Status of David Lipscomb University?

[Tsathoggua]

I have heard folks say that they don't consider DLU to be a "mainstream Church of Christ" university anymore. Is this true? If so, what exactly happened? And when? Because when I graduated in 1983, it was definitely COC to the core!

[Cootie Brown]

I don't know, but I suspect it's because they need students to survive. And recent stats indicate more and more folks ain't buying what the c of C is selling and that is especially true for younger people.

[Tsathoggua]

I don't know, but I suspect it's because they need students to survive. And recent stats indicate more and more folks ain't buying what the c of C is selling and that is especially true for younger people.

Hey, that's as good a reason as any! Thanks.

[idontgotoFC]

I have heard folks say that they don't consider DLU to be a "mainstream Church of Christ" university anymore. Is this true? If so, what exactly happened? And when? Because when I graduated in 1983, it was definitely COC to the core!

I would agree with what you've heard. I think they hold their COC identity more than Pepperdine may, but they don't seem to be "hard core". I don't know if I would call them not mainstream, but I think they push the boundaries of mainstream. Looking at their "Hazelip School of Theology" staff page, a lot of the professors have academic christian backgrounds (Princeton, Notre Dame, Westminster), I don't know if that was the case 30 years ago. I don't know if anything happened exactly, it may have been changes in leadership. I think the mainstream COC may be getting more progressive as a whole though.

[Cootie Brown]

I have heard folks say that they don't consider DLU to be a "mainstream Church of Christ" university anymore. Is this true? If so, what exactly happened? And when? Because when I graduated in 1983, it was definitely COC to the core!

. I think the mainstream COC may be getting more progressive as a whole though.

I think you are right about that. It seems they have employed a number of False teachers and they have a tendency to become Change Agents & we all know what happens then.

[Ivy]

Cootie capitalized "False"!!!

[Cootie Brown]

That wasn't intentional. My IPad seems to have a mind of its own sometimes.

[Struggler]

The numbers of non- C of C students at DLU are growing. As was said, it's about surviving. The C of C is a dwindling denomination. I expect the school will remain C of C-affiliated, although in a more nominal way in the years to come.

[tnca]

I'm a fairly recent graduate. It definitely wasn't like the CoC I grew up with, but that was all non-institutional. The Bible department encourages academic graduate work for many students. The chapel office mostly brings in general evangelical and progressive evangelical speakers. Chapel singing is still led acapella, but there have been some performers with instruments too. A lot of the churches most connected to Lipscomb lean progressive.

Mostly it seems to be getting more like Pepperdine. Which makes sense, given Randy Lowry's background and a lot of the faculty.

[B.H.]

I think the non-class brethren need to bring back Gunter College.