Today World on Campus published a story about how University of Georgia psychology professor Rich Suplita experienced a dramatic conversion to Christ after years of being one of the most high profile spokespersons for atheism on campus.  By 10pm CST over 30 comments had appeared below his story, including many words of affirmation, and several comments by Rich Suplita himself.  Rich’s last comment today explained how the story that World on Campus author Kelsey Deans wanted to capture was “my testimony/story and not my best Christian apologetic. Those were some of the factors that were most salient to me, personally, in coming back to Christ. I do not pretend that they are the most compelling rational case to be made for the faith.”  Well said, Rich, and indeed it is a compelling story.  Thanks for sharing it with us all. I am sure Rich could have said much about the reasons for Christian faith.

I am writing today’s Focus on the Family TrueU blog as an open letter of congratulations to Rich Suplita and to invite TrueU blog readers to check out Rich’s story, and maybe comment on it too.

Dear Rich, we at TrueU invite you to check out our DVD apologetics curriculum.  You could offer a venue at the University of Georgia for screening it and leading discussions (you can download printable discussion guides).  The first DVD set, Does God Exist?, includes the moral argument for God’s existence, which connects directly with your conversion story.  How so?  You realized that life without God would be meaningless and you just could not bring yourself to live out that sort of life, especially at home with your precious family.  Much of the meaning of life has a rich moral character (the “good” for which we were made, rooted in God himself). My colleague Stephen Meyer admirably explains and defends the following thesis of lesson #9 (in a 10-lesson series found in DVD set #1): “The existence of God provides the only coherent explanation for the conditions of an objective and meaningful system of morality.  Moreover, because the actions of all people reveal that they presuppose an objective and meaningful moral code, only a belief in God’s existence allows people to live consistently with their moral belief system.”  Rich, this lesson, has your name written all over it.  You would be a terrific candidate for leading a discussion after showing the DVD (especially the last two lessons in that DVD set #1).

Rich, I personally encourage you to consider both TrueU as well as starting a Christian apologetics club on your campus that would be a delivery mechanism for TrueU and other apologetic materials.  Regarding the club idea, please visit Ratio Christi  (an alliance of campus apologetics clubs) to consider starting a chapter at the University of Georgia. Ratio Christi is a global movement that equips university students and faculty to give historical, philosophical, and scientific reasons for following Jesus Christ. Other Ratio Christi chapters have already used TrueU on their campuses.  Will you be next?

Let us all praise God for the seismic work he has done on Rich’s life.  Who knows how God may use Rich to transform many lives at the University of Georgia.  We are praying for you, Rich.  Again, thanks so much for sharing your wonderful story.

Sincerely,

Dr. Mike Keas, TrueU Blogger-in-Chief (Focus on the Family)
Professor of the History and Philosophy of Science
The College at Southwestern