Yet - it is necessary

Christian evangelist Luis Palau believes praises Liberty University for keeping its Christian values.

Key quote:

"In the early years, I used to wonder whether a Christian education as such was necessary," Palau admits. "But now that the U.S. has changed so radically, it's absolutely necessary, and I've become convinced that its is essential."

Without such an education, the evangelist says young minds and communities get infiltrated with a secular worldview. So he finds it refreshing to see a university so clear about its mission.

Christians are not officially barred from teaching in the public education sector in the United States, although there are a growing number of cases where individual Christians and Christian student organizations are being discriminated against. In post-secondary education (my occupation) it is increasingly risky to express skepticism about a number of issues such as the homosexual lifestyle, evolution, and radical Islam. Granted: it is difficult to retaliate against Christian professors who are tenured, but the rest of us we do not always have the luxury of academic freedom. Given the growing hostility of American society (or at least a noisy but powerful segment of it) to the Christian worldview, it is not hard at all to foresee a time when many public universities and colleges and K-12 schools will impose a religious litmus test for employment - even it the test is not officially affirmed.

That is why I believe Christian schools and colleges are so important. Christian education can be an important force in protecting religious freedom and academic integrity of all schools, since it would be extremely difficult (though not impossible) to shut Christian schools down completely.

As to whether Christians should avoid public education altogether, I find that a tough call. Christians who attend public schools and colleges should be aware of the fact that their religious freedoms and rights will not always be respected by school officials. But not all school administrators subscribe to the anti-Christian prejudice that seem to be gaining in popularity, and it is only fair to point this out. Many - likely most - teachers and administrators still take their responsibilities seriously.