Religion on Campus

“[The authors] are observant ethnographers, looking beyond the obvious places such as classroom and chapel to find religion at work in the locker room before the big game, in acts of community volunteerism or in the highly ritualized coronation of a homecoming queen. This important study confirms the vitality of religion on campus while ably challenging widely held theories of secularization.” — Publishers Weekly

“Professors Cherry, DeBerg, and Porterfield went to the trenches to measure the vitality of religion on America’s college campuses. . . . One theme emerges clearly: religion is alive and well on campus.” — Publishers Weekly — >

“A good introduction to American understanding of faith. . . . I share [the authors'] appreciation of how religion on campus has changed.” — Alan Wolfe, Chronicle of Higher Education

“The book . . . does a great service in giving a finely grained snapshot of religion on campus. . . . The authors do a masterful job of capturing the feel of religious life on the disparate campuses that they studied.” — Perspectives in Religious Studies

“A study of religious practice on American campuses that should give pause to anyone proposing that the secularization theory is airtight.” — Common Review

“Any church leader who questions the validity of a religious presence on college campuses should read this book.” — Christian Century

“Succeeds in offering useful glimpses into the spiritual lives of young adults as they seek to live out their religious and/or spiritual convictions in all the contexts of their lives. . . . Highly recommended for professors, campus ministers, and others who would like to know more about the young adults who enter their lives everyday.” — Religious Studies Review

“A believable and compelling picture of religious life on campus. . . . A pleasure to read and a helpful introduction to people who care about student spirituality.” — Congregations

“Religion on Campus is an important book for two reasons: it challenges simple views about the secularization of higher education, and it proves once again that careful ethnographic observation reveals a 'lived religious presence' armchair theorists often miss. The book deserves a wide readership.” — Wade Clark Roof, author of Spiritual Marketplace: Baby Boomers and the Remaking of American Religion

“Religion on Campus provides striking firsthand information that calls into question the gloomy analyses presented in recent books about the secularization of American higher education. Through careful ethnographic case studies, the authors show us that contemporary students are interested in spirituality and for the most part seem to be finding ways of expressing this interest through coursework and other campus activities. Yet the apparent superficiality of these students' religious understanding is also a lesson that educators will need to ponder seriously.” — Robert Wuthnow, author of Creative Spirituality: The Way of the Artist