I would say that the separation of education from the development of character and the pursuit of wisdom has been tragic for public education. I went to a secular school as well, and am grateful for it, but his point certainly isn't vapid.

I found the writer's argument rather immature. Having gone to the two of the top universities where their history and motto tied to seeking the truth, I can say that though grateful, I would much rather have my future children receive a more religious education. This is not because that my faith has been more or less challenged (thanks to the support of my church families in both cases), but it's that I can see too many secular universities wasting time on frivolous courses and resources that really amount to not much of anything for a student (including myself.) I have to say that from my experience, I was challenged in the analytics, but in the intellect? Not so much.

I spent 13 years of college and graduate education at secular institutions. I had only 1 year at a Christian liberal arts college. I agree with Caner. I spent a number of untold hours studying the Word to counteract the Secularist Humanist teaching that pervaded about every class that I took. I believe that study certainly helped to strengthen my faith, but it would have been a better use of time to debate those questions in a Christian environment first. Brad, you and I both made conscious decisions to go the secular route, but do you ever wish you could turn back the clock and go at your education with a more Christian world view?

I have to disagree with Mr. Greenberg. I have seen what secular universities do to young minds, and it isn't pretty. When you see a young lady with tattoos over her body, scars from cutting, who once believed in God but now is an atheist, you know that the wonderful secular university failed not only her, but her parents, siblings, and society. When the main issue in almost every class on campus is to promote atheistic evolution and to denigrate any semblance of faith in God, that is not the arena into which one wants to put malleable young minds. Perhaps Mr. Greenberg was solidly grounded when he attended college. Too many of our youths, even those from "fundamentalist evangelical Christian" churches, are not strong enough in their faith to debate a seasoned professor. God help us all to be more discerning.

I still value my first year of college at Wheaton, followed by 4 years at a secular school. That year was one of turmoil in my personal understanding of life, and it was good that it took place there, rather than at the following institution. I think many secular schools or certain professors within those schools take it as their mission to relieve their students of any belief in God, and place it squarely in a secular understanding of life. Many of our Christian high-school students simply aren't ready to fight those mind wars. I know my father wasn't adequately prepared when confronted with Ernest Renan's skepticism in the 1920s as required reading at a secular school. While being immersed in the secular world keeps you from a pollyanish understanding of Christian values, if you aren't adequately prepared, you could easily loose that faith. Christian colleges have an important role. Many don't ignore the challenges of "real life" but try to help students adopt viable ways to interact with the secular world and keep their integrity and faith.

I completely agree with Dr. Caner. I became a Christian at age 18, when I was in a large, state-sponsored school in California. The problem with secular institutions is that they do NOT seek truth, and that they do NOT provide equal time and information. If they did, students could perhaps work their way through the system and survive. As it was, I watched many of my Christian friends suffer the shipwreck of their faith on the shoals of evolution and relativism. To this day, one cannot graduate with a Master's or Ph.D. in some fields if it is known that he is a committed Christian. Does that sound like "Equality" to you?
Secular universities are liberal, refuse to allow other viewpoints (hardly equates with "liberal"), and incredibly irresponsible when it comes to the lives of the children they are supposed to educate.

I am glad Mr. Greenberg was permitted to choose his worldview at a secular institution, but that is not always the case. I have two graduate degrees from top universities and my worldview was in the minority. Also, I have taught in a Christian university. We made no attempt to coerce students to adopt any particular worldview. Evolution taught from a Christian perspective as God's way of creating the universe and the things and people in it is far different from a secular worldview of biology. Christian schools are not as scary as Mr. Greenberg would think.

Brother Emir Caner is absolutely right. In my book Silenced in the Schoolhouse: How Biblical illiteracy in our schools in destroying America, I document the cultural effects of Biblical illiteracy and heathen education on American culture. Of 300 million Americans, 85% claim to be Christian. Of that 85%, about 35% meet the definition of being "born again." Of that number 9% have a Biblical world view. If you crunch the numbers, that is about 7.5 million or about 2.2% or Americans. I show clearly in my book the reason behind these numbers and show why Christian Education is imperative and why our culture and many churches are a mess. More importantly, God commands it!

Mr. Greenberg is quite optimistic regarding the abilities of an undergraduate student to order his own intellectual categories while being required to think within those carefully and professionally forged in the attractive crucible of naturalism.

Emir is a wonderful choice to ignite the new leaders of the SBC. His testimony and experience in addition to his education alone qualify him to lead these godly men and women.

OH, that all of Christianity would understand the cost of becoming a believer in Christ Jesus, and show the same enthusiasm for serving Him in all they do.

I fear that the American church will not be revealed, nor will it grow until it is persecuted as Emir and his brother Ergun have been in another culture and time. They are radical in their faith. They do not fear harassment, nor do they serve God to please other people. They abandon it ALL in order to serve One GOD and one Master with exuberance and purpose to obey their calling.

Other countries have underground churches which are booming because they are persecuted, forced to hide in order to continue to worship and share their Faith and HOPE in Christ Jesus and Jehovah, Yahweh God. They a.re willing to die for their faith in Christ.

Are we?

BTW, My four years at a christian university are years I will cherish eternally. They have helped me meet the challenges life has thrown at me,

They helped me to learn TRUTH pure and simple, debate it in a safe atmosphere, and study under some of the best leaders our country had to offer. ONE was Francis Schaeffer.

The idea is to study the truth so intimately that error stands out like a sore thumb. The method is also used by those training to pick out counterfeit money. They study, feel, and smell the real thing until they can recognize the fake immediately.

My chancellor's philosophy? "If it is Chriatian, it ought to be better."

25 years ago it was Liberty Baptist College;now it's Liberty University. '83

Serving God is a pleasure. Discipling and counseling children and adults, I have been a teacher in school and various ministries in the church for over thirty years.

By God's grace, he will allow another 30. Knowledge without wisdom is empty and fruitless.

Scripture says, it only makes us proud.

Christian education is very important!