"We are both evangelical Christians who believe that our treatment of the poor, weak, and most vulnerable is how a society is best biblically measured. Yet we usually find ourselves at opposite poles politically and often differ with each other. We believe these political differences are normal and even to be expected among citizens expressing their faith in the public arena, for God is neither a Democrat nor a Republican."
So begins an incredibly needed article by Chuck Colson, the social conservative advocate that helped spearhead the Manhattan Declaration, and Jim Wallis, the left-leaning founder of Sojourners Magazine. The article doesn't tout a left or right position, but explains the need for civility in public discourse, especially when coming from Christians.
I receive a lot of email that quite honestly makes me nauseous in its hyperbolic rhetoric, but it comes from people that I love. This article from Colson and Wallis puts perfectly the reason why I react so strongly to those over-the-top messages. Please read it!
"When we disagree, especially when we strongly disagree, we should have robust debate but not resort to personal attack, falsely impugning others' motives, assaulting their character, questioning their faith, or doubting their patriotism."
2 comments:
Thanks for the post and link. A very interesting and timely article.
Another great line from the article: "we affirm the politics of conviction. Conviction is not inconsistent with civility, which is far deeper than political niceness, indifference, or weakness."
Thank you, Lyall. I respect both Jim Wallis and Charles Colson for writing this article. Indeed, Christians must feel a closer affinity to one another than their closest ideological allies.
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