204 episodes

At the Veritas Forum, we believe we were made to seek truth and be changed by it. We are a community of students, faculty, campus ministers, and more, who are pursuing a vision of the university that seeks and stewards truth and invites people of all backgrounds to explore the ideas that shape our lives. Since 1992, we’ve shared lectures and conversations with a firm belief that generous dialogue is essential for universities and the Christian faith alike.

In this podcast, we're pulling from our archives of recorded events. Learn more about each episode in the show notes and visit veritas.org to learn more about the mission of the Veritas Forum and join us as we explore the ideas that shape our lives.

The Veritas Forum The Veritas Forum

    • Religion & Spirituality
    • 4.7 • 327 Ratings

At the Veritas Forum, we believe we were made to seek truth and be changed by it. We are a community of students, faculty, campus ministers, and more, who are pursuing a vision of the university that seeks and stewards truth and invites people of all backgrounds to explore the ideas that shape our lives. Since 1992, we’ve shared lectures and conversations with a firm belief that generous dialogue is essential for universities and the Christian faith alike.

In this podcast, we're pulling from our archives of recorded events. Learn more about each episode in the show notes and visit veritas.org to learn more about the mission of the Veritas Forum and join us as we explore the ideas that shape our lives.

    Does Belief Need a Reality Check? | Sean McDowell & Matthew Vess

    Does Belief Need a Reality Check? | Sean McDowell & Matthew Vess

    Sometimes belief can get you the job, secure the win, or help you make a difference. And, sometimes, belief doesn't seem to help at all. So, can we know which beliefs are worth believing in? And, when do we just need to take a leap of faith?


    In today’s episode, our speakers wrestle with these questions. Psychology professor Matthew Vess (Texas A&M) is in dialogue with Sean McDowell (Biola), a professor of Apologetics. They discuss how certainty and belief interact and whether the claims of Christianity could ever be worth dying for.


    This Forum event was held at Texas A&M in Spring 2023. Thank you to the Forum planning team who made this discussion possible!



    Watch the full forum here.
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    Visit veritas.org to learn more about the mission of the Veritas Forum and find more resources to explore the ideas that shape our lives

    • 32 min
    Is Faith More Than Fiction? | Meghan Sullivan & Sam Mitchell

    Is Faith More Than Fiction? | Meghan Sullivan & Sam Mitchell

    In the US, more and more adults believe in “nothing in particular.” Recent surveys from Pew Research and the Associated Press suggest that around 30% of American adults are religiously unaffiliated, up 10% from a decade ago.


    Surveys like these are helpful for religious belief in the abstract. But, when it comes to the questions and doubts you hold about your faith — or lack thereof — you need a different tool: story.


    You'll hear two such stories today — and be invited to consider your own story, too. Hear Sam Mitchell (Mount Holyoke), an atheist philosopher, in dialogue with Christian philosopher, Meghan Sullivan (Notre Dame). They share how they developed their worldviews and discuss the challenges of belief in the particular. This Forum conversation was held in 2016 at Mount Holyoke College and is moderated by economics professor Jim Hartley. Thank you to the Forum planning team who made this event possible!



    Watch the full forum here.
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    Visit veritas.org to learn more about the mission of the Veritas Forum and find more resources to explore the ideas that shape our lives

    • 21 min
    Can we engineer a perfect world? | Tyler VanderWeele & Steven Pinker

    Can we engineer a perfect world? | Tyler VanderWeele & Steven Pinker

    Today, you may be wrestling with what "progress" means — whether it's in relation to your own journey, your family’s, or your community’s. What do you want? And how will you get there?


    In this episode, two Harvard professors explore these questions. In this 40-minute Forum excerpt, you’ll hear first from Tyler VanderWeele, the director of Harvard’s Human Flourishing Program. Tyler is in dialogue with Steven Pinker, a cognitive psychologist at Harvard and author of the best-selling book, Enlightenment Now. Tyler and Steven discuss their differing beliefs about what it means to be human, the role of faith in human flourishing, and if humanity tends towards dystopia or utopia. Their discussion is moderated by Rosalind Picard, a professor at MIT’s Media Lab and an inventor. This Forum was held on MIT's campus in Spring 2023.



    Watch the full forum here.
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    Visit veritas.org to learn more about the mission of the Veritas Forum and find more resources to explore the ideas that shape our lives

    • 39 min
    What Gods Do We Believe in Now? | N.T. Wright

    What Gods Do We Believe in Now? | N.T. Wright

    Much of our external circumstances differ from how they were 2,000 years ago — largely, to our benefit. However, our internal lives are surprisingly similar. Our desires for money, sex, and power — and the extreme lengths we’re willing to go to get them — remain.


    In this episode, you’ll hear from best-selling author and New Testament Scholar, N.T. Wright (Oxford). He suggests that the sacrifices we make for a “ideal” life are, in a way, worship. Our sacrifices may not be the burnt incense of ancient times, but, he says, our hearts are captivated by money, sex, and power just the same. 


    This Forum was held at Northwestern University in 2012 and originally titled “What Gods Do We Believe in Now?” Since then, it’s earned over 100,000 views on YouTube. Watch the full Forum — featuring great discussion with Dr. Gary Morson of Northwestern — here.



    Sign up for our newsletter here.
    Visit veritas.org to learn more about the mission of the Veritas Forum and find more resources to explore the ideas that shape our lives

    • 40 min
    Should You Be a Know-It-All? | Jonathan Feng

    Should You Be a Know-It-All? | Jonathan Feng

    What would your life be like if you knew everything? While it would be nice to remember everyone’s names and not have to study for tests, knowing everything has its drawbacks, too. You’d no longer feel surprised, curious, or filled with wonder. And, you'd miss out on getting to know people, asking hard and big questions, and the joy of learning new things.


    Our speaker today knows firsthand all the good that not knowing can bring. In fact, he’s made a career out of it. Jonathan Feng (U.C. Irvine) is a theoretical physicist researching one of the biggest unknowns in the scientific world: dark matter. In this Forum event from 2018, Dr. Feng embraces the unknowns of the universe. He discusses how our ignorance can lead us to greater appreciation of the complicated and beautiful world we live in, push us towards humility and curiosity, and, perhaps, help us better know a powerful, creative, loving God.


    This Forum was originally titled "The Post Hawking Universe" and was hosted by The Veritas Forum at the University of Southern California.



    Watch the full Forum event from this episode here.
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    Visit veritas.org to learn more about the mission of the Veritas Forum and find more resources to explore the ideas that shape our lives

    • 25 min
    I Could Be Happy, If Only... w/ Arthur Brooks | Beyond the Forum

    I Could Be Happy, If Only... w/ Arthur Brooks | Beyond the Forum

    Today’s guest has some unexpected news for you: being happy isn’t possible. Instead, he says, work towards being happy-er.


    You'll hear today from social scientist, happiness scholar, and best-selling author Arthur Brooks (Harvard). We talk with Arthur about this journey towards happier-ness and discuss his new book with Oprah Winfrey called Build the Life You Want: The Art and Science of Getting Happier. If you struggle with turning negative emotions into positive ones, if you're curious about the science behind the promises and claims of happiness scholarship, or if you simply want to live a happier life (and wonder if faith is a part of that), then this episode is for you.



    Order Arthur and Oprah's book here.
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    • 39 min

Customer Reviews

4.7 out of 5
327 Ratings

327 Ratings

Nerdhoff ,

Excellent!

Great podcast!

gkr22 ,

“You Are Not Your Own”

Excellent segment! Love Noble’s writing, and I enjoyed hearing him articulate his thoughts in this episode. This is a great podcast! Thank you! Veritas Vos Liberabit

Daniela C Scoggins-Player ,

Brilliant

I came across this in my search for substantial discussions on religion, science, and philosophy and find myself constantly intrigued by the hosted conversations.

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