Issues and Challenges:

Conservative Christian students are often challenged when confronted with worldviews that are not their own. This is particularly true for courses in religion and philosophy, but may be equally true for courses in the physical and social sciences. Some conservative students are already highly suspicious of secular education. The task of learning about other worldviews or even attempting to understand people of other faiths is often threatening and seen as something that may undermine their own religious convictions.

Students of other faiths face different challenges. As a minority within a dominant Christian culture, they may face religious misunderstandings. While some misconceptions may result in intentional intolerance, other types of misunderstandings might lead to unintended discrimination. A specific example may pertain to issues surrounding gender. This is particularly the case regarding religions and cultures in which there is a greater division of social interaction between genders.