The Universities We Need ─ Theological Perspectives

Increasing numbers of young adults go to university. This book explores contemporary understandings of what universities are for, what impact they might be having on their students, and what visions of life and society are driving them. It criticises a narrow view of higher education which focuses on serving the economy. It argues that, for the sake of the common and individual good, universities need to be about forming citizens and societies as well as being an economic resource. It does so in the light of theological perspectives mainly from the Christian but also from the Muslim faith, and has a global as well as a British perspective. It brings together key thinkers in theology and higher education policy - including Rowan Williams, David Ford, Mike Highton, and Joy Carter - to present a unique perspective on institutions which help shape the lives of millions.

Stephen Heap is a Baptist minister who spent most of his ministry in University Chaplaincy in London and Bedford, where he was also Director of a Christian education centre. From 2008 to 2014 he was the Church of England’s National Higher Education Adviser. He is now a Visiting Professor at the University of Winchester, engaged in theological reflection on what it means to be an Anglican University, and has a consultancy role at the Cardiff Centre for Chaplaincy Studies. He is the author of the Grove Booklet ’What are Universities Good For?’ (2012) and various articles on higher education.