As I have read the discussion, three things have surprised me: First, I am delighted that the issues Ken Ueda is bringing up are actually being discussed in an open forum! I congratulate Ueda for his boldness and resilience in making them public. This couldn’t have been an easy thing to do here in the buckle of the “Bible Belt”. Second, the lack of response by thoughtful Christians and other Theists perplexes me. Finally, the limited response we do have from Christians seems to be either impersonally factual, or even polemic and angry (with notable exceptions).

I used to be where Ueda is, and there are good reasons why I left non-religion and decided to follow Jesus Christ. It’s the job of thoughtful, compassionate Christ-followers who are undergrads to respond. Yet, I have serious doubts as to whether the medium of impersonal, public, written conversation is conducive to the deep sharing of ideas. It usually results in all-or-nothing, winner-take-all polemics.

So, I have an idea, a “modest proposal” if you will. I want spirituality and religion to be an open issue on campus. I want issues of ultimate importance to be discussed. I want to see people of differing world views get together to understand one another in a personal, public forum. I want us to see each other on campus and- even if we agree to disagree- know where each is coming from, and treat each other with compassion and kindness. I know that’s pie-in-the-sky talk. But I really believe that is what Jesus would do. And I believe that it is compassion above all that should identify us as followers of Christ.

First, we get undergrad students from various major religious world views at SMU who are willing to discuss religion in a compassionate and thoughtful way. I would say that includes seven groups: Atheist/Freethought, Muslim, Jewish, Hindu, Catholic Christian, Evangelical Christian and Mainline Christian. All of these groups offer significantly different answers to life’s “big questions”.

Second, we put together a panel discussion dealing with one of life’s “big questions.” Why are we here? Where did we come from and where are we going? What has gone wrong with the world, and how is it fixed? What does it mean to live “the good life”? What happens at the end of it all? Each undergrad presenter would give a brief overview of what their world view teaches, and then a two-minute response following everyone’s first round. After that, the audience could address questions to the whole panel.

I would be happy to volunteer the new Episcopal Student center across from campus to host the events. I invite feedback or ideas from Ueda, undergrad students, campus ministries and other organizations on this modest proposal. I hope we can do something to bridge the relational gap across our ideological divides.

Nate Bostian is the Episcopal Campus minister for Canterbury SMU. He can be reached for comment at [email protected].