A more discerning checkbook. . .

Our commitment to education in America remains strong -- so strong, in fact, that last year, institutions of higher learning raked in nearly $60 billion in donations from alumni and those with a heart for education.  The real question, however, is what are those dollars and stock donations supporting?

Of that $60 billion, how much of it is Lutheran money or Roman Catholic or any other chunk of the pie?  Who knows?  I expect that a goodly number of those dollars and shares are Lutheran and Roman Catholic.  But why are Lutherans and Roman Catholics giving so much money to higher education?  Harvard, Yale, Stanford, Princeton, and MIT are the list leaders with in excess of $200 billion in their endowment funds and counting.  On the public list, two Texas, a Michigan, California, and Virginia schools have about $120 billion and counting.  Do they need your dollars or stock certificates?  Christians should be in the business of supporting schools that align with their faith and values.  If that were to happen, I would hope that this would mean faithful Christian schools that reflect the values of the churches that sponsor them would benefit from more of the financial largess.  Need I say more?  I guess I do.

If you are Lutheran or Roman Catholic and an alum of a school that does not mirror your faith and values, why not reconsider your support of those schools and help the schools that do reflect your faith and values?  In fact, you might actually consider shifting your support from colleges and universities entirely to support the K-8 or K-12 Lutheran schools, classical schools, or traditional Roman Catholic schools.  Yes, I am addressing not only Lutherans but also Roman Catholics.  Put your money where your faith is.  There are laudable alternatives to a secular school but they need your help to make it available and accessible to the greater numbers of students.  Give them YOUR help.

There are only 50 million school-aged children in the nation right now.  The struggle to give them options closer to the values of their homes, families, and churches is a mighty one but it will be a lost cause unless we can come up with the funds to enable our children to make the faithful choice.  Maybe it it completely unrealistic to envision this type of sudden shift in financial support to K-12 education or to suggest that donors stop the familiar pattern of supporting their alma mater and begin supporting with a discerning eye those schools that continue to uphold the orthodox Christian faith.  That is exactly my challenge.  Don't write out the check you have been writing for some time to support your alma mater in their fall appeal.  Give that money where it can do good and where you will not have to live in fear of what your bucks are supporting.