Houston Baptist University has announced a name change, effective immediately.
The new name of the school is Houston Christian University and the athletics teams will be referred to as HCU on first reference. The school nickname, the Huskies, and the school colors, orange and blue, will not change.
Below is a statement from the university on the name change:
After several years of research and the Board of Trustees’ prayerful review, the University desires to adopt a name that welcomes the many students enrolled who come from many different denominations of the Christian faith as well as those who claim no faith.
As of September 21, 2022, Houston Baptist University will become Houston Christian University.
Houston Christian University more accurately epitomizes our student body and reflects the faculty, staff, alumni, and community we serve.
The University’s Foundational documents clearly reveal that our convictions as an institution of higher learning have not and will not change. Our unwavering brand of traditional Christian higher education, rooted in a biblical worldview, is ever more critical in a fractured society in need of Gospel restoration. We are committed to being a distinctly Christian university and desire to welcome all Christians to benefit from our excellent academic programs.
Houston Christian University will not conform to this world and will continue to boldly glorify God by molding the next generation of educated disciples to think critically and act biblically long after they graduate.
Houston Christian is currently a member of the Southland Conference in the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS). The Huskies kicked off their first season in football in 2013 as an FCS Independent before beginning play in the Southland in 2014.
HCU is 1-1 so far this season following a season-opening win at Northern Colorado, 46-34, and a loss at home to new FCS member Lindenwood, 21-20.
This also ends confusion of HBU with HBCUs.
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I propose that was perhaps the unspoken problem, but in any case being more inclusive — no one can argue with that. What I find interesting is that there are a number of FBS schools who originally also were Baptist colleges…
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I’ll offer up one of them, Wake Forest University. Who can name another one?
Nothing jumps to mind, but I’m sure they’re mostly in the south.
There are a ton of schools with Christian roots playing big league football, with the obvious ones like Notre Dame and Boston College and Souther Methodist Universities.
There are also the not-so-obvious ones like the University of Michigan (founded by a Catholic priest and Presbyterian pastor); Northwestern University (Methodist Episcopal), and Auburn University (Methodist) and on it goes.
I think Baylor is one of them
I’m from the Western U.S. & I never thought HBU stood for Historically Black University Huskies.
Houston Baptist has always been referred to in FB schedules as what I just wrote earlier in this Sentence.
In My Researched Opinion, Christian inclusiveness covers a multitude of correct Principles & a multitude of egregious misinterpretations & errors.
Clint Foster, who is a TCU Fan, ?graduate, Youtuber who makes satirical Videos about the Big 12 Conference Teams inclusive of his Horned Frogs says in multiple skits how TCU Administration has deemphasized it’s practical Christianity to fit in to the Trust Five Conference Club.
Foster’s religious, cultural, sports Satire is very enjoyable & caricatures all the religious & nonreligious 1-A fbs Universities with Humor.
I’ve read multiple reviews of SMU Mustangs Policies & inclusion Influences on all campus Departments which removes & removed Southern Methodist Christian Practices in the Classes & Curriculum so that Methodist Principles affect Zero Students. The University Administration removed it’s sponsoring Religion’s financial & cultural Sponsorship of the University because it’s Academes know More, are smarter Than, & are ethically & morally Fashionable. Methodist in S.M.U. is now Southern METHODIST In Name Only.
Only Baylor University Bears have built up their strong & living religious relationship , for now, with the Baptist Conference or Conferences which sponsor it.
The slippery Slope of casting off your religious Roots for “Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (D.E.I. Social Philosophies) means you won’t be or stay a religiously sponsored or even associated University.
Wake Forest Uni. is nonsectarian right? or it’s now partially taxpayer funded which has removed religious Sponsorship decades ago.
The Trust Five Conference Universities who cast off their religious Roots, Branches & Sponsors are prominently known for their Anti-religious Administrations & Students Behaviors & Policies. Leland J. Stanford University, University of Southern California, Isn’t Duke Uni. officially nonsectarian?
John, below named the other 1-A fbs Unis. who’ve actively disassociated, cutoff their Ties with Religion way before our Lifetimes.
Liberty comes to mind immediately.
Duke and Southern Cal had Methodist ties.
Baylor
As if there will be a first reference.