Dear Mr. Moderator,

The most important thing I can tell you is what effect Erskine has had on its students. What follows are three stories of falling away from the faith, each of an actual Erskine student.

Student 1

Student 1 grew up in an ARP church. Upon arriving here they became friends with other evangelical Christians. Things went very well for the majority of their freshman year. Though they had taken a class with Dr. Crenshaw, they thought he was out of his mind.

Then Student 1 started associating with a group of students who claimed to be Christian, but through those friends’ experiences at the college those friends had learned think ill of evangelicals. This raised alarm for some of the friends of student 1 and we worked and prayed constantly to minister to this student. This student began to get involved in the history department and their head was soon filled with notions that the Bible was unreliable, God was a big grandfather who wouldn’t do anything, the Hebrew religion was constructed during the exile and post-exilic period partly from stealing from Zoroastrianism, the church hated women, and on and on.

Soon the ministry of Student 1’s evangelical friends lost every effect as Student 1 began to see them as “stupid and mean.” This student’s spoken beliefs and actions began to dramatically change: they began to deny the basic tenets of faith and laws of logic; they took every opportunity to decry evangelicals’ “meanness” and demean them in their speech; they quit an officer position in a student organization because it was too strongly Christian. They then took another class taught by Dr. Crenshaw, and this time they loved him and took to heart all of his biases. Student 1’s identity now resides in the next political controversy, not in Christ.

The evangelical friends of Student 1 grieve over what has happened to her. Their family faithfully gives money on Sunday to be used for God’s kingdom, and it is then used to fund the place that worked to bring Student 1 away from the faith.

Student 2

Student 2 was also born and raised ARP. When they came to Erskine they also associated with evangelicals, but that changed quickly. Student 2 is now an avid and self-proclaimed atheist who assists Dr. Chrenshaw in attacking Christians and assists the administration in suppressing the voice of the students.

Student 3

Student 3 came to Erskine as an excited Christian. They want to work in ministry after college. During their freshman year, Student 3 hung out with reformed Christians and became an enthusiastic reformed Christian eager to learn more about their faith and excited about the grace of God. However, they changed to a business major and initial enthusiasm was subverted by the department. Student 2 is no longer excited about faith and thinks the professors are Christians because they do good things—a far cry from the reformed faith Student 2 claimed only earlier in the year. Furthermore, Student 2 doesn’t believe that one can have both faith and reason—Christianity has nothing to do with anything else.

——————

These are only three short stories, but there are many more. Some students are on their way to forsaking the faith right now. Many other students stay up late every night and don’t spend enough time on schoolwork because they are fighting for the faith of their friends. The worst part is that the institution that calls itself Christian opposes these faithful students and labels them as intolerant and hateful. There is much talk about educational philosophy, “Christ-centered,” and other things, but we must never forget that all of this directly affects the faith and lives of the students who attend Erskine College. We must not forget that the professors and administrators also are people, and that they need evangelization and Christian fellowship as well. They are incredibly malnourished in this regard.

I could show you all of my class notes which deny the claims of Christianity (if it is even discussed), subvert the faith, etc. However, that is not what drives me; that is not what keeps me up late at night; and it is not what pushes me to write a letter to the Moderator of the ARP Synod. What breaks my heart is the effect on each and every soul that comes through Erskine College. Students become one of three things: 1) Militantly against the faith, 2) Wanting nothing to do with any discussion or mention Christianity, or 3) Distressed, grieved, and hurt by the infidelity of the institution and the effects on their friends.

This is not an abstract battle. These are real people. This is not some obtuse philosophical/theological battle. This is blatant warfare over the souls of impressionable students. Your college has chosen the wrong side. I will continue to fight for my king, Christ Jesus, and for the students who need to be saved and nurtured; will you help me?

Sincerely,

Daniel Stephens
Class of 2010

Editor-in Chief, The Erskine Mirror 2009-10
Founder of Dead Philosophers Society
Member, ΘAK, 2009-10
Student Life Assistant, 2008-10