Abstract
In the authors’ own words, “the aim of this book is to explore what it means for the soul of the university to be saved” (p. 5). In this exploration, they leave no stone unturned; they examine the history of American higher education in part 1, the fragmentation of the various parts of the multiversity in part 2, and provide a fresh vision of Christian higher education in part 3. They provide a content astonishing in both depth and breadth, tenaciously weaving the theme of the soul of the university throughout their exploration. By soul they mean much more than an institution’s purpose; they include its underlying identity and story that flow outward into its purpose, contending that Christian universities are uniquely suited to provide a unifying “soul,” as their identities and stories are situated in the overriding biblical metanarrative. And they define that soul in terms of worship, as “building friendship with God” (p. 37)—something that the whole university must be engaged in and contributing to.
What makes their overview of the history of American higher education in part 1 so refreshing is that, unlike nearly every overview that has come before it, it does not idealize European medieval and early American higher education as what we in twenty-first-century Christian higher education are trying somehow to recreate. The typical approach is to hold this era in high regard, tell the alarming story of secularization and its slippery slope, and end with a rallying cry to fuse a Christian purpose of higher education with its academic identity once again. Instead, these authors, while acknowledging the contributions of Christian leaders in higher education—notably Hugh of St. Victor and John Henry Newman, among others—contend that no one model in history has adequately given theology its proper place. Specifically, they believe that theology should never be isolated as its own academic discipline; rather, it “enlivens and connects to every discipline or every part of the academic body” (p. 37). With this theme in mind, their exploration of key eras in the history of American higher education reveals the ways in which theology’s essential role has been marginalized or even eliminated. Essentially, they make a compelling case for how the university has historically searched for other ways of unifying itself, such as around scientific rationalism, democratic pragmatism, or humanistic freedom.
Another contribution of this volume is that it addresses every aspect of the multiversity in part 2: the professor, the curriculum, students, administration, athletics, and online/for profit education. Again, the authors masterfully keep their theme at the forefront of their exploration, demonstrating how each of these areas has become siloed from the others, thus contributing to an insidious fragmentation. Without a unifying soul, areas and the people within them tend to compete against one another, often viewing others with suspicion and even enmity. In this section, the volume of the authors’ prophetic tone increases; pointing to the Pauline analogy of the body of Christ, they argue for a university where “interdependence replaces independence” (p. 176).
In part 3, after setting the stage by tracing the fragmentation of the university into its present form, the authors reveal their bold vision of what Christian higher education could be. They contend that leaders of Christian universities should avoid adopting secular frameworks but rather embrace a distinctly Christian perspective, holding theology as the institution’s central lifeblood, “flow[ing] into every area of the university in some way” (p. 222). In this way, they reimagine the academic vocation, academic disciplines, the co-curricular, and leadership through the unifying lens of the worship of the Trinity.
As someone who has studied Christian higher education for over a decade, I see this work as a milestone contribution to the literature and ongoing conversation. It is academically sound yet easily accessible, respectful of historical contributions yet breathtaking in its vision, and clear-eyed about problems yet hopeful about solutions. In short, the work does what it urges all of us in Christian higher education to do—integrate everything we do around the worship of the triune God. As I read the book, I found myself cheering on nearly every page; they have said what has needed to be said for a long time. While they acknowledge that “a university with a soul will never be fully embodied on this earth” (p. 323), they still long for it. When you read their book, you will too.