What is Truth? Pontius Pilate, governor of Judea, AD 26-37, would have made a good university professor or politician in the present environment with his evasive question in the presence of Jesus, “What is truth?”  If you’re listening to graduation speeches these days you’re probably hearing something like this:  “Truth is relative to the individual – or the situation – nobody has THE truth.”  As might be expected, many university students come away from their education with the same relativistic attitude toward truth.  As Sophist Protagoras taught – quoted by Plato: “The way things appear to me, in that way they exist for me, and the way things appear to you, in that way they exist for you.”  For Plato, however, Protagoras’ philosophy was illogical because both his view and Protagoras’s view would have to be true at the same time – a logical contradiction – since truth is singular.  Truth cannot be both A and non-A at the same time. Harvard’s founders in 1636 would not recognize the relativistic academic climate of today.  Their motto, “Veritas Christo et Ecclesiae.” (Truth for Christ and the Church),  would be considered the height of intolerance and bigotry at the very university they brought into being.  Perhaps that’s why “Veritas”remains Harvard’s motto without reference to “Christ and the Church.”  This reference would be unacceptable in today’s relativistic culture.  Harvard’s Rules and Precepts in 1642 included: “Let every student be plainly instructed, and earnestly pressed to consider well, the main end of life and studies is, to know God and Jesus Christ which is eternal life, John 17:3….”  They unashamedly acknowledged the truth of Colossians 2:3: “Christ, in whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.”  Would to God that Harvard could have remained true to its founding motto and principles! Today, academia may tip its hat to the importance of Jesus Christ in history – and may even patronizingly admit he was a great teacher.  But there is a great reticence to admit He was who He claimed to be.  It just wouldn’t fit the relativistic mold of today. C. S. Lewis in his series of talks broadcast by the BBC during World War II (contained in his book, Mere Christianity, outlined our choices: either Jesus Christ was a liar, or He was a lunatic, or He was what He claimed to be – the Truth.  Straddling the fence, relativism, is intellectually illogical and disingenuous.