Can faith and reason coexist? On Wednesday, February 18, the Veritas Forum—a non-profit organization that hosts Christian themed discussions at over 100 international campuses—set out to answer this question. This particular “forum,” which was sponsored by Stevens Christian Fellowship, Stevens College of Arts and Letters, Stevens Center for Science Writings, Newman Catholic, and Stevens Philosophy Club, was structured in a debate-esque format with Dr. John Lennox—professor at Oxford University—in support of a Christian God, and Professor John Horgan—director of the Center for Science Writings—taking a more agnostic view.
The event took place in Bissinger at 8:30 p.m., and easily hosted over 100 students and faculty, all eager to hear what the panelists had to say. Lennox began the discussion with a brief biography, outlining his early religious experiences as a Christian in Northern Ireland, and then began to explain his apologetic reasoning for the existence of a God. This is where Lennox made perhaps his most profound point: dismissing the brain as capable of reason is an inherently flawed argument because it depends on the reason of the brain. While it is often argued that science is the only way to truth, that statement is, in fact, not a scientific one.
Horgan joined the discussion in a manner that, not dissimilar to his opinions, nicely contrasted that of Lennox. He noted his Catholic upbringing and ultimate conversion to atheism as part of the hippie 60s; he mentioned his books, namely The End of Science and The End of War, and their relevance in an ever-developing world; and finally, he explained his optimism in spite of his atheist beliefs.
At this point in the discussion, Lennox and Horgan had expressed their opinions of faith and reason, which allowed the conversation to take a unique direction. Lennox proposed that God need not be an either-or question. Horgan conceded that God may have existed at the origin of the universe, but he certainly does not exist today, especially in light of the many atrocities of the past centuries. Importantly, Horgan argued that finding purpose in life is a rather personal issue, and the universal morals associated with a God are a somewhat narcissistic attempt to rationalize existence. Lennox responded with the obvious importance of religion in the development of society, and introduced a disturbingly colonial argument that Christianity is necessary in progress, particularly in Africa.
The discussion tapered off with a few questions from the audience, mostly concerning the existence of a Christian God. Event hosts then collected survey cards from the attendees—these gauged the audience’s religious childhood background, current belief, and takeaway from the event. Everyone shuffled out, collected some pizza on their way, and the night came to an end.
Be First to Comment