“Maybe God doesn’t exist.” It’s a bold somewhat harrowing notion on the campus of a prominent Christian university but this statement made by Pepperdine senior Colin Davies is precisely the kind of outlook the group “Doubters Anonymous” is aimed at uncovering.
The group formed by Davies and fellow senior Brett Hughes is a new feature this semester at University Ministries which is run through Malibu Presbyterian Church. Every Wednesday night at 10 p.m. Davies Hughes and a number of Pepperdine students meet in Heritage Hall to explore doubts or questions they have regarding faith.
While the meetings are open to everyone they are designed to attract students who feel uncomfortable with Pepperdine’s underlying religious atmosphere.
“Our whole goal is to make it as ‘un-churchy’ as possible – to eliminate any kind of presuppositions any kind of us [versus] them mentality Hughes said, and instead make it all about the people who are showing up who can synergistically say ‘We are trying to find the truth.’ We are trying to help everybody out with our questions our struggles what Christianity is.”
Davies hailing from a history of atheism gang involvement and drug use cites the concept of “Doubters Anonymous” as derivative of his own struggles with faith.
“I came from a background where I wasn’t raised as a Christian he said. You’re going out and you’re looking for things or you’re looking for certain kinds of answers but you don’t really know where to start.
“I felt when I started going to UM there was a really cool spiritual aspect of it but I didn’t really feel like everyone who came there was on the same page. There was such a vibe of ‘we all have it together’ at Pepperdine and ‘we’re all perfect we all know exactly what we believe and our faith is exactly where we want it to be.’ And to me I felt like that was kind of backwards.”
Thus Davies a student leader at UM collaborated with Hughes a UM intern to devise a setting in which students could open up about the religious doubts fears and questions that they all too often feel pressured to stifle. The result was “Doubters Anonymous a spin-off of the remedial group Alcoholics Anonymous.”
“The whole issue is that alcohol in ‘Alcoholics Anonymous’ is bad but doubt in ‘Doubters Anonymous’ is not Hughes said. If you’re doubting something and it’s real it’s going to hold its weight. So in that sense doubt is a good thing.”
Davies and Hughes admit that such an approach to religious uncertainties is risky especially at a university where three religion courses and “Chapel” credits weigh heavily on the curriculum. To counter criticism about their mission they refer to Jesus’ methods of teaching.
“There might be some people in the church who say this is a way that we’re watering down the message Davies said. The way I respond to that is that Jesus didn’t go and hang out with people who had it all together – he did the exact opposite. People who know they don’t have it all together are the ones who are capable of actually making progress.”
Ross McMeekin director of UM at Malibu Presbyterian views the intrepid undertaking of “Doubters Anonymous” as a vital refuge of truth amidst a religiously affiliated college scene.
“I work in a church so I’m a part of ‘this community’ that’s encouraging faith McMeekin said. But I know that along with encouraging faith a lot of times we can discourage honesty and authenticity. At Pepperdine especially – it being a Christian school – this kind of thing is really needed. It’s great to kind of break down some of those systems that might be pushing people into corners.”
Considering this need for a faith-based safe haven on campus Davies and Hughes say they hope another UM leader or “Doubters Anonymous” member will take the group’s reigns after the two graduate this spring.
“Anything like this isn’t something that’s fixed in a week Hughes said. It’s fixed in years or a lifetime. We’re hoping this is kind of more like an opening the door and if it’s serving that need then there will be people to fill the need.”