Prof. Erik Wielenberg to Explore 'Value and Virtue in a Godless Universe' at Louisiana College

February 23, 2008

February 23, 2008, Greencastle, Ind. - Erik J. Wielenberg, associate professor of philosophy at DePauw University, will discuss "Value and Virtue in a Godless Universe" at Centenary College of Louisiana Monday at 7 p.m., notes today's Shreveport Times. Centenary's forum will explore "the possibility (or impossibility) of ethics, morality and a meaningful life in a Godless universe," notes the newspaper. "Wielenberg, however, will not have the last word. Students and citizens respond on March 3 at the same time and place. Both events are free and open the public."

In an essay accompanying the newspaper announcement of Monday's event, Dr. Wielenberg offers some thoughts on the subject he'll be discussing. "In the book of Job, the title character complains bitterly about the world: 'Why do the wicked live, reach old age, and grow mighty in power?' (Job 21:7); '[f]rom out of the city the dying groan ... yet God pays no attention to their prayer' (Job 24:12). The world has changed little since Job's time. Injustice and evil abound. Why does God permit this? The book of Job reminds us that this question has been with us for some time."

The professor concludes, "According to the Psalmist, '[t]he fool hath said in his heart, There is no God' (Psalms 14:1). Even more foolish, perhaps, are those like me who say it out loud. We atheists are often condemned for our foolishness on the grounds that atheism eliminates the only possible foundation of ethical truth. But this idea rests on a mistaken view of God's relationship to morality, for if there are ethical truths at all, at least some of them do not require God and hence retain their truth in a godless universe. They retain as well their rightful claim to our devotion, for, God or no, the best reason to struggle for those things that are right and good is precisely that they are right and good."

A companion piece, written by David Burroughs, begins, "As in the John Lennon song, Imagine, Dr. Erik Wielenberg invites us to consider the existence of morality, ethics, goodness, and meaningfulness of life outside of a supernatural existence in the universe. For me the premise is really hard to imagine and I really did try." Burroughs, who serves on the Times' community board, concludes, "In my view, while Dr. Wielenberg spends too much of his time in his book convincing himself of his atheist rationalism, the eventual consideration of the thesis of the book allows examination of important human traits. This examination can both challenge and thereby strengthen your convictions based on your personal experience, tradition, scientific knowledge, and even faith."

Read Professor Wielenberg's column and the accompanying item at the Times' Web site. Also accessible is a link to Centenary's Forum, which has more information on Monday's event.

In 2005, Wielenberg authored a book titled Value and Virtue in a Godless Universe, which the Notre Dame Philosophical Reviews opined "is written with verve and clarity, and is for the most part highly accessible, yet densely packed with thoughtful and often provocative ideas and arguments."

In September 2007, Wielenberg's God and the Reach of Reason: C.S. Lewis, David Hume, and Bertrand Russell was published by Cambridge University Press. Learn more in this previous article.

In October 2006, the professor contributed the "My Turn" column to Newsweek magazine. He also wrote a chapter for the 2005 book, The Chronicles of Narnia and Philosophy.

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