Regent University was created based on a direct request from God. At least, that is how its Founder, Chancellor, and President Dr. M.G. "Pat" Robertson explained it at the convocation held last Thursday at the Alexandria campus.
"God spoke to me a few years ago and told me to start a school," Robertson told the more than 120 students, faculty, and guests assembled in the school's auditorium at 1650 Diagonal Road. "Why did we start Regent," he asked rhetorically. "Because the Lord wanted to reclaim the heritage and culture of America."
He then asked "What is this school about?" His answer was, "To teach mature men and women that there is absolute truth and to put that fact into laws, government, and all other subjects. We have gone a long way away from our foundations and settled for cultural relativism."
As stated in the program for the convocation, Regent University's mission is "to provide exemplary education, from a biblical perspective, leading to bachelors, masters and doctorate degrees for aspiring servant-leaders in pivotal professions, and to be a leading center for Christian thought and action.
ROBERTSON POINTED OUT that 150 students of Regent University are presently working in the federal government. He said, "This (the Alexandria campus) is going to be a key part of Regent University. You are going to be a key part of God's plan to change the world. To change it to Christian leadership."
Robertson noted that not only are Regent University graduates situated in key federal positions, but also that one graduate is considering running for Congress to represent the 8th Congressional District now held by U.S. Rep. James P. Moran. "This campus is a strategic part of Regent University's mission," Robertson said.
He noted that Regent University's overall enrollment is now 3,000, boasting, "We got a bond issue passed to pay for this building by getting it through the U.S. Supreme Court."
Referring to the ongoing battle of separation of church and state, Robertson pointed out, "There were no public schools in Europe before Martin Luther, who wanted to teach people to read the bible." Martin Luther, founder of the Reformation, which established protestantism, argued for translating the bible from Latin and teaching people to read in order to make understanding religion more wide spread among the general populous.
The convocation began with special musical presentations by the Shiloh Missionary Baptist Church. Following Robertson's remarks there were the presentation of faculty, the prayer of commissioning, and the anointing and blessing of students.
WITH ITS MAIN campus in Virginia Beach, Regent University was founded by Robertson in 1978. The Northern Virginia Graduate Center in Alexandria was dedicated in January, 2001.
Masters and doctoral degrees are offered in a wide variety of subjects ranging from law and government to theology. The main campus has a curriculum of 25 programs with an additional 17 available via the internet.
At the local campus dedication ceremony in January, 2001, Robertson emphasized, "We want to train lawyers, educators, and communications specialists to be key players in all we do. I believe we will now get judges appointed to the federal bench based on the constitution not sociology."
In his opening statement at the convocation last week, Robertson cited the late U.S. Supreme Court Justice William O. Douglas who, in a 1892 decision, proclaimed, "We are a Christian nation."