Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo

Two Pluralisms

Why 'Religious Pluralism' Doesn't Work, But 'Principled Pluralism' Does and Must

Pluralism can mean different things, and some versions work better than others. This talk will explain and critique "Religious Pluralism," the outlook that all religions are essentially the same, and the corollary, that believing one religion is especially true is naive, wrong, or unkind.  On the other hand, a religiously diverse society must pursue "Principled Pluralism," the conviction that people of all religions should have equal freedoms and access to public resources, and that no one religion should be privileged above another.  

Faith, Film & Art

James Elkins of the Art Institute of Chicago said, "Committed, engaged, ambitious, informed art does not mix with dedicated, serious, thoughtful, heartfelt religion." The art tends to be "loose and unambitious," or the religion "one-dimensional and unpersuasive." Therefore can art, encompassing everything from film to painting to writing, combine with any sort of faith? Ryan Miller, a Cal Poly journalism graduate and California Arts Scholar will explore the idea that the art world cannot create art that genuinely explores religious faith.

The Resurrection Argument that Changed a Generation of Scholars

In realizing that many claims about religion could be either verified or falsified, Gary Habermas began a search for truth. He realized particularly that the truth behind the resurrection of Jesus would go a long way in proving or disproving Christianity. In his talk, he will pace a timeline to discover whether we have early, eyewitness reports of Jesus' resurrection appearances that date directly after the time of the events themselves or not.

Christianity and Right Wing Politics

Does an Evangelical Christian need to be a Republican to fit in with the doctrines and dogmas of the church? Has loyalty to the GOP eclipsed the worldview of Jesus and the God of Judeo-Christian teaching? How can both the Christian and Non-Christian better understand one another in the heat of political debate? Join Aaron Porter in a frank discussion on the teachings of the Bible and the role they play in today's political arena.

Why Does God Allow Evil?

If there is a just God, why does he allow evil to persist? Why do bad things happen to good people? Why does God allow tsunamis, earthquakes, and fires? To what extent are men and women responsible for the human condition? Do people really even have free will? In his talk, Michael Job will discuss how the existence of God can be harmonized with the existence of evil.

Near Death Experiences and the Afterlife

In this talk, Gary Habermas will address the definition of death, and then set parameters for potential afterlife evidence. In looking at testimonies of near death experiences in each of the categories that we will have established, we will discuss the nature of this data and what we can learn about a potential afterlife.

Science and Faith: Belligerent or Brothers?

Science is a common language of the global community that has born much fruit: from cell phones to organ transplants. Faith, on the other hand, comes in all flavors and seems to divide and hinder the world more than it unites or helps. Does this mean that science is better than faith? Should we keep our own particular faith private even while we make the discoveries and claims of science public? How should science and faith relate to one another? Jed Macosko's talk will focus on science and faith, and he will share some of his own scientific research: the incredibly complex and stunningly elegant nano-machines that work inside every living cell.  

Religious Panel

A Conversation between Jewish, Muslim and Christian faiths

Ever wonder what the differences are between many of the dominant religions in the world today? For instance, what is the difference between the Jewish, Muslim, and Christian faiths? In this discussion, these three faiths, with representatives from their own communities, will talk about what makes each religion unique while answering questions from the audience.

Veritas Band and Dance Show

Evolution vs. Atheism

We often hear of a debate between evolution and religion, but what about between evolution and atheism? As a philosopher, Alvin Plantinga will argue that naturalism (or atheism) and evolution, far from supporting each other, are really in deep conflict.

The Gospel According to Linkin Park

The music of Linkin Park is often considered the representative voice of anger, angst, and longing for this generation. Could their lyrics (cries) go beyond mere emotive expression? Could they point to a deeper, universal condition within us all? Could they point to an answer?

Science and Religion: Why Does the Debate Continue?

As a philosopher of Religion and Science, Alvin Plantinga will argue that two confusions lie at the heart of much of the debate between science and religion. First, is the confusion concerning unguided evolution and evolution, and second, is the confusion between scientific secularism and secularism with respect to science.

Film Festival

Veritas Coffeehouse/Discussion