"Sacred Conversations"

The seemingly radical idea of talking with someone instead of at them when there are areas of disagreement is the topic of a column by a UCC minister in the Des Moines Register:

Our religious discourse, particularly when mingled with politics, often creates chasms between people who have aims that are akin. The recent public pillorying of pastors Jeremiah Wright, John Hagee and Rod Parsley reminds me how intense it can be. If those pastors and I were to discuss our views on the nature of God, an appropriate use of the Bible, or how to remedy sin, we would likely have a degree of disagreement. But, as I tried to demonstrate to my breakfast companion, we do share similar core values and have related goals. Among them, we want to be better spouses, provide for the homeless and feed the hungry.

When our God talk leads to an excessive focus on the nature of the divine, especially when we put an emphasis on being right, we usually find ourselves in the briar patch. It can lead to a lot of talk: talking at each other, not with one another. Sometimes we demand correct doctrine to the detriment of collective action.

Another approach is to engage in sacred conversations. This style of communication seeks the divine within us and shared between us. An attitude of curiosity decreases the judging, and our attention focuses on justice and peacemaking. Some might claim that I am reaching for the lowest common denominator. I would submit that I am reaching for our greatest common capacity for good.

Click here to read the rest of the column.