CAMBRIDGE, Mass. — At a time when young people are feeling isolated and alone, faith-based and faith-inclusive colleges and universities must deepen their sense of purpose and provide them with a sense of belonging, Elder Clark G. Gilbert said at Harvard University.
“This country needs something more, something deeper,” he said.
On Thursday, March 26, Elder Gilbert, a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, spoke to students and faculty from the Harvard University Faculty Club about the role of faith in the public square.
“It is my prayer and hope that people of faith will stand up, be counted, and find a way to continue to have their voices heard in the public square, even if it takes multiple ‘bats,’” he said.
Before becoming an Apostle in February, Elder Gilbert served on the Church Education Committee and previously served as president of BYU-Idaho and BYU Pathways Worldwide. The speech was a return to Harvard University, where he earned his Ph.D. and taught at the business school. He spoke in the “Faith in the Public Square” series in advance of the university’s 2026 Faith and Veritas event, a campus-wide gathering of Harvard’s Christian community.
“Faith and Veritas is an absolute gift to Harvard,” he said, thanking Harvard law professor Ruth Okudigi for hosting the event.
Speaking at BYU in January 2024, Okediji said events like this respond to the deep needs of this generation and this nation: “How can we improve the quality and integrity of the public square by making faith part of it again?”
crisis and solution
Elder Gilbert said American college students are facing a crisis of anxiety, depression and loneliness.
“Your generation in particular is the loneliest in American history,” Elder Gilbert told the young people, noting that this has to do not only with smartphones and social media, but also with religious apathy.
Elder Gilbert cited a recent study from Harvard University showing that nearly three in five young people lack a sense of purpose. Pew Research Center data shows that even though the number of adults with no religious affiliation is increasing, those who continue to attend religious services regularly report higher levels of happiness and satisfaction.
Faith-based colleges and universities are growing across the country, despite the rise in so-called “non-religious people” and despite popular media coverage. In fact, from 2000 to 2025, the BYU system’s student population grew by more than 100,000 students, Elder Gilbert said. Other universities with religious affiliations, including non-religious universities, are also seeing growth as students seek an education that includes faith and character development.
Elder Gilbert originally wrote an August 2025 article for Deseret Magazine outlining these very topics. The Chronicle of Higher Education recently published a follow-up article titled, “Religious colleges are booming. Why?”
“If you are a person of faith, you must continue to step up to the plate,” Elder Gilbert said, encouraging the students not to get discouraged or discouraged when it is difficult to speak up for your faith.
walk towards something
Also Thursday, Elder Gilbert spent some time on the banks of the Charles River to be near a place that is very important to him. When he was attending graduate school at Harvard University, he and his wife, Sister Christine Gilbert, used to come there for picnics with their young son.
When he first entered graduate school, he felt overwhelmed by the intensive math courses he was required to take. He told his wife he didn’t think he could do it. She told him in many words: “You prayed for this. I know our family is supposed to be here. Now, let’s ‘cheer up’ and do the math.”
He realized that he needed to trust the Savior to help him. He had made a covenant with the Lord and believed that the Lord would guide his path.
Elder Gilbert told this story to faculty and students at Harvard University, concluding, “If I didn’t have a framework of faith and purpose, I would have given up.”
One of his faculty members asked him about his courage to “give up” his career as a professor at Harvard Business School and follow his faith to the University of Idaho. Elder Gilbert responded that it is also “walking toward” something better, which always happens when we follow the Lord’s direction.
He concluded that faith and reason are not contradictory, and explained that if America truly values a pluralistic society that welcomes all, then faith must be included in America’s institutions and public squares.
“America needs faith,” he said. “The majority of ‘no-people’ do not want God in their lives. The majority of no-people pray. The majority of no-people may be uninterested in any particular religion, but they feel a gap in their lives without faith.”
Elder Gilbert concluded by encouraging students to have the courage to stand up for their faith and help others do the same.
