2015/16 Theme: The Meaning of Life
Fall Topics
Week 1 – September 10: Your View of the World
Investigating the concept of worldviews and why we see the world the way we do.
Week 2 – September 17: Why Does Anything Matter?
Exploring the meaningfulness or meaninglessness of life and the implications derived from each worldview.
Week 3 – October 1: Where do We Find Meaning?
Examining the sources and foundations for the meaning we find in life.
Week 4 – October 8: The Problem of Good
Does good exist? If theists have the problem of evil, non-theists have the problem of good. One cannot have evil without good; from where does the good come?
Week 5 – October 15: The Pleasure Paradox
Exploring the origins of pleasure. Is it genetic? Does evolution play a role? If not, why do we experience it? Do we need it? Is there such a thing as too much?
Week 6 – October 22: Does History Support the Bible?
Examining the Bible as a historical text with comparison to what we’ve learned through other historical texts and archaeology.
Week 7 – October 29: Can Miracles Happen?
Analyzing supernatural events that defy scientific explanation and discussing their possibility or impossibility.
Week 8 – November 5: The High View of Human Life
Considering the Christian concept of the “Imago Dei”(image of God) in relation to the 6th commandment. and its effects on Western society.
Week 9 – November 12: The Value of Unborn Children
A philosophical look at abortion-on-demand and the moral values surrounding it.
Week 10 – November 19: The Ethics of Trans-humanism
Examining the spiritual influence and consequence of “upgrading” the human species.
Week 11 – December 3: Why is There Something Rather Than Nothing?
Why do we exist? Both science and theism now agree on a “Big Bang” or some kind of beginning. However, it is just as possible that we should not exist, so why do we?
Week 12 – November 10: The Art of Thankfulness
A Biblical look at gratitude—Why we should be thankful, for what, and to whom.
Week 13 – December 17: The Uniqueness of Christianity
With hundreds of belief systems, we’ll examine the differences between Christianity and other religions through the lenses of coherence, consistence and historicity.
The MEANING of Life
M etaphysics
E vangelism
A pologetics
N ew Testament
I nvestigation
N arratives
G ospel
What We’re About
Ratio Fidei is Latin for the “Reason of Faith”, or Rational Faith. Our mission is to put forth, examine and defend the historical philosophical and scientific evidence for Christianity through the discipline of apologetics that integrates faith and reason. We want to help students like you follow Jesus Christ intelligently, loving God with both your heart and your mind. (Matt. 22:37) This is what philosopher James Sire calls the discipleship of the mind. We are a Christian club but we are open to all students and staff who want to explore our topics.
If you’re already a Christian we’ll equip you wit good reasons to have a more confident faith within a coherent and consistent biblical worldview. This will help you have more intelligent conversations with those who doubt or reject faith because they think it’s the opposite of reason—which it’s not.
If you’re a skeptic or just confused because of the tough questions of faith, together we’ll examine the evidence to help you believe in God as He portrays himself in the Bible, as well as the Bible’s coherent message of hope and the strong Case for Christ as former atheist Lee Strobel puts it
The Rational Faith Club hosts weekly gatherings for lectures and discussion on provocative topics related to the prevalent conversations in today’s culture (listed on the back panel). We invite our own DHS students and sharp thinkers from outside to address our topics and facilitate thoughtful discussion and analysis, often using videos and
interactive discussion for this purpose. We also host parties and other fun stuff to encourage friendships centered around our desire to understand the intersection of faith, reason and evidence. So come on, get plugged in.
…What are you waiting for? =)
Contact information
Student President: Brennen Westra
Email: bjw.intelligentfaith@gmail.com
Related website: ThePoachedEgg.net
Facebook Group: Rational Faith Club
Weekly Gatherings:
Thursdays at 2:30-3:30pm
TBA depending on availability.