Columbia University
February 6, 19, 2008
Schedule
Wednesday, February 6
Exclusive Religion in a Pluralistic Society
What are the tensions and how do we move forward?
8:00pm. Roone Arledge Auditorium, Lerner Hall
Director of American Studies and Julian Clarence Levi Professor in the Humanities and Author. Columbia University
Author—The Reason for God: Belief in an Age of Skepticism. Senior Pastor—Redeemer Presbyterian Church.
Professor in the Humanities and Religion and Author. Columbia University
President. The Center for Infectious Disease Research in Zambia (CIDRZ) Foundation
Religious differences continue to be sources of social division and violence around the world, and it is often argued that claims to exclusive religious truth exacerbate these tensions.
As a result,there is understandable anxiety about the role of religion in public life, and our society attempts to inculcate the values of respect, tolerance, and pluralism. But what are the limits of these ideals, and how do they play out in practice?
Is it possible to show respect for individuals while rigorously examining the foundations and implications of their beliefs? More broadly, do the ideals of pluralism and tolerance provide a sufficiently substantive set of principles around which a society can unite? This panel will attempt to identify the fault lines of religion and pluralism, and consider how best to address them.
Tuesday, February 19
Reason for God?
Belief in an Age of Skepticism
8:00pm. Miller Theatre - Columbia University
Author—The Reason for God: Belief in an Age of Skepticism. Senior Pastor—Redeemer Presbyterian Church.
Co-anchor. "Nightline" and "20/20" Correspondent
"Literature Humanities" and History Lecturer. Columbia University
At a time when critics like Richard Dawkins and Christopher Hitchens are questioning the very legitimacy of faith in God, Tim Keller presents intellectually rigorous reasons why believing in God makes sense.
His new book addresses challenges to Christianity such as Jesus' universal claims to be the only way to God, tensions between science and faith, and the authenticity of Biblical texts.
Will his arguments hold up under fire? Will they satisfy Columbia skeptics? ABC's Martin Bashir and Columbia's David Eisenbach will push Keller to limits with hard questions of their own, and those that the campus submits.