LEADERSHIP IN THE DEFENSE OF ACADEMIC FREEDOM

The protection and advancement of academic freedom was a focus of the University this year. Such freedom, the ability of community members to pursue knowledge without concern of cancellation or condemnation, has recently been at the core of a national conversation about the state of higher education. Accordingly, Pepperdine was encouraged to convene, and in some respects lead, the discussion about academic freedom from its perspective as a Christian university.

Pepperdine hosted an Academic Freedom Colloquium on Faith and the Academy in May. The event served as an exceptional forum to welcome scholars and leaders from an array of religiously affiliated institutions, including Santa Clara University, Brigham Young University, the University of Notre Dame, Emory University, and Wheaton College. Attendees engaged in thoughtful, candid, and yet charitable conversation about the importance and future of academic freedom at institutions of faith. Through vigorous debate, seminar-style discussion, and live-action workshops, participants examined how rigorous inquiry, moral clarity, and faithful conviction can coexist—and strengthen one another.

At Pepperdine we know that truth is rooted in the character of God and revealed to us in Christ, and we can inquire relentlessly, debate honestly, and welcome difficult questions. The freedom to confidently explore any topic, and the commitment to encourage fulsome conversation are furthered by our faith, and I was grateful to have the opportunity to share these ideas in a U.S. News & World Report editorial published in June. I wrote, “With a firm institutional faith in God, we are not afraid of scientific and intellectual investigation, because we are confident that such inquiry will reveal truths about God’s character and world.”