Dear Mr. Moderator,

I believe in the Christian Liberal Arts and I love Erskine’s commitment to Jesus Christ and to excellence in education. However, I would like to see us take those commitments from a dusty plaque on the wall and turn it into action.

I knew Erskine was in trouble before I came here. I was told by many people outside of Erskine and outside of the ARP that Erskine was in desperate need of change. I came here because I believe in God’s power to redeem this school and I wanted to be a part of it.

As a transfer student I was deeply discouraged my first semester here because in my classroom experience only one professor attempted to integrate faith and academics, and that was Dr. Weatherman. This lack of emphasis on the Gospel in the classroom and in the general college atmosphere is what I have perceived to be the norm at Erskine. But by the grace of God and reminders of his sovereignty I’ve learned to love Erskine. This doesn’t mean I love everything about it. I am learning to accept Erskine for what it is without accepting it has to stay this way.

If your goal is to reach lost students and encourage Christian students in the faith I implore you to take a good look at Erskine. I’m not sure why it’s so controversial at a Christian school to say but please help us make the gospel the center of Erskine College. Help us to bring God into our classrooms and love back to the campus.

1 Thessalonians 2:4: “…we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, so we speak, not to please man, but to please God who tests our hearts”

In Christ,

Kathleen Smith
Class of 2011