Faith, Education, and the Art of Disagreeing Better: A Reflection on Modern Challenges
There’s something profoundly unsettling about the way our society is currently grappling with faith, education, and disagreement. Recently, a gathering of leaders from prominent faith-based colleges in Washington, D.C., including Elder Clark G. Gilbert and Utah Governor Spencer Cox, shed light on these issues. But what struck me most wasn’t the event itself—it was the deeper questions it raised about our cultural moment.
The Unspoken Crisis in Higher Education
One thing that immediately stands out is the growing disconnect between higher education and the search for purpose. Elder Gilbert pointed out that two-thirds of U.S. college students feel a crisis of purpose, yet their institutions rarely address it. Personally, I think this is a symptom of a larger problem: we’ve turned education into a transactional system, focused on credentials rather than meaning. Faith-based colleges, with their emphasis on spiritual and intellectual growth, seem to be filling this void. But what many people don’t realize is that this isn’t just about religion—it’s about creating spaces where students feel seen, heard, and valued.
From my perspective, the rise of faith-based institutions isn’t just a trend; it’s a response to a cultural vacuum. As secular campuses struggle to foster a sense of belonging, faith-based schools are offering something more holistic. But here’s the irony: while these institutions are thriving, their success stories often go untold. If you take a step back and think about it, this silence speaks volumes about our societal biases against faith in public discourse.
The Loneliness Epidemic and the Role of Faith
What makes this particularly fascinating is the connection between faith and mental well-being. Elder Gilbert highlighted studies showing that those who identify as religiously unaffiliated are the least happy and most lonely. This raises a deeper question: have we inadvertently created a culture where rejecting faith is seen as progressive, even as it leaves people more isolated?
In my opinion, the pushback against religion in recent decades has been framed as a battle for rationality, but the data suggests otherwise. Faith isn’t just a set of beliefs—it’s a community, a source of purpose, and a buffer against despair. Yet, on many campuses, religious students feel unsafe to express their beliefs. This isn’t just a problem for them; it’s a loss for everyone. When we silence faith, we lose the richness of diverse perspectives and the opportunity to engage in meaningful dialogue.
Disagreeing Better: A Call for Moral Courage
Governor Cox’s keynote on “Learning to Disagree Better” resonated deeply with me. What this really suggests is that our inability to engage in healthy conflict is eroding the very fabric of society. Politics has become a substitute for religion, and religion has become politicized. The result? We’ve lost the sacred spaces where we can simply be human, flawed and searching, without judgment.
A detail that I find especially interesting is Cox’s emphasis on character. He argues that self-government requires both education and morality. But in an age of polarization, morality is often seen as a relic of the past. Personally, I think this is where faith-based institutions have a unique role to play. By teaching students to see each other as children of God, they’re modeling a kind of respect that transcends ideological divides.
The Future of Faith and Education
If there’s one takeaway from this gathering, it’s that faith-based education isn’t just about preserving tradition—it’s about reimagining the future. What many people don’t realize is that these institutions are at the forefront of addressing some of our most pressing societal issues: loneliness, purpose, and civil discourse.
But here’s the challenge: their impact won’t be felt unless we start listening. As Elder Gilbert urged, faith-based colleges need to tell their stories more boldly. And the rest of us? We need to stop seeing faith as a relic and start recognizing it as a resource.
In the end, the question isn’t whether faith has a place in education. It’s whether we’re willing to create a society where faith, reason, and disagreement can coexist. Because if we can’t learn to disagree better, I fear we’ll lose more than just our institutions—we’ll lose our humanity.
