My students make very hard college choices. They must choose between “high prestige” secular schools and Biola University. Here is an edited version of a note I wrote to a bright young man making a decision between Biola and Berkeley.
Why would I choose Biola over Berkeley? (And I would . . . )
First, I believe education is training to live virtuously. A good man can learn skills at any time . . . but intense mentoring to virtue is not going to happen accidentally at any stage of your life in this culture.
I think we need more good men who are smart . . . not just good men or clever men. I would pick a college program that has not given up on the old goal of the liberal arts to make you a Christian, a gentleman, and a good citizen.
Second, I think we have to ask ourselves this hard question:
If you could be mentored by Peter (a fisherman) or Plato (the philosopher) which man would you pick?
At your age, I would have picked Plato . . . now I see that ignorance of God is a fundamental flaw that should be avoided at all costs. There is no real, systematic education in virtue possible without God. God gives a common grace to all persons (and so we can learn from anyone), but if one can, better to choose a role model who knows Him directly.
Peter (whatever his faults) saw God-in-flesh, was empowered by the Holy Spirit, and would have done more to stimulate my intellect than Plato. (And heaven knows I love Plato . . . )
If a book were to be lost (!) better Republic than I Peter.
It is true that you will not be so lucky as to get Peter in class at Biola, but you will not get Plato at Berkeley.
In Torrey you will read both Plato and Peter carefully with professors empowered by the Spirit of God (God help us) . . . the same Spirit that filled Peter. We will always strive to see Plato through Peter (or Paul or John or Moses . . . ) not Peter through Plato.
If spiritual development matters in college education (and I think it does), then this matters fundamentally.
Third, Biola will challenge the reasonableness of your faith directly. At Berkeley your faith will be ignored more than attacked, so even if it survives the dorm immorality it will be soft. (As many as fifty percent of Christian students do not survive this assault . . .) Torrey at Biola wants graduates with faith seeking understanding . . . not an irrational faith or worldly understanding looking around for faith.
Christianity is not under fire at Berkeley since most don’t know it well enough to attack it well . . Torrey professors love Christianity enough to let you have it . . . we want strong Christians, battle hardened for the intellectual struggle with secularism, Islam, and other competing ideologies.
Finally, as a home schooled student you have always taken the unconventional path. If your parents had done what everyone else said (the high school equivalent of going to Berkeley), you would not be the you that got into Berkeley! Having begun “weird” and profited by it, why become merely “normal?”
At Torrey Honors Institute, you will be one of fewer than 500 in a chosen band, at the government school you will be one of thousands. I know which I would choose.
Can God use you at Berkeley? I am sure He can. Do we need you at THI? Not in the sense of closing without you, but “yes” in the sense of looking for men who want to get ready to be cultural warriors in the fiercest fights.
We promise to integrate faith, hope, and above all charity into your education. We will open our homes to you, spend extra time with you, lobby you into grad school if we can.
Sometimes the “practical” thing isn’t!
You began your education in faith (at least the faith of your parents!) . . . I would advise ending in faith.
