Pepperdine University hosted a Veritas Forum event titled “Can I Really Love My Neighbor?” inviting students, faculty, staff, and friends to reflect on the Christian call for hospitality and its relevance in today’s culture. The event took place as part of ongoing efforts by the university’s Veritas Club to encourage deeper conversations about faith and community.
The forum addressed how individuals can approach differences—whether ideological or spiritual—in more meaningful ways. Yelyzaveta Shevetovska, a Seaver College senior and president of the Veritas Club, said, “Over the course of several discussions with the Veritas student executive board, we came to the conclusion that we want to see people treating differences [be they ideological, spiritual, or otherwise], better. We didn’t know exactly what we meant by ‘better,’ but that is why we needed this forum and our esteemed speakers to help us figure it out. Not by being ‘nice,’ but by confronting our feelings, getting out of our comfort zones, and talking to each other.”
Speakers Amanda Rizkallah, associate professor of international studies at Seaver College, and Matthew Kaemingk, author and professor of public theology at Theological University Utrecht, explored hospitality from both academic and faith-based perspectives. Jonathan Koch, assistant professor of English at Seaver College, moderated the discussion which covered topics such as managing differences of opinion and lessons from political philosophy.
Kaemingk introduced attendees to the concept of agonism from ancient Greece as a metaphor for respectful engagement with differing views. He said: “The command to love your enemies is interesting; because Jesus is naming that we have enemies. I don’t hear Jesus throwing out a lot of conditions for those who he would show hospitality for. He seems to call us to a kind of hospitality that is costly, like it was costly for him.” Rizkallah added: “I don’t think in the life and example of Jesus, we have any loophole; I just don’t think there’s any condition under which we are allowed to duck out of being hospitable. It’s an uncomfortable life, and we should expect to be mocked and viewed as naïve by the cult of the general culture.”
Rizkallah encouraged participants to practice curiosity and active listening during difficult conversations. She referenced biblical stories such as the parable of the prodigal son as examples of intentional hospitality rooted in courage.
Noah Shifter, vice president of the Veritas Club at Seaver College, reflected on his experience: “I was astounded by the claims Christ and the scriptures make about hospitality, what we’re called to, and how alien it is to the current political landscape. I am impressed and compelled by the difference of Christian ethics. It seems like they barely belong in this modern world.”
Koch praised student leaders for their commitment throughout months-long preparations: “What impresses me most about this group…is that they did not lose sight of the bigger questions…they remained committed to seeking truth even as they dedicated themselves to putting on the event.”
The forum’s focus on dialogue highlights Pepperdine’s ongoing commitment to fostering thoughtful engagement around challenging topics.
