Campus ministries and new paradigms for educating religiously (The relevance and effectiveness of religious education in public and private universities in America)

This article summarizes a study of campus ministries and religious groups t hat asked how faith is expressed today, if college students view faith as i rrelevant, and what programs are effective and needed. The survey encompass ed public and private universities, four major faith groups-Jewish, Catholi c, evangelical, and mainline Protestant-and each region of the United State s. The article discusses marginality and relevance as well as effectiveness of the religious education programs, and concludes with a study of one pro ject, the Religious Youth Service, which appears to be effective. The RYS d raws on service-learning and interfaith dialogue and could become an effect ive paradigm for educating religiously in a religiously plural world.