The life and works of Mother Teresa were the basis for “Social Justice beyond Compassion and Politics,” a lecture by professor Mary Poplin at the Veritas Forum on Thursday.
The Veritas Forum works with Christian students on campuses across the U.S., Canada, and Europe. The group states that it seeks to explore, rather than defend, specific ideas or beliefs and doubts, but highlights that it does stem from a Christian perspective.
Poplin, a professor at Claremont Graduate University in California, spent time working with Mother Teresa and the Missionaries of Charity in Calcutta in the late 1990s. She came to U of T to speak about the Judeo-Christian worldview, its relation to higher education, and its intellectual and social applications.
Poplin highlighted three ideologies she thought were primary to world thought: humanism, critical theory, and Judeo-Christianity. As she played a clip for the audience, she said these ideologies accounted for the motivation behind Mother Teresa’s work in Beirut. Humanism, she said, would account for Mother Teresa’s work as a result of her good nature. Critical theory would suggest she work politically for better effects. But ultimately, she said, Mother Teresa worked because she had a pure and divine transaction with God.
“I thought [it was] an educating experience,” said Jimmy Chao, a materials engineering student. Chao said he felt discouraged taking religious courses because “[all they do is] throw secular [teachings] at you.” Poplin echoed this point in her presentation, saying that many things in the Bible will not make sense from a university intellectual’s point of view. She commented on the growing tendency for students to “fall into the trap of keeping their faith personal.”
While Poplin’s presentation attracted lots of applause, it also stood on a few toes.
“I would like to refer to your use of a word at the beginning of your talk. I don’t appreciate it [at all],” said a Knox College graduate who referred to Poplin’s use of “retarded” and said she was being insensitive.
Poplin attributed her use of the word to the name of a group she belonged to when she was younger, and quickly moved on to other questions.
While in clear support of Christianity, Poplin mentioned that Christians aren’t the only ones who help others. “Secular people do incredible work in society, but there is a better way,” she said. “What Oprah and Starbucks [do] now, priests did [long] ago.”
Poplin concluded by saying that Christianity is not and has never been irrelevant. “Emancipation from slavery occurred first in places with Christianity,” she said. “People are freer in countries based on Christianity.” She declined to give specific examples when asked.
