Q&A with the author of "The Fearless Christian University"

John W. Hawthorne, a sociologist with nearly four decades of experience in Christian higher education, critiques the fear-driven decision-making in Christian universities. In his book, "The Fearless Christian University," he discusses how these schools often succumb to fears about societal decline, secular authority, and identity crises. Hawthorne emphasizes that such fears can be debilitating, noting that institutions like Wheaton College are caught between conflicting pressures from their communities. He advocates for a new model of fearless leadership and decision-making to guide Christian higher education into the future.

Christian universities, much like the evangelical subculture that spawned them, are characterized by fear: fear of societal decline, fear of secular authorities, fear of apostasy.

Hawthorne argues that these fears are limiting and debilitating, particularly as institutions face cultural wars and demographic cliffs.

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