9:15 AM Adult Forum - Library
Make Me an Instrument: A Guide to Civil Discourse
In this curriculum, representatives, and teachers from across the church worked with the Episcopal Church's Office of Government Relations and Department of Faith Formation to teach civil discourse as a skill that we can develop and use to build healthier communities. One of the most important points they emphasize is that as a culture, we share many more values than we think we do.
The course instructors teach civil discourse as a specific style of conversation that requires particular skills and practices. Civil discourse is engagement in conversation intended to enhance understanding. Rabbi Steve Gutow, speaking at the Episcopal Church’s event Civil Discourse in America, remarked that, “civility is simply demonstrating respect for the dignity of our fellow humans—even those humans with whom we have sharp disagreement. Civility allows others to speak, and having the humility to admit that we may have something to learn. Civility favors truth over cheap gain, and patience over knee-jerk judgment."
The goal of these conversations is to be in deeper relationship and to more truly know the dignity and worth of each other. We strive for this deeper relationship so that when we go out to do our own advocacy, activism, and community engagement, we are better informed about who the “other” is without dehumanizing or demonizing them.
As well as explaining the practice of civil discourse, the reasons for using it, and its grounding in scripture and the sacraments, the instructors address challenges that can arise with the "listen and learn" approach they advocate.
Each of the five sessions has a different instructor.
In the previous weeks, we completed the first three of the five sessions. Our final two sessions are entitled Values-Based Conversations and Sacred Space for Debate.