Comments on: Liberal Professors Dominate http://www.collegeministrythoughts.com/featured/liberal-professors-dominate/ College ministry thoughts is a blog with resources and information involving college outreach and college ministries. Fri, 23 Jul 2010 05:39:44 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: weekly review, nearly february already? edition « Exploring College Ministry blog (daily notes about our field) http://www.collegeministrythoughts.com/featured/liberal-professors-dominate/#comment-922 weekly review, nearly february already? edition « Exploring College Ministry blog (daily notes about our field) Sat, 30 Jan 2010 20:07:11 +0000 http://www.collegeministrythoughts.com/?p=1322#comment-922 [...] on college professors: A few sites examine recent studies about the ratio of liberals to conservatives in higher academia (and surprising reasons this might be the case): Scot McKnight at JesusCreed, Micheal Hickerson at The Emerging Scholars Blog, and Chuck Bomar at his blog. [...] [...] on college professors: A few sites examine recent studies about the ratio of liberals to conservatives in higher academia (and surprising reasons this might be the case): Scot McKnight at JesusCreed, Micheal Hickerson at The Emerging Scholars Blog, and Chuck Bomar at his blog. [...]

]]> By: Dale Thomas http://www.collegeministrythoughts.com/featured/liberal-professors-dominate/#comment-912 Dale Thomas Thu, 21 Jan 2010 18:30:50 +0000 http://www.collegeministrythoughts.com/?p=1322#comment-912 no prob chuck no prob chuck

]]> By: Timotheos http://www.collegeministrythoughts.com/featured/liberal-professors-dominate/#comment-910 Timotheos Thu, 21 Jan 2010 13:29:49 +0000 http://www.collegeministrythoughts.com/?p=1322#comment-910 I do think there is at least some significant movement in certain fields toward entering the academy. One evidence of this would be the growing number of Christian profs that are organized together at annual academic conferences. Also, it seems to me that many students now are beginning to better understand that they can live whole hog for God in a secular place, and not just think that vocational ministry is the way to go in order to impact the world for Jesus. I do think there is at least some significant movement in certain fields toward entering the academy. One evidence of this would be the growing number of Christian profs that are organized together at annual academic conferences. Also, it seems to me that many students now are beginning to better understand that they can live whole hog for God in a secular place, and not just think that vocational ministry is the way to go in order to impact the world for Jesus.

]]> By: Chuck http://www.collegeministrythoughts.com/featured/liberal-professors-dominate/#comment-909 Chuck Wed, 20 Jan 2010 21:55:08 +0000 http://www.collegeministrythoughts.com/?p=1322#comment-909 timotheos, like you i have have become aware of more believing professors. but i don't know if that's because there's a movement toward that or if i'm just getting older, and more familiar with others. do you really feel like there's a movement out there? timotheos, like you i have have become aware of more believing professors. but i don’t know if that’s because there’s a movement toward that or if i’m just getting older, and more familiar with others. do you really feel like there’s a movement out there?

]]> By: Chuck http://www.collegeministrythoughts.com/featured/liberal-professors-dominate/#comment-908 Chuck Wed, 20 Jan 2010 21:53:27 +0000 http://www.collegeministrythoughts.com/?p=1322#comment-908 dale, i tend to agree with you. as a person that leans more conservative when it comes to theology, i can relate to the, for lack of better terms, "close-mindedness" of conservatives. i don't personally feel like we have to negate solid doctrine to discuss issues and hear the voices/opinions of others. In fact, like you, i enjoy hearing other opinions. thanks for your comment. dale, i tend to agree with you. as a person that leans more conservative when it comes to theology, i can relate to the, for lack of better terms, “close-mindedness” of conservatives. i don’t personally feel like we have to negate solid doctrine to discuss issues and hear the voices/opinions of others. In fact, like you, i enjoy hearing other opinions. thanks for your comment.

]]> By: Dale Thomas http://www.collegeministrythoughts.com/featured/liberal-professors-dominate/#comment-907 Dale Thomas Wed, 20 Jan 2010 18:06:16 +0000 http://www.collegeministrythoughts.com/?p=1322#comment-907 i think this is the case because college is a time to discuss other perspectives and ideas...Conservatives by definition aren't really into this...if one is a conservative, they wish to "conserve" the status quo...in other words, there is typically only one way of doing things, and any other way just will not do...liberals, on the other hand, and almost by definition, are free to look at other ideas as much as they want and never have to settle on just one idea...ideology also has a great deal to do with it...i would contend that ideology comes about when only one perspective is focused on or accepted...Conservative tend to have a stronger ideology than that of liberals...the way to "combat" ideology is to take in as many perspectives, especially those that contradict the set ideology...although, i consider myself conservative with some liberal tendencies, i think it is good to have liberals as professors...even though i find myself disagreeing with a lot of their ideas, it at least gives me a chance to look at ideas that differ from my own...and then i have a chance to refine my own thoughts and beliefs i think this is the case because college is a time to discuss other perspectives and ideas…Conservatives by definition aren’t really into this…if one is a conservative, they wish to “conserve” the status quo…in other words, there is typically only one way of doing things, and any other way just will not do…liberals, on the other hand, and almost by definition, are free to look at other ideas as much as they want and never have to settle on just one idea…ideology also has a great deal to do with it…i would contend that ideology comes about when only one perspective is focused on or accepted…Conservative tend to have a stronger ideology than that of liberals…the way to “combat” ideology is to take in as many perspectives, especially those that contradict the set ideology…although, i consider myself conservative with some liberal tendencies, i think it is good to have liberals as professors…even though i find myself disagreeing with a lot of their ideas, it at least gives me a chance to look at ideas that differ from my own…and then i have a chance to refine my own thoughts and beliefs

]]> By: Timotheos http://www.collegeministrythoughts.com/featured/liberal-professors-dominate/#comment-906 Timotheos Wed, 20 Jan 2010 18:03:11 +0000 http://www.collegeministrythoughts.com/?p=1322#comment-906 I think the trend toward liberal profs is slowly changing, especially in certain academic fields. For example, I have a graduate degree in history, and try to keep up on the field. Guys like George Marsden and Mark Noll are evangelical historians who are recognized across the board as top in their profession. They have trained a whole cadre of historians who are now beginning to make their way into the halls of the academy and make a significant splash. Also, in philosophy, because of people like Alvin Plantinga, that field is now populated with many Christians churning out solid scholarship from a Christian worldview. Furthermore, just from my own time as a grad student back in the day, and with my work on campus now as a college minister, there are quite a few Christian profs who are hesitant about expressing faith on campus. I believe they need some significant pastoral attention to help them live their faith in a sea of liberalism. We can both listen to them and their thoughts on living the Christian life in the academy, as well as walk alongside them and help them integrate their faith and their work. After all, reaching any campus isn't just about students, but faculty as well. I think the trend toward liberal profs is slowly changing, especially in certain academic fields. For example, I have a graduate degree in history, and try to keep up on the field. Guys like George Marsden and Mark Noll are evangelical historians who are recognized across the board as top in their profession. They have trained a whole cadre of historians who are now beginning to make their way into the halls of the academy and make a significant splash. Also, in philosophy, because of people like Alvin Plantinga, that field is now populated with many Christians churning out solid scholarship from a Christian worldview.

Furthermore, just from my own time as a grad student back in the day, and with my work on campus now as a college minister, there are quite a few Christian profs who are hesitant about expressing faith on campus. I believe they need some significant pastoral attention to help them live their faith in a sea of liberalism. We can both listen to them and their thoughts on living the Christian life in the academy, as well as walk alongside them and help them integrate their faith and their work. After all, reaching any campus isn’t just about students, but faculty as well.

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