The Veritas Forum

Meaning can be straightforward — a red octagon means “Stop!”, a hand wave with a smile means “Hello,” or adding two and two equals four. But meaning is often more complicated — a friend saying they’ll eat  “whatever” for dinner or a significant other texting, “We need to talk.” In this episode, our speakers invite you into the messiness of meaning — and discuss how best we can search for it. You’ll hear a conversation between mathematician Satyan Devadoss (U San Diego) and biologist Stuart Firestein (Columbia). Satyan and Stuart bring their scientific backgrounds and religious perspectives as they explore the role of reason in the search for meaning, what can and can’t be taken at face value, and what strategies can help us find truth — from the scientific method to literary analysis to religious tradition. This Forum was held at Columbia University in 2014. Thanks to the forums planning team at Columbia for making this event possible.  Find additional resources and quotes on the podcast episode page here.

In today’s episode, two moral philosophers explore our everyday ethical choices. Are your gut-level reactions about right and wrong a signal from a higher reality—or just a chemical reaction in your brain? And if God isn’t the foundation for our morality, do our values actually mean anything? In this throwback Veritas Forum, you’ll hear from Peter Singer, a philosopher and emeritus professor at Princeton, and John Hare, a philosopher at Yale. Drawing from their atheist and Christian worldviews, they explore where moral intuitions come from, whether morality can stand apart from religion, and how questions of happiness, suffering, and the life and teachings of Jesus shape their understanding of what it means to live well. You’ll hear both of their opening statements followed by an excerpt of their moderated discussion. This forum was held at MIT in 2010. Thank you to the student planning team for making this event possible. Find additional resources and quotes on the podcast episode page here.

On today’s episode, our speakers discuss the topic of friendship: what it looks like on a practical level and why it’s so important in our culture today.   You’ll hear from John Hendrix, an author, illustrator, and art professor at Washington University in St. Louis. This forum focuses on John’s new graphic novel titled The Mythmakers, which tells the story of the friendship of J. R. R. Tolkien and C. S. Lewis. In this conversation moderated by Pepperdine professor April Marshall, they explore how Lewis and Tolkien’s friendship fueled their greatest works and the importance of community in our daily lives.   This forum was held at Pepperdine in April 2025. Thank you to the student planning team for making this event possible. As a heads up, there are a few visual aids in today’s episode that rely on John’s illustrations from his novel. To see them, watch the YouTube video here. Find additional resources and quotes from this forum here.

In today’s episode, two philosophers explore this question: How should we understand suffering? Is it simply the opposite of human flourishing, or is there a deeper meaning? And what does suffering mean for belief in a good God? You’ll hear from Meghan Sullivan, a philosopher at Notre Dame, and John Stuhr, a philosopher at Emory University. Drawing on both personal experience and philosophical commitments, they reflect on how Christian and naturalistic worldviews make sense of suffering in human life. This forum was held at Emory in April 2025. Thank you to the student planning team for making this event possible. Find additional resources and quotes on the podcast episode page here.

In today’s episode, our speakers explore some core questions about what it means to be human: What are we made for? What is the role of suffering in our lives? And is there something beyond ourselves that can give us purpose?   You’ll hear from Rowan Williams, a theologian and the former Archbishop of Canterbury, and Chigozie Obioma, a novelist and professor at the University of Georgia. Their conversation is moderated by Mia Chung-Yee, a former concert pianist and executive director of the Octet Collaborative at MIT. In this discussion, both speakers share how their Christian faith impacts their view of what it means to be human, and what it means to live “fully alive” in a dehumanizing world.   This forum was put on in partnership with the Duke Initiative on Theology and the Arts and was held at the Carolina Theater of Durham in September 2025. Find additional resources and quotes from this forum here.

Talking about religion can feel outdated, close-minded, or just irrelevant. Yet for thousands of years, humans have been a religious species looking beyond ourselves in search of meaning. So should religion still matter today? And is it simply a coping story, or could it point to something real?   In today’s episode, you’ll hear from Ross Douthat, a New York Times opinion columnist and author of Believe: Why Everyone Should Be Religious. He’s in dialogue with Damon Linker, a lecturer in political science at Penn and creator of the Notes from the Middleground Substack. In this conversation moderated by Penn Law professor Karen Tani, they share their own Christian and agnostic worldviews and explore their thoughts on truth, religious experience, and committing to a religion in a pluralistic society.   This forum was held at the University of Pennsylvania in November 2025. Thank you to the student planning team for making this event possible.  Find additional resources and quotes on the podcast episode page here.

Tim Keller, a renowned pastor and author, and Anthony Kronman, a Yale Law professor with a humanistic outlook, engage in a thought-provoking dialogue about the nature of God and human dignity. Keller argues that a personal God is essential for understanding inherent dignity and love, while Kronman questions if theism might hinder unconditional love. They discuss grace, the tension between divine sovereignty and human agency, and how gratitude is shaped by love—culminating in a reflection on the transformative power of the Christmas message.

We’ve reached the end of another amazing year on the podcast — all thanks to you, our listeners! In 2025, we had over 100,000 listens and over 6 million YouTube views across 140 different countries. We’re so grateful for the thousands of you who listen to the podcast and watch our forums online every week.   In this episode, Seth (our podcast host and Senior Media Manager at The Veritas Forum) shares some stats from the podcast in 2025 and our favorite three episodes of the year. We feature excerpts from Esau McCaulley (Wheaton), Gary Saul Morson (Northwestern), Angel Adams Parham (UVA), Roosevelt Montás (Bard), and Ross Douthat (NYTimes). Links to the full episodes featured in this wrap-up episode can be found here.

In this thought-provoking discussion, Lydia Dugdale, a primary care physician and medical ethicist, and Michael Menchine, an emergency care physician and USC professor, delve into the complexities of suffering in healthcare. They redefine suffering beyond physical pain to include emotional and relational anguish. The duo highlights the importance of patient dignity, advocating for a supportive, emotional connection rather than mere clinical oversight. They discuss the roles of community and faith in alleviating patient suffering, ultimately urging a more humane approach in medicine.

Join former Intel CEO Pat Gelsinger, a renowned leader merging faith and tech, and John Hennessey, the ex-president of Stanford, as they delve into success and integrity in Silicon Valley. They discuss balancing ambition with ethical leadership, the role of failure in personal growth, and how their Christian faith informs their work. They also touch on the future of AI, emphasizing the need for integrity and values in technology. Through personal anecdotes, they provide insights on finding purpose and navigating life's challenges.