“Tolerant Professors” reject Evangelical Christians

                                                                                                                                                                 A majority of American university faculty members view evangelical Christians unfavorably and would like to see the influence of “Christian fundamentalists” on American politics lessened, according to a study released Monday by the Institute for Jewish and Community Research (IJCR).

The survey, which polled more than 1,200 university faculty members, found that 53 percent of them have “cool” or “unfavorable” feelings toward evangelicals, a group that may account for one-third of the American population. The study also found that one-third of faculty members had a negative view of Mormons.

Hopefully this research will prompt College Professors to examine their own prejudices. President Gary Tobin, co-author of the study said, “It’s unlikely that faculty would give students poor grades because of their religious beliefs, but that’s the least of it. It is likely to play out in subtle ways in treating students as intellectually strong or not intellectually strong, encouraging them to participate or not encouraging them to participate.” There is no doubt that there is room for improvement concerning the level of tolerance displayed within any given University classroom. Tobin points out, “evangelical Christian [students] do not want to talk openly about their identities and beliefs. The prejudice against them stands out prominently in institutions dedicated to liberalism, tolerance, and academic freedom.”