A couple of months ago, I pointed out a newer blog which I’ve been frequenting as of late. It’s known as Respectful Conversation. Simply stated, I love that blog title.
It’s headed up by Harold Heie, a Senior Fellow at The Colossian Forum and at the Center for Faith & Inquiry at Gordon College and, as stated on the blog, he offers some thoughts as to the purpose of why it’s been created:
That better way is to create welcoming spaces for those who disagree with one another to have respectful conversations. As a Christian, I believe this better way is integral to the call for Christians to love others, for a deep expression of love for another person is to provide a safe, welcoming space for that person to disagree. That goal can be shared with all persons of good will, whatever their religious or non-religious convictions.
Such rings true to my heart – that true dialogue could take place amongst Christians of differing perspectives and traditions. Unfortunately, such is not always the case. Of course, Christlike love is not a mish-mash way where nothing actually matters. But true dialogue begins by loving well and listening well to one another.
Thus far, Respectful Conversation has hosted 4 different series:
Topic #1: Evangelicalism and the Broader Christian Tradition
Topic #2: Evangelicalism and the Exclusivity of Christianity
Topic #3: Evangelicalism and the Modern Study of Scripture
Topic #4: Evangelicalism and Morality
Now, they’ve launched out into round regarding: Evangelicalism and Politics. In the introduction, Rob Barrett offers some questions that will be looked at in the series:
- How far should American evangelicals seek to shape the broader culture through political action in order to achieve its own vision for living rightly before God?
- Should evangelicals form counter-cultural communities that are disengaged from the governmental process in order to display an attractive alternative way of life?
- Should evangelicals actively participate in local, state, and national government? And if so, to what end?
- There are evangelical political movements that lean “right” and others that lean “left.” Does it make sense that evangelicals publicly advocate different political positions? Is this healthy?
- What have been the effects, both positive and negative, and both on the church and on the broader society, of recent evangelical political movements?
- Is it possible for one’s role as citizen and as Christian to come into conflict? Are there situations where evangelicals should resist and even fight against the ruling officials or government structures?
There are 10 articles in the series now. I look forward to learning more through these articles and I’d encourage you to check them out if you can.
The Prodigal Thought 