In this highly provocative investigation, C. John Sommerville examines common linguistic uses of the terms 'religion,' 'religious,' 'spiritual,' and 'secular' in order to discern understandings of these words in contemporary American culture. Sommerville then uses these definitions to examine the ways that institutions in the fields of education, science, law, politics and religion are affected often in unexpected ways by a shared set of assumptions about what these words mean....

During the last century American students and scholars have found it increasingly difficult to discuss the relation of religion to the mission of self-consciously secular colleges and universities. Respected scholar C. John Sommerville here offers thought-provoking reflections on this subject in a conversational style. / Sommerville explores the crisis of the secular university, argues that religion and secular universities need each other, and examines how Christianity shows up on both sides of our “culture wars.” The astute reflections in Religious Ideas for Secular Universities point the way to a dialogue that would do justice both to religious insights and to truly neutral secular education....