Peter Kreeft: A Christian Ghandi Would Like

by Natalie Plumb

“I hope I’ve confused you a little bit.” Peter Kreeft intrigued the approximately 100-member audience with this concluding statement of his lecture titled “The Philosophy of Jesus.”

A philosopher and author of over 55 books, Kreeft was invited to speak the night of Nov. 6 by the Newman Catholic Association. The event was sponsored by Newman, but funded in part by the University Park Allocation Committee. The lecture was prompted by a list of 177 thought and study questions that were given to the audience.

Attendees ranged from believers to non-believers, skeptics to lovers of faith. David Hanson, a senior in aerospace engineering and an atheist who attended the lecture, said he could not agree with Kreeft on much of what he said, though he added the speaker is a good guy with good intentions.

“Most Christians are nasty about it, but he wasn’t,” Hanson said, adding he does not like the in-your-face strategy of many Christians when it comes to their faith. “Ghandi said that he likes this Christ guy, but not the Christians. I think Peter Kreeft is the kinda Christian Ghandi would like.”

Kreeft dined with members of Newman the night of his lecture and played board games like chess throughout the day. He preferred a laid back atmosphere and “did not want to be entertained,” he said.

Kreeft’s philosophical career began and will continue due to a mentality few would expect.

“I write books about stuff that I want to read about,” Kreeft said. “I write the books other people should write but don’t, so I have to write them.”

To hear lectures by Peter Kreeft, visit http://peterkreeft.com/audio.htm.