What is the Largest Private Religious University in the US? A Comprehensive Guide

Are you looking for a private religious university in the United States? With so many options available, it can be difficult to decide which one is right for you. To help you make an informed decision, we have compiled a comprehensive guide to the largest private religious universities in the US. Founded in 1971 by Jerry Falwell Sr., Liberty University is one of the largest Christian universities in the world and the largest private non-profit universities in the United States by total student enrollment. These universities offer unique undergraduate and graduate programs to help students achieve their academic and professional goals.

Students looking to attend one of these schools should consider the spiritual growth, recreational and sports opportunities that these schools can offer thanks to their large student population. Here we look at some of the largest Christian universities in the US and what makes them special.

Grand Canyon University

Grand Canyon University is located 100 miles from Austin and Dallas in Waco, Texas. Founded in 1845, Baylor University is proud to be a university community united by faith and service and based on Baptist principles. The school has an average of about 15,000 undergraduate students, even though it only accepts 57% of applicants.

However, the student-to-teacher ratio is only 1 to 16, meaning that students can receive personalized feedback and work together with their teachers.

Luther College

Luther College was founded in 1861 by Norwegian immigrants in rural northeast Decorah, Iowa. It is an undergraduate liberal arts university whose principles align with the teachings of the Lutheran Church. With an average of 1,700 students with a student/teacher ratio of 10 to 1, Luther accepts 60% of applicants. Of the 60 specialties offered, the most popular include business, music, and biology.

Most seniors also participate in different academic and community internships before graduating.

Harding University

Harding University is a private Christian university located in Searcy, Arkansas. Harding University was founded in 1924 and is affiliated with the Church of Christ. Harding University is a private university with a beautiful campus in the Ozark Mountains. The university uses a semester academic calendar, and the most popular specialties include Humanities, Business, and Elementary Education.

The school's sports team, Harding Bison, competes in Division II of the NCAA (Great American Conference).

Indiana Wesleyan University

This private evangelical university, located in Marion, Indiana, was established in 1920 based on Wesleyan Christian teachings. As a Christian school, IWU offers several faith-based degrees such as Biblical Literature and Youth Ministry. The university also offers non-religious degrees in accounting, computer science and more. Adult students can earn degrees at satellite campuses in other parts of Indiana, Kentucky and Ohio.

The Indiana Wesleyan Wildcats compete against several private Christian universities that participate through the Central University Conference of the National Interuniversity Athletics Association (NAIA).

Calvin College

Calvin College was established in 1876 in the suburban city of Grand Rapids, Michigan. It is a small private school founded on the doctrines of the Christian Reformed Church. A wide variety of new student guidelines such as Quest Week help acclimate first-year students entering college and create an “intentional Christian community” among students.

With 21 teams from the NCAA Division III varsity team, the Calvin College Knights have won 11 national titles. Fellow students have won 126 All-American academic awards. Some popular specializations include nursing, business and engineering. Ultimately, the goal of Calvin College is to bring worldwide rehabilitation through service to Jesus Christ.

Messiah College

This private Christian college was established in 1909 just 12 miles from Harrisburg, Pennsylvania by academic and philanthropist R S Brown. Messiah College is a private liberal arts and applied sciences school founded on Anabaptist, Pietist and Wesleyan Christian teachings. The school's academic and community mission emphasizes service and leadership in both religious and mundane aspects of life. Students can volunteer to be part of local and international service opportunities or contribute to academic problem-solving projects that provide services to non-profit organizations, government agencies and global companies.

Students must sign a Community Compact promising to defend academic integrity, Christianity-based religious practices and responsible decision-making. With more than 100 traditional and religious specializations available, students can earn degrees in a variety of unique fields such as reconciliation, missionary ministries and biblical languages.

Bethel University

Following the principles established by its founder John Alexis Edgren Bethel must “measure our performance according to what God achieves through our graduates once they have prepared themselves at Bethel to go out into the world to serve”. Bethel's mission is to build a comprehensive community of believers who can think critically and take positions of leadership while serving others.

Samford University

< p >After surviving two fires two relocations and even the Civil War Samford ranks as number one among private Christian universities located in Homewood Alabama Samford is a Christian university with a global reach; its 5 700 students come from more than 40 states and 25 countries Art Divinity and Education are just a few of the undergraduate study programs available to Samford students but the most common degree options include pharmacy nursing and journalism The Samford Bulldogs are also part of NCAA Division 1 competing in the Southern Conference < h2 >Central College < p >Central College is located 12 miles from Harrisburg Pennsylvania It was founded by academic philanthropist R S Brown The entire curriculum incorporates real-world applicability that prepares students for the global business world Before graduating more than 75% of Central college students participate in internship opportunities at organizations such as Kennedy Space Center White House Detroit Lions or Mayo Clinic With a student/teacher ratio of just 11 to 1 students at this campus enjoy highly interactive learning first-hand mentoring from teachers < h2 >Steubenville Franciscan University < p >Steubenville Franciscan University was founded in 1946 by Franciscan friars of Third Order Regular It is a private Catholic school located in Steubenville Ohio The suburban campus enrolls approximately 2 600 college students each year with an acceptance rate of 75% Popular specializations include Theological Ministerial Studies Liberal Arts Humanities Nursing Franciscan also competes in NCAA Division III < h2 >College Of The Ozarks < p >The College Of The Ozarks is a private Christian college located on Point Lookout Missouri It was founded by Presbyterian minister William Jewell who wanted to create an institution that would provide education for those who could not afford it This college offers free tuition for all its students who work 15 hours per week on campus or participate in volunteer activities The college also offers several sports teams including basketball baseball softball soccer tennis golf volleyball track field cross country swimming diving equestrian cheerleading bowling rifle shooting archery golf disc golf fishing rodeo tennis table tennis ultimate frisbee water polo lacrosse rugby football cricket croquet badminton curling dodgeball handball paintball pickleball sand volleyball skeet shooting trap shooting volleyball beach volleyball With so many options available it can be difficult to decide which one is right for you But with this comprehensive guide you can make an informed decision about which private religious university best suits your needs Whether you are looking for spiritual growth recreational opportunities or sports activities there are plenty of options available for you at these large Christian universities across America.