The Dying of the Light: The Disengagement of Colleges and Universities from Their Christian Churches

by James Tunstead Burtchaell

James Tunstead Burtchaell, who has extensive experience in American higher education as both a teacher and an administrator, provides case studies of seventeen prominent colleges and universities with diverse ecclesial origins - Congregational, Presbyterian, Methodist, Baptist, Lutheran, Catholic, and Evangelical. Using published and archival sources as well as firsthand interaction with each institution he covers, Burtchaell narrates how each school's religious identity eventually became first uncomfortable and then expendable, and he analyzes the processes that eroded the bonds between school and church.

Genres: Education, History, Nonfiction, Cultural, Religion, Church History

870 pages, Paperback

First published June 1, 1998

Reviews

[Paul Heidebrecht · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's 850 pages long but awfully compelling to read. 17 colleges in the US that started out Christian and except for two, have completely lost their Christian identity and tie to a sponsoring church. Remarkable account of how secularization occurs. Rather depressing when you see the failure of leadership both in the church and in the colleges.

[Chrisanne]

I really only read the last chapter. I had intended to read more but was confused as to why the author seemed to leave out other schools. Did they not support his thesis? But it had some interesting points. I'm not sure why this ended up on my list. Maybe I'll come back to it though in a bit.