KPU Students Ask, “Does the Bible Make Sense?”
Weekly group discussion hosted by Kwantlen Christian Fellowship and Multi-Faith Center
The mostly empty halls of Kwantlen Polytechnic University on a Saturday afternoon in summer are good place to ask some of the big questions.
This is precisely what a group of spiritually-minded students have been doing throughout the summer as they gathered in the Grassroots cafe on Saturday afternoons to ask themselves a pretty deep question. Does the Bible make sense?
“We discussed whether the Bible should be read literally or whether it should be read symbolically,” says Daniel Field, president of the Kwantlen Christian Fellowship, who co-host the discussion group alongside KPU’s Multi-Faith centre.
“We titled it ‘does the bible make sense?’ because that was a genuine question we wanted to ask,” explains KPU multi-faith centre chaplain Ethan Vanderleek. “We were hoping that people from different backgrounds would come and basically discuss this topic because maybe it’s the case that the bible doesn’t make sense. That’s worth talking about.”
The topic for this discussion was inspired by theologian Walter Brueggemann’s book The Bible Makes Sense.
“Interpreting the Bible, like interpreting any text, you’re never done interpreting it,” Vanderleek says. “There’s always more to say, always more to do.”
With a philosophical discussion as intricately linked to people’s’ beliefs as this one, disagreement is to be expected. A key aspect to these talks was acceptance of differing viewpoints.
“The point is not to demand some kind of consensus or agreement,” says Vanderleek. “I think that what is always a fruitful thing—and what we [in society] generally aren’t able to do particularly well today—is have a good disagreement. Really hash it out, what we disagree on, and do so with the respect that’s necessary.”
“Any experience, even one of conflict or a lack of agreement, can have some benefit,” says Field.
The Kwantlen Christian Fellowship is a student club that brings together students of various Christian denominations for weekly discussions, as well as dinners, hikes, and other activities. The Fellowship began informally about a year ago and gained club status last semester.
“We’re a group of Christians of all denominations just seeking community and connection, because when you go to a school like this everybody is so isolated in their own little world, their own studies,” says Field. “It’s hard for people to feel any sense of mutual understanding.”
The format of the discussion is very informal. Vanderleek will prepare a cheat sheet and give a summary of any discussed readings so as not to have any required reading for participants. After that, the conversation will be allowed to flow naturally.
Although the club is associated with the Christian fellowship, these conversations are open to students of all faiths and philosophical viewpoints. Unfortunately, the groups have had difficulty bringing in students of other faith. Muslim, Jewish, secular, or any other faith-affiliated students are not only welcome at these discussions but actively encouraged to add their viewpoints to the conversation.
More discussions similar to this one will be held by the Kwantlen Christian Fellowship and multi-faith centre in the future. For more information, interested students can check out the KPU events page or pop in to the multi-faith centre. The centre is located in Fir 341 and Vanderleek is around during office hours for a philosophical discussion or even just a round of his favorite board game “Pass the Pig.”
