Skwim
Veteran Member
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"Since as far back as 2012, Liberty University has touted itself as the “world’s largest Christian university.” The claim has been repeated by journalists and prominent figures, such as Liberty President Jerry Falwell Jr. during his 2016 speech before the Republican National Convention and President Donald Trump during his May 2017 commencement speech at the Lynchburg, Va., evangelical Christian school.
It also appeared on the “Quick Facts” section of the Liberty website as recently as January 2018: “Liberty University is the largest private, nonprofit university in the nation, the largest university in Virginia, and the largest Christian university in the world.”
That line has since been removed, and no longer appears on Liberty press releases.
Following an inquiry from Religion News Service this week, school officials said it will erase similar references on possibly “hundreds” of pages across the school’s website, such as one that still appeared as of Thursday (April 26) on a page promoting its booming online degree program; that page was also changed by mid-afternoon the following day.
Liberty officials are downplaying the loss of the distinction they can no longer tout.
“We are focusing more on quality than the sheer size of our university,” said Len Stevens, executive director of external communications for the school.
Where the loss of the mantle of “largest” in its category might go unnoticed for other universities, it may cause more of a stir for Liberty. The university has been one of the highest-profile institutions of higher education in the world for more than a year because of the close connection between Trump and Falwell, a member of the president’s informal evangelical advisory committee. Falwell stands accused by many within and beyond evangelicalism for providing cover for Trump’s most offending behavior.
And what is now the largest Christian university? According to federal enrollment data Liberty also cites, that title in the U.S. — and perhaps the world — belongs to Grand Canyon University, a for-profit Christian school in Phoenix. Like Liberty, it has benefited from heavy investment in online education.
But it also differs from Liberty in several ways, especially in its approach to religion and politics.
source & much more
"Since as far back as 2012, Liberty University has touted itself as the “world’s largest Christian university.” The claim has been repeated by journalists and prominent figures, such as Liberty President Jerry Falwell Jr. during his 2016 speech before the Republican National Convention and President Donald Trump during his May 2017 commencement speech at the Lynchburg, Va., evangelical Christian school.
It also appeared on the “Quick Facts” section of the Liberty website as recently as January 2018: “Liberty University is the largest private, nonprofit university in the nation, the largest university in Virginia, and the largest Christian university in the world.”
That line has since been removed, and no longer appears on Liberty press releases.
Following an inquiry from Religion News Service this week, school officials said it will erase similar references on possibly “hundreds” of pages across the school’s website, such as one that still appeared as of Thursday (April 26) on a page promoting its booming online degree program; that page was also changed by mid-afternoon the following day.
Liberty officials are downplaying the loss of the distinction they can no longer tout.
“We are focusing more on quality than the sheer size of our university,” said Len Stevens, executive director of external communications for the school.
Where the loss of the mantle of “largest” in its category might go unnoticed for other universities, it may cause more of a stir for Liberty. The university has been one of the highest-profile institutions of higher education in the world for more than a year because of the close connection between Trump and Falwell, a member of the president’s informal evangelical advisory committee. Falwell stands accused by many within and beyond evangelicalism for providing cover for Trump’s most offending behavior.
And what is now the largest Christian university? According to federal enrollment data Liberty also cites, that title in the U.S. — and perhaps the world — belongs to Grand Canyon University, a for-profit Christian school in Phoenix. Like Liberty, it has benefited from heavy investment in online education.
But it also differs from Liberty in several ways, especially in its approach to religion and politics.
source & much more
Does my heart good.
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