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?
Browsing: civil discourse
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.”