Episode Details
Back to EpisodesMolly Worthen: Is College Killing Christian Faith or Awakening It?
Description
Have You Ever Met a Secular Professor Who Became a Christian?
In this episode of Good Faith, Curtis Chang talks with historian and UNC professor Molly Worthen about her surprising journey from secular skeptic to Christian believer—and what her story reveals about faith, doubt, college, and perceived crises in higher education. They explore why so many Christian students struggle with faith on secular campuses, how parents can help college-bound kids find mentors and community, and how Christian study centers are creating spaces for honest questions, intellectual formation, and spiritual growth. Molly also explains why the search for meaning in the age of AI may open new doors for Christian faith to thrive.
02:58 - Professor Molly Worthen Describes Her Faith Journey
06:22 - Is The Resurrection a Historical Truth?
10:23 - Molly's Leap of Faith Was Intellectual
11:25 - Why Do Students Leave Church in College?
13:48 - The Role of Christian Study Centers
19:49 - Students Seeking Mentorship
25:41 - Faith, Politics, and Crisis of Meaning
29:43 - The Timeless Questions of Faith Are Still the Dominant Ones
31:14 - What's The Professional Cost of Being a Public Christian on Campus?
34:01 - Can You Have a Healthy Relationship With Doubt?
39:28 - Advice for Parents of College-Bound Students
More about the Consortium of Christian Study Centers
More about the North Carolina Study Center
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Mentioned in This Episode:
- Molly Worthen's Spellbound
- LifeWay Research: Most Teenagers Drop