I got accepted at messiah university and I’m just wondering if messiah considered “liberal” socially or more conservative like Liberty or Bob Jones? Thanks!
It is definitely religiously conservative. However, unlike Liberty University and Bob Jones University which pretty explicitly align their institutions with conservative politics, it looks like Messiah University has tried to remain politically neutral according to this article I found:
So does that mean- socially and politically messiah would be more liberal than other Christian colleges?
It is definitely conservative theologically, which means most people would describe it as socially conservative (for example, with respect to rules for students’ behavior around LGBTQ issues, alcohol consumption, premarital sex, and a host of other issues). Where it differs from the other universities you listed is that the university itself seems to not try to connect those personal conservative principles to support for a particular political party.
So, bottom line, I think you could describe it as very slightly “less conservative“ than Liberty University or Bob Jones University. But in the eyes of most people they are all about the same.
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Kids from my high school go to both Messiah and Liberty pretty much each year. Liberty is far more conservative. Parents who want their kids to go to Liberty usually won’t consider Messiah because they consider it too liberal.
But the students who go to each are often “solid” Christians. Both are strong “faith” schools vs other colleges that are just loosely connected to Christianity.
The difference between the two is that Messiah is open to various interpretations of the Bible and Liberty sticks only with the fully conservative side. Take a look at how each treat Creation:
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i see, thanks! socially or politically speaking though how tolerant do you believe is messiah to a more liberal student like myself?
They are definitely more tolerant than Liberty would ever be. Messiah prefers to just be God/Christ centered and let humans ponder how they fit in similar to how we are commanded in Romans 14: 2-10
2 One person believes he may eat anything, while the weak person eats only vegetables. 3 Let not the one who eats despise the one who abstains, and let not the one who abstains pass judgment on the one who eats, for God has welcomed him. 4 Who are you to pass judgment on the servant of another? It is before his own master that he stands or falls. And he will be upheld, for the Lord is able to make him stand.
5 One person esteems one day as better than another, while another esteems all days alike. Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind. 6 The one who observes the day, observes it in honor of the Lord. The one who eats, eats in honor of the Lord, since he gives thanks to God, while the one who abstains, abstains in honor of the Lord and gives thanks to God. 7 For none of us lives to himself, and none of us dies to himself. 8 For if we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord. So then, whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord’s. 9 For to this end Christ died and lived again, that he might be Lord both of the dead and of the living.
10 Why do you pass judgment on your brother? Or you, why do you despise your brother? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God;
If you are more interested in LGBTQ, this is what I found on Messiah’s site just now. I would suggest you contact someone (student) in that group and ask to get more up to date info than I would have.
I can say that students who have gone to both schools have liked their experience, but the way they approach Christianity definitely differs.
Students/parents who want only conservative teaching will prefer Liberty. Students/parents who want a solid faith, but are open to different interpretations feeling “we” don’t know exactly how some passages are to be understood and therefore rely on God’s assurance that we don’t all have to believe the same will choose Messiah.
Both are definitely Christian schools vs some schools that are affiliated with a denomination, but not so much overtly.
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thanks for your response!
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Best wishes on your choice!
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