The history of Christ College Irvine (CCI), which is part of the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod, is discussed, with attention to the forces contributing to the formation of the new Christian liberal arts college and to assessing the nature of the school. Results of the Danforth Commission study of definitions for church-sponsored colleges are also detailed. While there was political pressure to establish the college, the church also faced financial problems. There was controversy over whether the use of an existing college in Oakland or the building of this new one near Los Angeles made better sense. While the mission statement of the college has been extensively revised since the beginning in 1976, the curriculum has remained fairly constant. CCI primarily offers educational programs that lead graduates into professional positions in the church or to graduate degrees that culminate in a position within the denomination. The only other program has been the general education degree. For the Danforth Commission Study, CCI faculty members were interviewed concerning three definitions or types of church-related colleges: Defender of the Faith, Nonaffirming College, and Free Christian College. It was found that the descriptors pertaining to the Free Christian College best fit CCI. (SW)