Keeping the Faith in College

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Tony Arnold, media relations director for Campus Crusade for Christ, says that his organization has grown exponentially on secular campuses in recent years, reflecting this trend. In 1995, only 351 campuses and just over 18,000 students were involved with Campus Crusade, compared with more than 1,200 campuses and more than 55,000 students today.

Arnold says that the Orlando, Fla.-based-organization, founded 54 years ago by evangelicals Bill and Vonette Bright, has grown so much partly in response to the popular idea of college as "a marketplace of ideas."

"In the midst of all the ideas, students are looking for something that will guide them in their decisions, in their values formation, in their behavior, and in their relationships--not only with each other, but with God, or some kind of spiritual presence," says Arnold.

In addition, tragedies ranging from the shootings at Columbine High School, to the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, to corporate scandals at companies including Enron have left college students feeling overwhelmed and in search of an anchor. "That apparent safety and security and feeling good about things, those things began to evaporate," said Arnold. Sometimes first-year students go through a testing time, where they throw off parent-imposed limits and go a little wild. But just as often they return to their faith with even more dedication, having tried and proven its worth for themselves.

But many religious students hold fast to their faith from the very beginning. Indeed, some Christians choose secular colleges in part to heed the call to spread their faith.

"The whole purpose of the Christian faith is to share it with others," said Anne Story, a freshman at the University of Georgia at Athens. "You can't share it with anybody if you all believe the same thing." Story considers herself an "evangelical Christian" and attends a non-denominational worship service on her campus.

The other students in her dormitory are curious as to why she doesn't drink, Story says. But when she explains to them that her faith motivates her, "they really respect me and my decisions," she said.

Not everyone is so lucky...
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