Arizona State University administrators have penalized tenured philosophy professor Owen Anderson for allegedly teaching classes that are too Christian, according to the faculty member.
Anderson, who has spent more than two decades teaching at Arizona State University, reported that his college dean deducted points from his annual performance review and reduced his merit pay in May. The dean claimed Anderson’s 2025 teaching was too Christian, citing five quiz questions out of more than 80 and two negative student evaluations.
Anderson argued that the questions—“Why is knowing God the highest good?” “What is the relationship between God and morality?” and a true/false statement about whether death should make us think about life’s meaning—are foundational philosophical inquiries explored by thinkers throughout history, including non-Christian philosophers such as Plato and Aristotle. He noted his class on the philosophy of death and dying was approved by Arizona State University but later penalized.
Anderson emphasized that these are standard philosophical topics, not evidence of religious promotion. He addressed student complaints alleging hypothetical offense, noting students did not provide examples of actual incidents but merely speculated about potential scenarios.
“The chilling effect is obvious,” Anderson stated. “Christian professors may decide that silence is safer than risking administrative punishment.”
Anderson, who has been engaged in a lawsuit against Arizona State University over its DEI training requirements for more than two years, argued before the Arizona Supreme Court on September 1 and awaits a decision. He warned that repeated negative evaluations could lead to termination. “A public university should encourage those questions, not punish professors for asking them,” Anderson said.
The incident has raised concerns about religious discrimination in higher education and potential ripple effects across American universities.
