Christian Colleges Without Critical Race Theory
My oldest is a sophomore in high school, so we are beginning to explore college options. There is a lot that goes into to choosing the right college, but a new criteria that has been added to our list is a school that has not embraced critical race theory. I have been surprised how many historically conservative Christian colleges are teaching social justice and critical race theory. Click on either of these links, if you want to understand critical race theory from a biblical perspective or learn how it is a competing worldview to Christianity.
I’ve begun to compile a list of Christian colleges that DO NOT embrace CRT. As with any of these schools, please do your own research. Things can change over time. The fact that I am listing a school does not mean that I am endorsing the school or align with the school theologically, simply that they have not embraced critical race theory. The college will need to be explored to determine if it fits other criteria on your list. If you are aware of additional colleges that are not on the list, please email me at info@gospelshapedfamily.com with the name of the school and I will add it to the list. If one or more of the colleges should not be on this list because they have embraced CRT, please let me know as well.
Anderson University (SC)
Arizona Christian University
Bethlehem College and Seminary
Blue Mountain College
Bryan College
Cairn University
Calvary Chapel Bible College
Canadian Southern Baptist Seminary and College
Carson-Newman University
Cedarville University
Charleston Southern University
College of Biblical Studies (TX and IN)
College of the Ozarks
Colorado Christian University
Criswall College
Crown College
Dallas Baptist University
Dallas Theological Seminary
Erskine College
Faith Baptist Bible College
Gateway Theological Seminary
Geneva College
Grace Bible Theological Seminary
Grace Christian University
Grace College and Seminary
Grove City College
Hannibal-LaGrange University
Houston Baptist University
Impact 360 Institute
Indianapolis Theological Seminary
Lancaster Bible College/Capital Seminary (CRT is taught in a class. See comment section below.)
LeTourneau University
Louisiana College
Maranatha Baptist University
Master’s University and Master’s Seminary
Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary
Missouri Baptist University
Moore Theological College
New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary
New Saint Andrews College
Oklahoma Baptist University
Olivet University
Patrick Henry College
Phoenix Theological Seminary
Providence Christian College
Reformed Theological Seminary
San Diego Christian College
Southern Nazarene University
Spring Arbor University
Summit Ministries Summit Semester
Torch Trinity Graduate University
Trinity Evangelical Divinity School
Union University
Wayland Baptist University
Welch College
Wesley Biblical Seminary
Western Theological Seminary
WIlliams Baptist University
Wilmington Christian School
Yellowstone Christian College
You made a good point when you shared that there are a lot of factors that need to be taken into consideration when choosing the right college for your child. My friend just mentioned the other day that she is planning to enroll her son in a Christian college so he can strengthen his beliefs and learn peacefully. I will suggest to her sending him to a youth conference where he can try to win the scholarship to enter the institution.
I graduated from Gordon College and Gordon Conwell Theological Seminary more than 50 years ago.
I can only say that I am proud that both of those Evangelical Christian academic institutions is not on your list. CRT exposes the ways in which people of color in America have been subjected to systematic discrimination and oppression since slavery began in the European colonies more than 500 years ago.
To be honest, I feel disappointed that parents such as yourself would so tightly control their adult children’s higher education by excluding Christian schools that do not include courses that include awareness of America’s accurate history or biblical/theological courses that exclude the prophets and Jesus’s teachings on how to treat the poor. White Christian Nationalism has no place in biblical Christian institutions of higher education.
Hello. I am a student and a student worker at California Baptist University. They do teach critical race theory. Here is the antiracism statement for their writing center: https://calbaptist.edu/writing-center/mission. This is their “diversity” statement: https://calbaptist.edu/about/cbu-statement-on-diversity. Students are taught to study “systemic inequalities” in class. Don’t expect to escape wokeism there.
Thank you Sarah. Appreciate the info and links.
William Jessup University teaches CRT. My daughter is a student and her psychology classes do not shy away from teaching CRT. Also, BIOLA teaches CRT. Check out Center for Biblical Unity – Monique Duson and Krista Bontrager’s experience at BIOLA.
Thanks Peggy. Very good to know. At the same time, it is sad to see these historically solid Christian institutions teaching worldly ideas instead of the Bible.
May I ask why you chose not to put Liberty University on this list
Liberty:
About The Office of Equity and Inclusion
Biblical based diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts are crucial to Liberty University’s mission of training champions for Christ. The Office of Equity and Inclusion promotes diversity in our academic and professional community.
After years of advocating for CRT, Monique Duson now speaks out AGAINST CRT. She is a graduate of Biola and is currently working toward her MA in Theology @ Talbot. I’ve never seen her say a word against either program. I know Krista Bontrager (Monique’s founding partner @ CBU), but I’ve never heard of her experience at Biola. Can you link to their comments directly, please?
Oh, my goodness. I found the blog post mentioned above and contacted Monique directly. She has left Talbot due to Biola being “deeply compromised”, and she referred me to Krista’s blog post that I encourage all to read: https://www.theologymom.com/single-post/6-ways-to-find-out-what-your-child-s-christian-university-is-actually-teaching
I reached out to Monique and found she left Talbot after finding Biola “deeply compromised”. She directed me to Krista’s blog post that recounts her daughter’s experience @ Biola. She gives excellent steps to look into a college’s stance on CRT: https://www.theologymom.com/single-post/6-ways-to-find-out-what-your-child-s-christian-university-is-actually-teaching
CRT is at North Greenville University and the Department of History is the worst. The department Chair pushes all that stuff in class and his Dean is completely on board.
Thank you Mark. I have removed this school from the list.
My son attends North Greenville University currently and there isn’t any teaching about CRT there that he has seen.
It’s all about money. These colleges are getting paid to push crt.
What about East Texas Baptist University in Marshall, Texas? Thank you!
I’m not familiar with this school. Anyone have any info on it?
Nikki, here is a link to Critical Race in Education’s info on ETBU. https://criticalrace.org/schools/east-texas-baptist-university/
Also, what about Palm Beach Atlantic University in West Palm Beach, Florida? Thank you.
I’m glad to see Erskine College listed. I’m a graduate of their seminary and back as a student and recommend Erskine Theological Seminary’s addition to the list as well.
I would also add Maranatha Baptist University (mbu.edu).
Hello, I was happy to find your website today in our own college search for our junior-aged daughter. A terrific resource I’ve found is the website Critical Race Training in Education at https://criticalrace.org/
Unfortunately, there are a few gaps, but I have found some info on the Christian colleges we were looking into. One of those is Union University, whom we loved when we visited, but I was concerned when I realized they were heavily attached to Russell Moore. Looking deeper, I’ve found via the above site, several CRT concerns. It greatly saddens me as they are so strong in other areas. https://criticalrace.org/schools/union-university/
Curious about Hillsdale?
Hillsdale is a great school, but not distinctly Christian so that is why they are not on the list.
I really appreciate your providing this list. I was actually trying to provide a web site specifically showing safe-from-CRT Christian colleges but couldn’t get any traction. I would remove Union University from your list. You can check out their faculty-led CRT-lite group here: https://www.uu.edu/programs/gcc/goals/ . Another potentially helpful site is: https://criticalrace.org but it is not exhaustive, but its a place to start. It can be rather difficult to find where a school stands. That site has more info on Union University (and many others, both public and Christian). I would like to see Biblical anti-CRT colleges/universitites asked to endorse The Statement on Social Justice crafted by John MacArthur, Vodie Bachaum, and others. This would serve as a positive declaration of biblical fidelity. As it is now, most ‘good’ and biblical schools are silent on CRT so its difficult to tell the good from the bad.
Why isn’t The Masters University on this list?
I don’t know enough about the school to include them (although, I greatly appreciate John MacArthur). Should they be added?
Yes, The Master’s University and The Master’s Seminary should be added.
Southern Nazarene University is teaching CRT. Our son is a freshman there and sent us curriculum that definitely teaches it.
It breaks my heart to say that Lancaster Bible College is hanging by a thread on this list. They are actively pushing CRT in one of the classes that most students have to take to graduate, under the guise of learning to work with different cultural backgrounds. I’ll post the class name/number. I have two kids there, one has had the class and the other is in it now. It’s heretical evil!!!
That’s very sad to hear. Thanks for sharing this info.
Sadly, I don’t think Dordt qualifies for this list. See their “Revisioning Diversity Project” and updates from The Iowa Standard on their Chapel Dean.
Thanks Sarah. I appreciate the heads up. I’ll update the list.
Hi! Liberty University absolutely teaches CRT. I’m in their Master’s program for Clinical Mental Health Counseling. The class I’m in currently is Multiculturalism and the textbook is published by Pearson and is CRT focused.
I thought Grove City College in Pennsylvania had eschewed CRT–vehemently. No?
I’m with Brad. Grove City should be on your list for sure.
I am a senior rank Professor in Humanities at The Master’s University (Chancellor and former President is Dr John MacArthur.) We are *absolutely* and explicitly non-woke, anti-CRT, and solidly conservative in the reformed and baptistic tradition, and highly ranked academically. The Babylon Bee recently filmed their satirical video ‘Woke Parents visit Christian College’ on our campus! I have decades of training in Critical Theory and am well-connected with conservative scholars nationally—and as the list currently stands, I’d say about half these schools should now be removed…and many more are wavering under attack. A large number of them have slid left in the last two years…and that is part of the reason TMU has had a 30% increase in enrollment since 2019. Wise parents are investigating and asking good questions now—and lists like this are very helpful! Thank you!
Thanks Grant. Loved the Babylon Bee video. Glad you guys allowed them to create it. Appreciate the comment and encouragement for parents to investigate each and every school as things do change.
My comment was marked as spam so I’m re-attempting…
I’m the admissions guy at THE Master’s University (in Santa Clarita, California) piggybacking on Dr Grant Horner’s comment above (ps, Dr H severely understated himself, his relevant credentials to this conversation are too long to list).
I highly recommend these articles from TMU&S President Abner Chou:
• The Absolute Urgency of Christian Higher Education (https://www.masters.edu/master_tmu_news/the-absolute-urgency-of-christian-higher-education/)
• An Absolute Commitment to Christ and Scripture (https://www.masters.edu/master_tmu_news/an-absolute-commitment-to-christ-and-scripture/)
• The Absolute Necessity Of A Biblical Liberal Arts Degree (https://www.masters.edu/master_tmu_news/the-absolute-necessity-of-a-biblical-liberal-arts-degree/)
Tragically, many of the institutions listed above do not qualify as Christian colleges any longer. “Historically” Christian includes Harvard and most elite colleges, but we wouldn’t consider them Christian by any means.
Evangel in Springfield, MO does not appear to have diversity statements or CRT emblazoned on its website. My dream was to teach at a conservative Christian college after completing my career, but a lot has changed since that dream was birthed 30+ years ago and it is indeed disappointing to see where “higher” education, even or especially Christian, finds itself. I recently resigned from a community college board over the CRT issues and am looking for friendlier meadows.
Evangel is Pentecostal so perhaps not welcome under what appears to be a Baptist / Cessationist leaning tent, but here is the homepage: https://www.evangel.edu/
I’m wondering if you have any info on John Brown University in Arkansas, and Lipscomb in TN?
My alma mater, where I did my graduate work at the seminary, Columbia International University, SC isn’t included on your list.