Students in their junior year on campus began a life long endeavor: the search for truth. Since the beginning of time mankind has sought after the same goal, the meaning and source of truth.

The junior English classes have broken ties with the normal classroom curriculum. They temporarily stopped worksheets, literal term tests and SAT preparation in order to focus on philosophical discussions, concentrating on the meaning of truth.

Recently, these students have discussed the meaning of life, comparing the views of Albert Camus and C. S. Lewis. These classes, taught by Greg Stobbe, aim to prepare students to develop a sense of their own beliefs before advancing to the next level of higher education.

?I try my best to remain neutral in this unit, so that students will learn for themselves what they believe,? Stobbe said. ?Students are rarely challenged to express their beliefs and why they believe what they believe.?

Some students claim that many circumstances are relative, and that people?s decisions should not be condemned.

?I know that truth is all relative to all people,? Paul Kinear, ?06, said. ?I might not always be coherent. But, the circumstances surrounding the situation determine the moral truth.?

This unique unit appears to have been the impetus that began to make students question the reasons behind their personal beliefs and actions.

?I tell people I am still searching for truth,? Akiko Work, ?06, said. ?It seems like it?s just a cover up so I don?t feel guilty if I don?t do the right thing. I do not want to come across as hypocritical.?

Not everyone sees the extra work in class as a beneficial process. Some believe that they have wasted their time.

?I am already set on my ways,? Seth Lane, ?06, said. ?I didn?t take away that much from the unit.?

Students? conclusions based on truth may not hold a total universal meaning. However, these students feel the need to express what they believe, even though they might not articulate it perfectly.

?My absolute truth is living my life through logic and prominent thought,? Dan Kruse, ?06, said. ?This results in my realization that people are idiots. Also, every outstanding figure has to have some sort of obstacle to compete against. Good must always battle evil.?

Christians firmly believe that Truth can only be found in Jesus Christ; and that all truth stems from finding him, living a life according to his word and obeying his commandments.

?The clear implications of Jesus saying He?s the Way, the Truth and the Life are that first, truth is absolute, and second, truth is knowable,? Lee Strobel, Christian Theologian, said in his book, The Case for Christ.

Other students claim that they have taken away with them a better understanding of the meaning of life and truth from the unit.

?My universal truth is God, and that?s what I base my life upon,? Bethany Morton, ?06, said. ?Personal truths cannot be defined by just one meaning. That is why it is called personal; everyone has their own definition that fits themselves.?

For more information regarding junior English class discussions, one can contact Stobbe at 299- 1695, ext. 151 or at [email protected].