SARAH SCHOTT
Staff Writer
Thirteen students circle together with their professor to discuss the Gospel of Mark. Dr. Paul Contino opens the small, intimate class, titled “Faith and Reason,” with a moment of silence. Then, he dives into the material by posing the question of why Mark wrote a Gospel.
Without hesitation students share their thoughts and understandings of the text, the relevance of the Gospel in accordance with faith, but also with an acknowledgment of reason.
One day a week, students of different backgrounds of belief come together in this first-year seminar course. Throughout the class they discuss that week’s reading material in a manner comparable to an upper-level junior or senior course. While Dr. Contino guides the discussion, posing questions as to why Mark included only certain parts of Jesus’ life, the students, ultimately, engage the classroom.
“Faith and Reason,” as the course description details, “invites students to attentively read, discuss, and write on a variety of works, each of which will raise questions to be pursued throughout the course of the semester: Does faith transcend reason? How might faith seek understanding through reason? What are the limits of reason?”
Dr. Contino, in his sixth year at Pepperdine, developed the “Faith and Reason” course in response to contemporary conflicts between religion and the intellectual realm. “Often students wonder how their faith can be reconciled with recent scientific discoveries,” Contino explained. “They wonder about questions we pose in our course description.”
Altogether, there are seven sections of “Faith and Reason,” each taught by a different professor. Together, professors Michael Dula, Chris Heard, Ed Larson, Brian Newman, Donna Nofziger-Plank, Bill Phillips and Chris Soper teach “Faith and Reason,” as a cohesive course.
Contino elaborates on the team arrangement. “We [faculty],” said Contino, “are all working from the same syllabus, same books, and give the same assignments.” The team meets once a week to discuss class text and the manner in which it will be presented.
Course reading material helps to answers questions posed throughout the course: What place, if any, does faith have in political life? How might a person of faith respond to recent advances in science— especially those in evolutionary biology?
“It’s [the set of books] diverse,” said Contino. “Most of the text[s] could be described as classic. Does that mean they’re old and musty? No. Each book is the kind that when you reread it you are presented with new discoveries and new questions.”
The varied readings examine the relationship between faith and reason from different standpoints. Texts by Thomas Aquinas work from a political sphere, while authors like Charles Darwin and Kenneth Miller entertain ideas of faith and science.
Additional works seek enlightenment of foundational questions.
“Many of the foundational questions, such as ‘What is a human being? What is the purpose of being human? What is marriage?,’” said Contino, “are answered through selected texts like Genesis. Genesis gets at this question, whether you are a believer or not.”
The course encourages students to move deeper into the selected readings.
“Part of the goal of the class,” said Contino, “is to read closely and thus begin to questions the assumptions one may have had before one had read the text attentively.”
Taylor Sides, a freshman in Contino’s class, confirms this goal.
“I have learned to not just read,” Sides said, “but to analyze it and put it in my own personal beliefs.”
The personal significance of analyzing the relationship between faith and reason, according to Contino, lies in one’s rational capacities, his or her position in a larger community and in gains of perspective.
“There are best-selling authors who say ‘Christianity is irrational,’” said Contino. “How might a believer articulate a reasoned response to contemporary challenges like those presented by writers like Dawkins, Hitchens and Harris?”
Dr. Ed Larson, Contino’s colleague in “Faith and Reason,” further expands on the connection between faith and reason.
“Faith and reason offer humans two ways of knowing,” said Larson. “We are people of faith and a people of reason. I know of no other beings that have both capacities. It makes us human.”
Freshman Reuben Dolan identifies the significance of the relationship between faith and reason from his perspective.
“If nothing else it gets you thinking about what you believe and why you believe it,” Dolan said. “Does it make sense and could you back it up? Could you explain it to someone else and have it make sense? In that manner your faith is reasonable.”
Contino hopes his students will finish the course with an articulation in thought and communication.
“I’d like them to be clearer thinkers,” said Contino. “I’d like them to be more articulate conversation partners. I’d like them to be better writers.”
Contino also acknowledges the contemporary relevance of the course in relation to students’ personal growth.
“I guess I’d like them to feel that they are better equipped to enter into a conversation that is both perennial but also timely because people are saying that Christianity is in conflict right now,” he said. “To get students thinking about questions that really matter-that get them thinking about one’s sense of calling, of vocation.”
Matt Deseno, a freshman, reflects on his frustrations and growth throughout the course. “Honestly? This course instills more doubt and confusion for finding the answers outside of class,” Deseno said. “I guess it’s an inspiration to challenge ourselves in areas we would typically disregard.”
Courtland Marlett acknowledged the challenges and growth he has encountered. “I’ve never been introduced to the Bible, never read anything out of it before,” Marlett said. “Just from my personal views, I’ve been challenged to make points to the class and to understand points the class is making.”
Ultimately, the relationship between faith and reason is a question that transcends the ages. “It’s a perennial question,” said Contino. “But reason doesn’t have the final say. Faith has to complete what reason can offer.”
12-06-2007
