9
Christian colleges to function educationally and
religiously."
11
While this role anticipated significant
public advocacy, Werkema's Reformed background also
predisposed him to link this task with the Consortium's
already well-defined commitment to the integration of faith
and learning. As he continued to articulate his vision for
the Coalition's "unified voice," he remarked during the
organizing phase that the primary motive for institutions
joining the new entity was "to participate in a group which
will help preserve their educational distinctives and
protect the right of [each] college to develop, administer,
and implement its own Christian philosophy."
12
Throughout
his Consortium/Coalition presidency, Werkema seemed
especially sensitive to the danger of governmental coercion
aimed at colleges whose Christian values permeated their
entire approach to education.
Under Werkema's Washington-based leadership, the
Christian College Coalition was founded in September of
1976. In addition to the fourteen members of the
11
Gordon R. Werkema, "Report of the President to the
Board of Directors of the Christian College Consortium," 10
October 1975, 5. This and all succeeding citations of
Consortium reports and minutes come from photocopies of
originals in Consortium archives, Dunbarton, N.H.