How to Stay Christian in College: An Interactive Guide to Keeping the Faith (Paperback)

by J. Budziszewski (Author)
Key Phrases: campus religious life, myth number one, intellectual support circle, Jesus Christ, Mars Hill, The Meaning of Your Life (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review
How to Stay Christian in College is designed to help young people be beacons of light in the often dimly lit corridor of nonChristian higher learning. -- G. Sean Fowlds, Charisma, June 1999

About the Author
J. BUDZISZEWSKI has taught at the University of Texas for over fifteen years. An adult Sunday school teacher and lay Christian counselor, he left his Christian upbringing and abandoned his faith shortly after entering college and did not return to the Lord until ten years later. This experience made him acutely aware of the struggles Christian students face when entering college and prompted him to write this book. A frequent speaker to groups such as InterVarsity Christian Fellowship, the Christian Faculty Fellowship, and Campus Crusade for Christ, Dr. Budziszewski is the author of numerous articles and books from a Christian perspective.

Product Details

• Paperback: 143 pages
• Publisher: Navpress Publishing Group (April 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1576830616
• ISBN-13: 978-1576830611
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 8 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (31 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #82,311 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

41 of 44 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Real-Life Teenager's Review, October 19, 2000

By	Rachel Ernst (San Diego, USA) - See all my reviews

As a high school senior who is approaching college quickly, I thought this book was appealing and engrossing. I have read several works about living for God and preparing for college, but never one as well written as J. Budziszewski's book. Budziszewski did not follow the normal cliches that most authors use and he did not talk down to the reader. Unlike other books on this subject, the author was specific. When he spoke about debating professors with respect, he did not leave the reader wondering how to accomplish this feat. He gave example dialogues for several points. This proved to be very helpful for me. One of the best aspects of the book was that it was surprisingly Biblically sound. Yes, it sounds odd, but I have read "living for God" books that were fairly stuffed with feel-good philosophy. The author challenged the reader to live for Christ completely, not just to fit God into your college schedule next to your water aerobics class. Precise and original, How to Stay Christian in College reinforced moral principles while giving practical advice from an author who actually remembered what it was like to be a vulnerable young adult. I believe this book is a great resource for current and prospective college students. Many of the same principles of "holding your own without being a jerk" are beneficial for teenagers in high school as well. The phrase WWJD? (What Would Jesus Do?) seems to be slightly overused these days. The wording of the phrase makes it sound as if it depends on what the speaker thinks Jesus would do, not what the Bible said He would do in a situation. Budziszewski ended his book with an alternative catchphrase which does not rely on human opinion. In fact, the phrase is so exceptional, I am going to finish my review with it. Simple and powerful, "Follow Christ."

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great as a gift for high school seniors!, May 17, 2000

By	Liz Brown (Oklahoma) - See all my reviews

As a pastor I stuggle for appropriate, i.e., meaningful and yet not too formal or overbearing, gifts for seniors graduating in my church and in other churches I've served. This is an extremely relevant book for young people, especially for those from rather small towns that have yet to really be questioned and confronted about their faith. I would recommend this book to students and parents, as well as to clergy and youth workers interested in preparing their "flock" in the best way they can.

32 of 36 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Easy to read but not "dumbed down", September 18, 2000

By	E. Johnson (El Cajon, CA United States) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

Let's face it. Most Christian young people are not adequately prepared in a spiritual sense to head off to a secular college upon graduation from high school. I teach at a Christian high school myself, and I know that we have our hands full preparing our students for the philosophies and beliefs of the secular world. How often I have had former students come back and tell me that they were glad they were given material to help reinforce their Christian faith. Having flipped through How to Stay Christian in College, I am recommending it to my high school seniors. More than a dozen just ordered it. This book will complement the information provided to them in a junior level apologetics course. "Bud" is a U of Texas professor who tackles some tough issues without getting too deep. For those who need more information on any of the topics he discusses--from relativism to politics--there are other excellent references listed in his footnotes, most of which I have personally read and would also highly recommend. I think this book would make an excellent graduation present by a concerned parent or relative who wants to be sure "junior" will retain his faith into the college years and beyond. Of course, "junior" will need to learn what it means to own his own faith (rather than borrowing mom and dad's), and this book would be an excellent primer to have on the bookshelf next to the Bible.