Editor’s Note: Opinions expressed in letters to the editor are those of the author, and publication in the Graphic in no way represent an endorsement of any opinions published. This space is provided to allow public response and commentary on articles and issues which are covered by the Graphic and important to its readership.
Hello,
I know the latest opinion piece is meant to make us think and we should take it with a grain of salt. However, I respectfully ask about these considerations.
One of the main themes seemed to be that Pepperdine should adapt to our changing society following “The Wisdom of the Herd” idea. History shows that this does not lead to enlightenment, that it constantly fluctuates in a destabilizing fashion and finally, the school has a tradition of standing out for not following everyone else.
I understand the appeal to tradition might be arguable.
It is not fair to ask that Pepperdine change by applying statistics solely against Pepperdine. There seems to be a doctrine of proportionality that the author is relying on to advocate her policies. However, consistency demands that said doctrine has to be applied everywhere, not selectively against Pepperdine. Therefore, I believe applying this doctrine of proportionality would suggest that other universities have to adapt to those statistics. And, just to be clear, I do not want the secular universities, whether public or private, to change. The point is, the author makes it perfectly clear that only half the population is Christian. However, it is obvious that the university system in this country is nowhere near 50% Christian affiliated. Therefore, it is unfair to ask a university that is a minority within American higher education, but within the majority of American social views, to change to serve these social views.
Stated with all due respect,
Alexander Dingman (2024)
Editor’s Note: This is in regards to the Article “Opinion: Rethink Pepperdine’s Religious Framework” which was published Nov 18, 2020
