Local pastors are lobbying for Penn State to affiliate itself with a new Christian branch campus in State College, but some university employees said they already offer a variety of avenues for students to explore their faiths.

The Rev. Paul Grabill, pastor at the State College Assembly of God, 2201 University Drive, said planning for the college, which would be a branch campus of an existing Christian school, is still in its preliminary stages.

Grabill, who is head of the planning board, said he could not identify the main Christian college, because they have only a "preliminary relationship." He added the planning board might look into having a relationship with more than one college.

Grabill said he wants the school to be fully accredited, so Penn State students could transfer class credits toward their graduations.

Robert Pangborn, the vice president and dean for undergraduate education, said he would not comment on whether the university would work with the proposed branch campus.

Grabill said the college, which aims to recruit area professors and use guest lecturers, hopes to offer at least six classes by January 2007 and expand its offerings from there.

Grabill said the proposed branch campus would hopefully use existing buildings within walking distance from University Park campus and raise funds from Penn State alumni, congregations and Christian leaders throughout Pennsylvania.

Careful planning and donations, he said, will allow the school to offer courses at a lower cost than other accredited institutions.

The new college would benefit students who come to Penn State from a Christian background but do not have "an opportunity to have their faith issues dealt with in a way that draws on the voluminous evangelical Christian scholarship," Grabill said.

Grabill said via e-mail that some Penn State courses "seem either unaware or ignore this body of scholarship" and that Penn State may not "understand the breadth and depth of it."

Grabill said many students look for a place to turn with faith-based questions but are faced with an unwelcoming or hostile environment.

"[They] often have nowhere to turn for adequate answers to faith challenges that are posed to them in the classroom," he said. "Many feel ill-equipped to handle the challenge themselves."

Kira Young, office administrator for the Lutheran Student Community, said she thinks some students might take advantage of the classes offered at the Christian college, but she does not know whether there is a real need for it.

"Most students just want to go to worship and go to social events of similar faith," she said. "What they have here at the [Pasquerilla Spiritual Center], it's definitely not going to be matched. Here [students] can also network with people of other faiths, which is always a healthy experience."

William Petersen, director of religious studies, said Penn State offers a variety of Christian and other world religion courses.

Phil Miller, adviser for the on-campus Veritas Campus Church and a member of the planning board for the Christian college, said the college is not trying to take students away from Penn State.

"It's not that we think the professors in the religious studies department are doing a bad job," he said. "Actually, the students we have talked to have really liked the classes they have taken in the religious studies department ... The main benefit [of the college] would be just to study their faith in a more in-depth setting."

Grabill said Christian colleges are growing at a rapid rate nationally and such an institution is needed in State College. "We have surveyed hundreds of Christian students to date, and it is clear that there is a great appetite ... for this," he said.

Lauren Mack, an undergraduate fellow at the Center for Ethics and Religious Affairs, would not comment on the issue because of her position at the Pasquerilla Spiritual Center.