Lewis’ ‘Mere Christianity’ causes stir at Dartmouth
Conservative News Service, December 14, 1998
The book Mere Christianity is too much for Dartmouth College. School officials prevented Campus Crusade for Christ from mailing 1,100 copies of C.S. Lewis’ apologetic to incoming freshmen; the organization sent 1,069 copies to last year’s freshman class. The books had been wrapped and prepared for delivery to the college’s mailroom when school officials told the group it could not mail them out, Conservative News Service said.
They cited a complaint by campus religious leaders and several students. The officials reversed the decision, but the ministry decided not to send the books after meeting with the religious leaders. “I was very disappointed with their stand, but we decided to hold off the mailing,” said Chris West, Campus Crusade’s Dartmouth director. To go ahead “would have defeated the purpose of our gift.” A rabbi, Catholic priest, and Lutheran minister “leaned hard on us not to send books to their students,” he said. The ministry reportedly made provisions for people who didn’t want to receive the book, but no one indicated that it shouldn’t be mailed to them.
“Christianity is especially targeted,” West said. “When it has to do with Christianity, the college steps in to block it.” The college reversed its decision only after receiving negative publicity from media and conservative groups, he said. The ministry will make the book available free of charge in dining halls and other campus areas, he said. Christian minister Eleazer Hancock founded Dartmouth in the 1700s, and nine of the school’s first 10 presidents were ministers.