Evangelical Higher Education

Although they represent a relatively small segment of the private nonprofit postsecondary sector, evangelical colleges and universities carry on the educational legacy of America’s earliest institutions of higher education. The evangelical segment is a rich tapestry woven from multiple dimensions of institutional diversity. This chapter first explores the historical development of these institutions, their philosophical and religious commitments, and their organizational structures and campus ethos. Attention then turns to contemporary forms of evangelical higher education and distinguishing institutional features such as denominational status, confessional and behavioral membership requirements, and the curricular orientation and delivery format of the academic program. The chapter concludes with a discussion of contemporary challenges to the future of evangelical higher education. These include concerns related to fiscal health, faculty recruitment, and curricular direction.