The learning that takes place at a college or university goes far beyond the accumulation of facts. The first few years out of high school are formative years. During this time, young men and women determine to a large extent what they want to do with their lives in terms of vocation. As most parents know, it's not unusual for college students to change their majors two or three times in an effort to clarify their career calling, and college is the time to do this.

It's also the time that young men and women form or solidify many of the values and habits that will remain with them for life. They settle on answers to the big questions, such as, "What is my purpose?" and, "What will be my standards for determining what is right and what is wrong?"

To put it simply, during the college years, young people, knowingly or not, develop a worldview, a set of convictions that serve as a basis by which to evaluate all facts and ideas. For several decades, the chief goal of Christian colleges and universities has been to integrate faith and learning, or, to put it another way, to help young men and women develop a worldview that is rooted in the truth of Scripture rather than in the changing winds of culture.

Ken Taylor, director of retention at Taylor University (Upland, Indiana), stresses the importance of helping young people develop a sound worldview: "If there is no absolute truth," he says, "then does it really matter what I do as long as I please myself? However, if there is absolute truth, then I must search for it and then live my life in accord with that truth, something that may not always be equivalent to my own personal pleasure."

Taylor observes that as young people develop a worldview based on the Bible, ethical, humble behavior will follow: "If in my worldview I believe that people are created in the image of God, I will seek to treat people with dignity and also treat myself with respect." Taylor adds, "I would also become more aware of the needs of others as opposed to my own narcissistic needs. And I would be more aware of the injustices of this world and seek to alleviate them."

Craig Boyd, director of the Institute of Faith Integration at Azusa Pacific University (APU), cautions against a simplistic notion of what it means to have a "Christian worldview." Says Boyd, "In one respect, the term 'Christian worldview' is problematic since it seems to assume that once we've figured out who we are and what we believe, all other issues will naturally follow. But this is not the case."

Says Boyd, "We find ourselves, to use a Latin phrase, in media res ("in the midst of things"). Often, our affections and emotions are formed prior to our beliefs, or at the very least, simultaneously."

According to Boyd, it is common for believers' intellectual convictions to be out of synch with their emotional leanings. And, he says, "when we focus on worldview, it assumes that 'intellect supersedes affect,' or in the layperson's terms, 'reason rules, emotion drools.'"

Boyd adds, "It's really important to get the emotions and reason working together so we do not have 'split personality' Christians—that is, those who think one way about an issue but have contrary emotional responses." Indeed, this is one of the goals of a Christian college education.

Dusty DiSanto, director of off-campus recruitment at Taylor, observes that a common worldview does not mean that all Christians will think and act the same, or will never disagree or debate one another. Says DiSanto, "I don't believe Christian colleges should be thought of as protected places where your ideals won't be challenged. This just isn't true. You are going to meet people from differing backgrounds and denominations, traditions and interpretations, and you will have to answer the question of what you believe and why on numerous occasions."

DiSanto continues, "But I do think that instead of being in an environment where you are just gripping your faith and hoping to hold on, you will [at a Christian school] have the opportunity to evaluate and think through your faith while being surrounded by people who are going to point you back to Scripture and encourage you to know your Savior more. The challenges are not intended to tear you down, but to build you up in your faith."

Brock Schroeder, vice president of enrollment management and marketing at Malone University (Canton, Ohio), stresses that young men and women who develop a Christian worldview, compared with their secular counterparts, by and large will not do different things, but rather will do things differently. Says Schroeder, "I don't see our students choosing different career paths than students do at other institutions. Rather, I see them making a difference in their environments. It is their attitude and how they relate to others that sets them apart. This is based on their commitment to Christ and how it shapes their relationships."

There is a sense in which a Christian worldview permeates the atmosphere at a Christian college or university. It forms the basis of co-curricular activities ranging from sporting events to plays to concerts to mission trips. And each class—regardless of the subject—both presumes and reinforces a Christian worldview. However, some classes or programs at Christian institutions directly address the development of a Christian worldview.

At William Jessup University (WJU), says English professor Portia Hopkins, "worldview formation is a goal throughout the curriculum." Hopkins adds, "In addition, we offer courses at both the introductory and summative levels that explicitly focus on worldview, theology, and its applications, and what we call the 'Jessup distinctives.'"

WJU freshmen take the five-unit class "Contemporary Discipleship," which consists of three units of lecture and two units of smaller learning communities. The lecture portion covers basic Christian theology and worldview, while the two-unit learning communities portion focuses on one of the Jessup distinctives: relationship with God, culture, community service, personal development, or philosophical apologetics. All seniors take a worldview course called "Christian Perspective," which draws on much of students' previous coursework and is designed to help students articulate a Christian worldview.

Azusa Pacific University requires the course "Christian Life, Faith, and Ministry," an introduction to the beliefs and practices of the church from a Wesleyan and Friends perspective. Says APU's Boyd, "In this course, we explicitly acknowledge what John Wesley knew, namely that Christian beliefs are formed especially in the doing of 'acts of mercy.'" Boyd clarifies: "This is not some version of Pelagianism, but a realistic account of human moral psychology, that in the doing we find the believing."

Worldview-forming courses at APU include two courses on biblical studies: "Exodus through Deuteronomy" and "Luke/Acts," as well as "Theology and the Christian Life," an advanced course that engages students in the Wesleyan theological method by addressing the importance of Scripture, tradition, reason, and experience in the life of the church.

Malone University's Worldview Forum Series has become a distinctive at the school. Says Malone's Schroeder, "The intent of this series is to provide the community an opportunity to practice critical thinking and civil dialogue through the comparison of various worldviews in a professionally moderated, academic environment. It is expected that the forums will help those who attend learn to identify the constituent elements of differing worldviews as well as their implications on belief and practice."

Entering freshmen at Taylor take "Foundations of Christian Thought," an introduction to liberal arts education and to the integration of faith and learning. Also in their first semester, entering freshmen take "New Student Orientation," a course designed to assist new students with adapting to college life and to familiarize them with the wider Taylor community. Though largely practical, the course also covers topics related to global and cultural engagement, leadership, and vocation, all of which are rooted in a worldview based on the Bible.

Many Christian colleges and universities now make service-learning a requirement for graduation. These experiences expose students to the various needs in the United States and overseas. To be sure, service-learning is a standard feature at most secular schools; however, service-learning at Christian schools has different goals and motivations, largely because of the worldview behind these efforts.

"At Christian schools," says APU's Boyd, "it is done in the spirit of Matthew 25, where their motives reflect Jesus' words: 'As you have done it to the least of these, you have done it unto me.'"

Not only does service-learning reflect a Christian worldview, it also plays a part in shaping one. Says Boyd, "It engages the other person, no matter how different that person is, thus shaping an individual's desires and sense of vocation." Boyd adds, "Even if someone doesn't become a missionary, studies have shown that the habit of giving to others is often retained throughout adulthood."

APU's Southern California location gives students access to the abject poverty miles away in Mexico. "Many missions groups go to Mexico to educate poor children and build houses," says Boyd. "These short-term missions projects tend to continue through the remainder of their lives."

The goal of all curricular and extracurricular activities at Christian institutions is to produce mature young men and women whose lives will be governed by scriptural principles and who will be salt and light wherever they go. This being the case, some administrators lament the fact that some families balk at the cost of a Christian college education. Taylor's Ken Taylor understands that for some, the cost-versus-values debate sets up a dilemma. But he adds, "It is sad to say that many seem to see it as a dilemma; the financial considerations seem to outweigh the value of attending a Christian college."

Malone's Schroeder asks, "How do you weigh the cost of a private Christian college experience?" He answers, "I always direct the conversation toward it being an investment. The investment may not have measurable results or mean that you graduate without debt, but it can mean that you have a life positioned for service to Christ."

Part 1: Coming for God, Staying for Good

Part 2: Asking the Right Questions