Review \\ How to Stay Christian in College by J. Budziszewski

While college has its many benefits, like two sides of a coin, it also has its downfalls. I mean, when you have something like the list of top party schools come out every year, you know something's up. For the Christian, most aspects of college life are things to stay away from, and pressure from professors makes it difficult to stand by faith in Jesus Christ. So is college impossible for Christians? Not at all, and J. Budziszewski, professor and former atheist, has some information that can help.

How to Stay Christian in College was published back in 2004. I recently bought it for my Kindle (I think it was free then) because I was just starting college, and I was curious. The title admittedly sounds a little funny: how to stay Christian. I don't know, it seemed weird to me. But as I started reading I could see that the author had had his own difficulties with college. He knew what he was talking about, so I was willing to listen.

This paragraph towards the beginning of the book grabbed me:

Visualize a man opening up the access panels of his mind and pulling out all the components that have God's image stamped on them. The problem is that they all have God's image stamped on them, so the man can never stop. No matter how much he pulls out, there's still more to pull. I was that man. (Kindle Locations 96-98)

This is the close follow-up:

 Astonishingly, though I had abandoned Him, He had never abandoned me. (Kindle Locations 101-102)

Later,

Many of my students tell me they struggle with the same dark influences that I once felt in college. I hope that by writing this book I may encourage you to seek the light-better yet, to avoid the darkness altogether. (Kindle Locations 107-109)

Budziszewski touches on several topics, mostly campus myths: myths about the search for knowledge, myths about sex and dating, myths about politics, and the like. He also talks about friendships with non-Christians, campus activities, and dealing with professors who aren't Christians. His writing is sophisticated (he's not dumbing anything down) yet easy to read.

Another good title of this book, I think, would be How to Go to College and Not Come Out Brainwashed. Hmm... I don't know if that would have gone over so well. But the point is that Budziszewski, as he said in the above quote, wrote the book so that he could help students seek the light. Let me rephrase that: seek the light. I think he succeeded.

Interesting links:

• "Escape from Nihilism" by Dr. J. Budziszewski that is very similar to the first chapter of How to Stay Christian in College.
• My review of another college book: Thriving at College by Alex Chediak.