Letter from the Editor
Pepperdine Magazine is the feature magazine for Pepperdine University and its growing community of alumni, students, faculty, staff, and friends.
A very tiny thing made very big news this summer.
Scientists at CERN discovered evidence of the Higgs boson, a particle believed to give others mass. The elusive particle, controversially dubbed the “God Particle” by Nobel Prize-winner Leon Lederman, has puzzled scientists for decades as the missing piece of the Standard Model of particle physics.
It has also raised fundamental questions about the nature of our existence and other complex ideas at the intersection of science and faith. These topics are particularly welcome at Pepperdine University, where the pursuit of knowledge exists hand-in- hand with spiritual inquiry and the probing of life’s deepest questions.
The dialogue extends to the pages of Pepperdine Magazine as well. In this issue, we ask Seaver College professors of science, religion, and philosophy to offer their unique perspectives on the Higgs boson and what it means to all of us. We also take a closer look at several core ideas valued by the Pepperdine community—creativity, leadership, commitment to service, innovation—generously lived out by students, faculty, and alumni.
In this spirit of open discussion, we invite you to join in, share your thoughts, and hear what others have to say at magazine.pepperdine.edu.
Megan Huard Boyle
Editor