The Thinker:

If the stereotype of the student is understood as hard-drinking and hard-partying, then there may be problems for Christians. Yet they’re not alone. There are many far less vocal and less obvious groups at university who might feel outcast and marginalised from this sort of lifestyle for whatever reason; Muslims or student parents, to name but two.

Not really, as it involves going against too many things that Christianity either forbids (e.g. sex before marriage) or discourages (such as laziness and selfishness).

Or rather: How consistently can a devout, orthodox, and committed ‘modern stereotypical student’ adopt the lifestyle of a Christian?

Many I know do, or at least claim to …

Given that many “normal” people I speak to seem to think of students as snobbish and selfish, I hope not!

It’s unlikely to be any more successful than trying to adopt the lifestyle of a modern, stereotypical Christian, which is equally doomed to failure. We should live and believe by our own understanding and trust in God, carefully evaluating the beliefs and texts of the tradition webelong to, not by slavishly internalising hand-me-down assumptions.

Christian faith should make a difference to every aspect of our lives. If Christian students are living to please God rather than the world then they are unlikely to fit into any stereotype of typical students.

Which (or more importantly “whose”) stereotype?