by Heidie Raine, Student Public Relations Writer
Cedarville University’s history and government department will host the first-ever Romans 14 Forum on April 10 at 6 p.m. in the Center for Biblical and Theological Studies, room 115.
The event will encourage unity and understanding through exploring different opinions on secondary issues in the Christian faith.
Three student speakers will lead the forum in a panel format. Each will offer a short presentation on a topic and will answer student questions vetted by event moderators.
Daniel Alber, Master of Divinity student from Bloomfield, Michigan; Sarah Etter, sophomore international studies major from Lancaster, Pennsylvania; and Daniel Jones, a senior social studies education major from Warrenton, Virginia, will speak respectively on spiritual gifts, immigration policy, and pacifism.
Dr. Marc Clauson, professor of history and law, will serve as the event’s keynote moderator. He will also answer panel questions after the student speakers conclude.
“We are called to love each other well in everything we do, and one way we can do that is by showing grace in nonessentials of the faith,” sophomore English major Brendan Rowland said. Rowland, from Westford, Massachusetts, envisioned and created this event along with Evan Ellis, a junior English major from Broomfield, Colorado.
The two decided to pursue the event as their semester-long project in Career Development for the English Major, a new class seeking to equip English students for the professional world. They hope the forum will produce positive and constructive discussions and promote a healthy appreciation for different perspectives on topics of interest.
“We think that Cedarville is the best place to introduce students to a lot of these disparate viewpoints because our biblical worldview and accountability guide us as we seek to understand what to accept, reject and redeem,” Rowland added.
Rowland and Ellis specifically titled the event “Romans 14” to reference a biblical chapter that discusses personal convictions and encourages unity among those of different opinions.
Donuts and coffee will be available at the event, courtesy of the department of English, literature, and modern languages. It will also count as a political event for students enrolled in the Politics and American Culture course.
Located in southwest Ohio, Cedarville University is an accredited, Christ-centered, Baptist institution with an enrollment of 4,550 undergraduate, graduate, and online students in more than 150 areas of study. Founded in 1887, Cedarville is one of the largest private universities in Ohio, recognized nationally for its authentic Christian community, rigorous academic programs, including the Bachelor of Arts in English and Bachelor of Arts in History programs, strong graduation and retention rates, accredited professional and health science offerings, and high student engagement ranking. For more information about the University, visit www.cedarville.edu.