Should Christian Colleges let their students be exposed to ideas that they disagree with?

Rhetorical questions about what might be learned at a Christian college:

Christian college want their students to be Christian or at least strongly exposed to Christian ideas and ideals. They may want to restrict admission to people who at least profess compatible ideas. Perhaps they are open to others, hoping that those people will get exposure to the Christian faith. Or they may be open to anybody who desires to attend.

Once someone is a student, what is he exposed to? Does the college only except expression of the orthodox faith, as explained in that denomination? Are the teachers, students, and outside speakers allowed to explore contrary ideas? Is the faith and the ideals of the students ever challenged by being exposed to other ideas? If not, is this really an education?

Can a person of faith keep that faith and even defend it if he has never had it challenged by other ideas or life circumstances? Since different Christian denominations have very different interpretations of certain parts of scripture and claim to be "right," are these ideas explored at denominational Christian colleges?

Here is an article that explores some of these ideas. The specific topic is how Christian colleges deal with gay people. But in keeping with my rhetorical questions, above, subsitute any controversial issue in the church while reading it.

How does the college you attended deal with ideas that are not main stream? How does your denomination's college deal with contrary ideas?


A 'freedom ride' to anti-gay colleges
Four Minnesotans will be among a group of young people who will begin a bus journey to 19 Christian colleges that have anti-gay admission policies.