Questions about the meaning of life and the presence of a higher power are common among people of all faiths. Although significant inquiries, they are not always easy to discuss or to introduce into conversation.
The nationally recognized Veritas Forum will start today at Ohio University and run through Thursday. It will provide an outlet for students and faculty to discuss and reflect on a variety of life's toughest questions while applying academics to spirituality.
This is not a worship service ' this is answering these questions from a scholar's perspective
said Rich Teske, the OU director of Reach Out on Campus.
Created by OU alumna Kelly Monroe Kullberg in 1992, the Veritas Forum has been held at many universities nationwide, including prestigious Ivy League schools. Campus Crusade for Christ and Athletes in Action as well as Reach Out on Campus are two of the Christian organizations in Athens that are sponsoring the event, which will come to OU's campus for the first time.
The directors from Campus Crusade and Reach Out have been working to bring the forum to campus for a few years and said they finally have come to a place in their relationship where they can work together as a team to plan the event.
Teske said that although Christians may have opposing viewpoints on certain issues, he hopes the forum will allow them to unite in intellectual discussion. Individuals of different religious backgrounds also are encouraged to attend the forum's events.
While the sponsors all may be coming from some aspect of a Christian perspective we hope the audience is more diverse said Brian McCollister, the director of Campus Crusade.
The forum will include different speakers and topics each day. One of the four featured events, a panel discussion titled Does Following Jesus Make You Intolerant?
will address the issue of religious intolerance in Christianity.
Steve Hays, an associate professor of classics and world religion at OU, is a member of the aforementioned panel. Although he is a Christian, he said he hopes that critics of the religion will attend and raise their concerns.
As a Christian
I think Americans have a tendency to expect that somehow Islam should police itself
he said, referring to the few radical Islamists who may cast a negative shadow on the faith. But I don't see Christianity doing much of that.
OU student Jordan Hermiller, a junior Greek language major and active member of Campus Crusade, said that he is looking forward to the panel discussion and hopes that other students also will attend the forum events.
I think it will create dialogue and a chance for people to see that the idea of talking about religion is not out of reach
he said. He added that it often is difficult for individuals to stand up for their own religious beliefs for fear of being alienated or labeled by others.
McCollister and Teske, coordinators of the forum, both emphasized that they want those attending the events to feel like they can do so without being criticized or condemned in any way.
We want to create a safe place where ultimate questions can be discussed and considered
McCollister said. We believe that Jesus Christ has something wonderful to offer our culture
and we want to invite the community into those discussions.
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