“The Nature of Evil and Suffering” forum will pit two conflicting ideologies against each other: atheism vs. theism
Veritas Forums began at Harvard University in 1992 when college students sought biblical answers and truth (Veritas).
Since then, universities across the country have hosted Veritas Forums, including Pepperdine, whose fourth annual forum is set for Monday.
“You don’t have to sign up,” said Veritas Forum Event Chair and freshman Lauren Griffin. “It’s at Elkins so people are just going to show up and walk in. It actually fills up pretty fast, though, so we have some overflow rooms booked in the Plaza classrooms. If you go beforehand at 5:30 p.m. you can get a Chipotle burrito and a Crumb’s cupcake on the way out, and Convo credit.”
While the previous Pepperdine forums hosted two persons of the Christian faith explaining their beliefs, this year’s has a twist — atheist, alumnus and founder of the Skeptic’s Society Michael Shermer (’76) will be speaking, who actually graduated from Pepperdine in 1976.
“We got student feedback last year that they wanted different perspectives,” said junior Amy Shearer, who works in the Office of the Chaplain. “We do have different perspectives here — atheists, agnostics, Christians and other faiths as well — so we want to respect those voices and offer different perspectives for people to consider.”
Sophomore Amy Fan said she was glad Michael Shermer will be speaking. “In the past, there would be no non-theist perspective so there would not really be a represented other side. I think it’s important to hear both sides of the story, and I will definitely be going.”
Shermer (non-theist) and professor at Oxford University John Lennox (theist) will be discussing the topic of “The Nature of Evil and Suffering.” Lennox, who frequently lectures in the defense of Christianity, wrote his newest book in 2009 (“God’s Undertaker: Has Science Buried God?”) addressing the role of God and science in the modern world.
“[Suffering] is not something I have an answer for, but something I think everybody wants an answer for, which is what makes it hard,” senior Demi McCoy said. “The Veritas Forum is going to offer a fresh perspective so I think it’s cool for [theists and nontheists] to be there. Both parties will probably take away something very different, but the more we expose ourselves to those sorts of things the better we all get along.”
In addition to free Chipotle, cupcakes and a Convo credit, the forum will have a question-answer segment following the debate.
“I’ll probably go,” freshman Omar Heredia said. “It will be interesting to see a debate, and I’ve asked myself some of the questions that they are discussing so I want to know about it. You have to be open to different perspectives in order to understand what you believe.”
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As published in the Nov. 7 issue of the Pepperdine Graphic.
