College isn’t supposed to be an echo chamber; it’s meant to be a testing ground. The goal isn’t to argue louder, it’s to argue better. Listening, asking questions and speaking your beliefs without shutting someone else down are all traits that will help us improve our identity.

It’s not easy to hear opposing viewpoints and beliefs that differ from your own while keeping an open mind, but it’s important nonetheless. It takes everybody to create a culture of understanding through civil discourse. Be the change in a conversation. Be the devil’s advocate.

In order for the conversation to be productive, Fakhriravari said both parties must be willing to have their own mind changed, rather than solely determined to change someone else’s.

As rivalry week continues, it’s important to examine how other national rivalries impact us, particularly those that sit atop Capitol Hill. Political polarization between Republicans and Democrats is at an all-time high, and students can combat this by engaging in civil discourse amongst each other.

“They’re more determined than ever … to have the chapter expand and have it be a presence on campus,” Ogden said.

Flanigan hopes events such as “Popcorn and Politics” will help educate students about current events, better informing them about what’s happening in the world around them and the role their representatives play in these issues.

Both Flavin and Van Gorder sketched an invitation and a warning. The real test isn’t in the heat of headlines, but in the quieter spaces — dinner tables, living rooms, classrooms and pews — where people chose to alienate or to listen. The health of democracy and national change, they argue, will be decided in those very regular, small acts of civility and grace.

“We want to briefly explore the history, causes, consequences and responses to political violence in the U.S.,” Villegas said, overviewing the panel’s discussion. “We want to role model and promote critical thinking, civil discourse and shared understanding. And lastly, we want to provide trusted expert insight, clear historical context and tools for informed civic engagement so that we can positively address the matter.”

Political polarization in America has gone beyond debates and ballot boxes, driving wedges between loved ones and turning neighbors into adversaries. As ideological divides deepen and tensions escalate, can we find a way to reclaim civil discourse, or are we destined to live in a nation where division and distrust define us?

In a particularly polarizing election season, the panelists urge Christians to step back from a combative attitude when it comes to politics and start listening to other perspectives.

“The primary skill for conversing with others who have different opinions than us is to truly listen to what they are saying, by having a posture of humility, in which you recognize that none of us have the full picture of any issue or debate.”

“How can I understand where they’re coming from, and that it’s not good or bad, it’s just that we’re created differently?” Weber said.

“My vision is that Baylor will actually come to be known for the way we disagree with one another, for the way we try to bridge gaps in understanding,” Villegas said. “Those are the things I want Baylor to be known for, but it’s going to take our community leaning into some of these opportunities in order to get us to a place where that is just the water we swim in.”

“We are more similar than different if we can get into conversation with each other,” Baesa said. “One of the goals for this program is how can we get back to these conversations — hopefully face-to-face conversations — and how can we get back to hearing who we are as people.”

“I feel like a lot of the humanity has been taken out of politics,” Walsh said. “And, I feel like he’s really going to help people remember that in the end, we’re all just individuals, learning and growing and expressing ourselves.”