Attend Pepperdine's Academic Freedom Colloquium on Faith and the Academy

From Thursday, March 6, to Saturday, March 8, 2025, Pepperdine will welcome representatives from faith-based institutions to join in an intimate colloquy on academic freedom. Apart from the plenary events, participants will be organized in seminar-sized groups of 12-18 led by trained facilitators.

Each of the two main colloquium days will be structured around contentious contemporary issues that challenge faith-based educational institutions’ identities and priorities.  First, participants will attend a conversation between two educational leaders who share different perspectives on a contentious topic. Second, participants will have a chance to discuss that conversation in their small groups. Third, participants will role-play a scenario that is connected to that contentious topic. And fourth, participants will reflect on the role-playing experience.

The agenda for the colloquy includes:

• Thursday, March 6 | 6 - 8:30 PM | Welcome Dinner and Plenary Speaker | Hyatt Regency Westlake
• Friday, March 7 | 8 AM - 5 PM | Seminar on Contentious Topic number one | Pepperdine's Malibu Campus
• Saturday, March 8 | 8 AM - 4 PM | Seminar on Contentious Topic number two | Pepperdine's Malibu Campus

In addition to times for rigorous intellectual engagement, participants will have opportunities for worship and reflection. Pepperdine faculty are also invited to register for this conference at a discounted rate. A limited number of funded registrations will be made available in early January subject to capacity. 

Registration is required. Please contact academic.freedom@pepperdine.edu with any questions.