LET THERE BE LIGHT
The motto of the University of California is Let There Be Light— a reference to the creation event of Genesis 1 and the light of truth that dispels the darkness of ignorance and falsehood.
Created in 1868, the University’s direct antecedent was the College of California, founded in 1853 and patterned after the great New England colleges, offering a thoroughly classical curriculum under "the pervading influence and spirit of the Christian religion." The head of the college was Reverend Henry Durant of Yale, who later became the first President of the University.
In the spirit of the free exercise clause of the First Amendment, programs in the Let There Be Light series will feature lectures, debates, discussions, and interviews related to religious and worldview issues. In the spirit of the establishment clause, a broad spectrum of religious and worldview perspectives will be fairly and democratically represented.
Programs in the Let There Be Light series are privately funded and sponsored by faculty, academic departments, and officially recognized campus organizations. Whereas academic freedom of expression is upheld, the views, contents, and opinions herein do not necessarily reflect those of the University of California.
"Religious Pluralism in Southern California" Conference
The Sense of an Ending: The Musical Self
Jeremy Begbie expounds upon the relationship between music and theology. ~ Order Catalog No.: 3776
Jesus: Legend, Teacher, Critic, or Son of God?
Gregory Boyd & Robert Price engage an academic dialogue on the subject of the historical Jesus. ~ Order Catalog No.: 3816
William Lane Craig summarizes recent research into the quest for the historical Jesus and evidence for the resurrection. ~ Order Catalog No.: 4180
Breaking Silence:
Faith-Based Scholarship
& Academic Freedom
J. Budziszewski makes the case that faith-based scholarship ought to be subject to the same academic freedom as every other intellectual perspective. (Recorded at UC Berkeley.) ~ Order Catalog No.: 3843
Francis Collins discusses the importance of the Human Genome Project and relates his work to his personal faith. ~ Order Catalog No.: 3772
On Euthanasia: Where Were You When I Was Hurting?
Matthew Conolly considers universal issues of pain and suffering and the medical and spiritual options people question. ~ Order Catalog No.: 3774
The Question of God: Sigmund Freud & C. S. Lewis
Armand Nicholi, M.D., talks about his recent book, The Question of God: Sigmund Freud and C. S. Lewis Debate God, Sex, and the Meaning of Life. ~ Order Catalog No.: 4176
Christianity vs. Scientific Naturalism
William Lane Craig & Garrett Hardin engage different world views in this debate over the approach to truth. ~ Order Catalog No.: 3777
Science, the Bible, and an Ethic of
Responsible Environmental Action
Calvin DeWitt discusses responsible environmental ethics in the light of modern science and the Bible. ~ Order Catalog No.: 3788
Academic Freedom & Religious
Expression:
A Legal Perspective
John Eastman makes the case that the religious expression, which was foundational to early American universities, ought to be subject once again to the same academic freedom as every other intellectual perspective. ~ Order Catalog No.: 3842
Os Guinness points out that in our postmodern society, truth no longer exists in any objective or absolute sense. ~ Order Catalog No.: 3779
Science: Christian and Natural?
Ian Hutchinson recounts his discovery that there is no inherent contradiciton between a thorough Christian commitment and the pursuit of Natural Science. ~ Order Catalog No.: 3788
Science and Belief in God: Concord, Not Conflict
Robert C. Koons traces the development of science through history and provides accurate definitions of science as it relates to theism. ~ Order Catalog No.: 3811
Bruce Kuhn performs two one-act plays by Leo Tolstoy: "Two Old Men" and "What Men Live By." ~ Order Catalog No.: 3780
Bach, a Preacher? I Thought He Was a Composer!
Robin Leaver, President of the American Bach Society, discusses Bach's motivation and inspiration for his works. ~ Order Catalog No.: 3782
Dr. Robin Leaver, President of the American Bach Society, opens to us the musical genius of the world's most revered composer. ~ Order Catalog No.:
Martin E. Marty discusses American religious history in the world. ~ Order Catalog No.: 3767
Why Human Rights Are Impossible Without Religion
John Warwick Monthomery argues that inalienable human rights have no foundation outside of religious thought. ~ Order Catalog No.: 3771
Right and Wrong as a Key to the Meaning of the Universe
J. P. Moreland, Professor of Philosophy at Talbot University, examines the moral argument for God's existence. ~ Order Catalog No.: 3822
Philip Yancey, draws from his book, Rumors of Another World: What on Earth Are We Missing?, to tell us that we may be missing the supernatural hidden in everyday life. ~ Order Catalog No.: 4177
"Religious Pluralism in Southern California" Conference
Gustav Niebuhr is one of many speakers in this series on religious pluralism. Click on link above to see list of titles and presenters.
Ex Corde Universitatis:
From the Heart of the University
G. Dennis O'Brien, President Emeritus of the University of Rochester and Bucknell University, explores the relationship between religious expression and modern scholarship. ~ Order Catalog No.: 3841
Making Sense of Faith & Science:
The Theological Roots of Modern Science
H. Fritz Schaefer confronts the assertion that one cannot believe in God and be a credible scientist. ~ Order Catalog No.: 3781
Raleigh Washington outlines eight steps toward racial reconciliation. ~ Order Catalog No.: 3775
The Nature and Necessity of World Views
Dallas Willard informs us that "everyone has a world view, even though they may not think about it." ~ Order Catalog No.: 3810
