts and sciences) or residential colleges • We did include colleges that exist in affiliation with larger universities and come under that university’s jurisdiction (e.g., certain institutions in the UK and India).
METHOD • Gathered basic data using various web sites. • 1) year began, 2) denominational affiliation, 3) mission statement; 4) enrollment, 5) courses of study and degree programs, 6) language of instruction, 7) financial sources (e.g., private, government, etc.), and 8) Christian college organizational partnerships • Administered an e-mail survey that confirmed the data’s accuracy and asked two broader questions: • Please describe how the Christian identity of your university influences its perspectives and practices. • In what ways do you expect the faculty and students of your institution to participate in its Christian mission?
Results • For Full list of results and details about the institutions see: www.iapche.org and click “research”
FINDINGS • Over 1079 Christian higher education institutions. • 538 Catholic institutions • 526 Protestant institutions • 13 Eastern Orthodox institutions • 2 Syrian Church institutions
Secularization and Nationalization • Thirteen Catholic institutions started before 1700 still maintain their Catholic identity in some form. • All Christian institutions that originated between 1700 and 1850 in Europe and Latin America have secularized. • Hypothesis: This trend is largely due to the secularization of nation-states and national institutions of higher education that were previously religious • Thesecularization exception: Some Asian institutions have retained a Christian identity over time.
Uneven Developments • 1950-1969—A time of secularization for old U.S. and European institutions (e.g., Marsden 1994; Burtchaell 1998) • Yet, it was still a period of remarkable creativity in other regions • Asia: 112 new institutions • Latin America: 43 new institutions • North America: 51 new institutions • 1989-2009: The post-communist era • 86 new institutions created • 50 in Africa • 15 in Eastern Europe
The Resilience of Catholic Institutions • Catholic institutions are better able to sustain their religious identity over time (all 13 pre 1700 institutions are Catholic) • Likely due to: • centralized ecclesiastical authority • ability to act over and above political authorities • Creative role of religious orders
The Dearth of Eastern Orthodox Institutions Eastern Orthodox churches are less involved in higher education: Likely due to: History of separate institutions History of subservience to the state History of hostile rulers (e.g., Muslims, Communists) Views of science and the integration of faith and learning No religious orders See also Glanzer and Petrenko 2007
The Growth of Sectarian Protestant Institutions • Denominations with the largest number of Protestant institutions outside the U.S. and Canada have never been state-sponsored churches and tend to be more sectarian. • Seventh-Day Adventists (42) • Evangelicals (37) • Methodist/Wesleyan (22)
The State and Protestant Higher Ed • Hypothesis: State sponsorship inhibited the ability of Protestant churches to sustain the identity of their higher education institutions. • E.g., There are more Lutheran and Presbyterian institutions in Latin America than in Europe. • E.g., There are also more Anglican colleges engaged in overtly Christian higher education in Africa than in England.
Funding: State or Independent? • Many new Christian colleges in Africa, Asia and Europe are independently funded • E.g., Almost all African institutions are independently funded • E.g., Asia: 28 institutions in Japan; 16 in Indonesia; • E.g., Oceania: 43 in Philippines • Some exceptions: India and South Korea—mixed sources of funding
Funding: State or Independent? • Even European religious schools are largely privately funded: • 31 independently funded • 17 mixed sources of funding • 5 state funded • Overall, independent funding appears to beclosely linked with maintaining the religious identity of Christian colleges and universities (e.g., Catholic University of Lublin).
Old and New Trends • Old trend that still continues: • Colleges began as missionary endeavors or Bible schools • They later expanded their programs • New trend: • Colleges began as professional or technical schools • Expand their offerings • Fewer Christian institutions operate as traditional universities
Possible Areas for Future Research • Expand database to include all religious colleges worldwide • Study rate of secularization compared to rate of creation of new religious colleges • Explore country, region or time-specific factors that lead to secularization or growth • Is there a global surge in religious higher education? (e.g., the growth of Muslim institutions in Africa and Russia)
