Having grown up in a mainline, Methodist family, I wasn't familiar with much of Evangelicalism's early years. Once I became a Christian in 1972, I started to run in Evangelical circles, but was always uncomfortable there. Now I know why—it was too Reformed...
But that's not why I'm posting. After reviewing the book, Roger offers some suggestions on how to overcome the anti-intellectualism that seems inherent in Evangelicalism. One of his suggestions is "evangelical organizations need to let it be known that conservative donors are not going to call all the shots." Right! That just isn't going to happen.
I went to a Christian liberal arts school with a very conservative donor base. The person who gave the money for the swimming pool said that co-ed swimming was not to happen in that pool. The school also didn't allow beards because of the donor base. The women were required to wear skirts/dresses to class. The men were required to have shorter hair—I believe it was only allowed to touch the collar, not be over it (I don't remember for sure, but I was always getting called on the carpet over that one...). All because of the donor base. Those rules are all gone now, because the donors who required them are dead...
I've seen a few purges at Christian schools in my life. All because the donor base felt the faculty was too "liberal" for them. The Christian radio station one place we lived wouldn't play contemporary Christian music because the donor base would stop giving if they did (not that most of the CCM stuff would have been any better theologically than the drivel they did play!).
It just isn't going to happen...unless God intervenes in the hearts of the people who are making the decisions and in the hearts of the donors...in other words, a revival!
Now that is something to pray for!
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