Major News Magazines Report on Spirituality on Campuses
Time Magazine and U.S. News & World Report recently investigated the role of spirituality on campuses.
Time Magazine and U.S. News & World Report recently investigated the role of spirituality on campuses.
In addition, UCLA's Higher Education Research Institute (HERI) released a study last month detailing the level of spirituality on campuses.
According to InterVarsity Christian Ministry's Gordon Govier, a number of indices found that students not only believe in God, but regularly integrate their faith with their lives, including talking to friends, praying, and attending religious services.
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Out of 112,000 first-year college students surveyed from over 236 colleges and universities, UCLA found that in terms of following "religious teachings," only 40 percent follow religious teachings in everyday life and 26 percent call themselves born-again Christians.
However, almost four out of five believe in God (79 percent), 81 percent attend religious services at least occasionally, 80 percent discuss religion or spirituality with friends, and at ten percent less, 69 percent pray.
In "Faith and Frat Boys," the major news magazine profiled campus ministries at Indiana: Campus Crusade, Christian Student Fellowship, Navigators, and InterVarsity.
The assessment was, "The distinctions tend to be stylistics rather than substantive – the religious equivalent of J. Crew vs. American Eagle vs. Abercrombie," according to Time Magazine.
Interviews with students revealed concern with sharing their faith. One Campus Crusade student, Lane Bowman, 22, a senior from Chesterton, Ind., admits, “I'm immersed in a Christian bubble,” but he says he prays to break out.
He has immersed himself in Christian culture, including music and books, such as the Christian rock band, SonicFlood and "Lord, Change My Attitude (Before It's Too Late)."
Senior Kathryn Nelson, 22, a student from Milford, Ohio, says “When you're living with people who aren't Christians, tour ministry is right in front of your face," she told Time.
In U.S. News & World Report's "Young and Hungry," growth of the campus ministry was shown.
"Since 1995, Campus Crusade for Christ, an interdenominational ministry committed to spreading the Gospel, has grown from 18,000 students nationally to 55,000 this year. Enrollment in the 100-plus member colleges of the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities, which teach subjects from a biblical perspective, has jumped by 64 percent since 1990…"
Also, students revealed dedication to faith. Ally Hill, an 18-year-old freshman at Miami University of Ohio said, "For you to draw closer to God and to your faith takes a lot of extra work. To ignore it is the easiest."
