It’s Time for a New Era of Christian Civility

Healing political division requires we revive the lost virtue of civility, grounded in universal human dignity.

Gracious reader,

I’m thrilled to share my latest piece for Christianity Today. My hope is that it sparks reflection and inspires you in meaningful ways.

Peaceable Kingdom by Edward Hicks

It’s Time for a New Era of Christian Civility

Over the past few years, our society has continued its trend toward increased political polarization, as the share of people swinging to the far left and right increase. In fact, a recent poll shows that nearly half of US voters believe those in the opposing political party are “downright evil”.

As a result, the public square can be a volatile and even violent place to engage. This is something I experienced firsthand while working in the federal government from 2017 to 2018. In Washington, I observed two equally dehumanizing extremes: explicit hostility and deceptive politeness.

The politicians who most often make the news are those who are overtly aggressive and willing to trample anyone in their path to gain power. Yet there were others who appeared polished, poised, and polite—but whose behavior masked ulterior motives. For example, one of my supervisors used our shared Christian faith to disarm and manipulate me. She would smile and invite me to pray with her at lunch, only for me to later discover that she had been undermining me to our superiors.

My experience was so dispiriting that I fled politics and Washington altogether to write a book aimed at helping myself and others think more clearly about our deeply divided era, and how we each might be part of resolving our crisis of polarization and dehumanization.

Turning to Scripture and great thinkers of the past to help me process on what I endured, I reflected on the timeless questions: “What does it mean to be human? What respect do we owe each other by virtue of our shared humanity, beyond our differences and disagreements?”

The Bible reminds us that humanity is a conundrum defined by both nobility and wretchedness: we made for community with God and others, but we are also selfish and fallen. We thrive in cooperation but are always threatened by our inclination to put ourselves above others.

As philosopher Blaise Pascal noted, “The more enlightened we are the more greatness and vileness we discover in man.” We are the pinnacle of God's creation, uniquely bearing the divine image, yet also capable of base and ignoble conduct. Likewise, St. Augustine’s concept of humanity’s “lust to dominate,” explains that both overt hostility and false politeness arise from our sinful nature’s self-love rather than a love that sees and respects others as fellow persons created in God’s image.

I came to realize that our present division requires far more than mere courtesy or politeness. We need to usher in a new era of civility—a virtue that has been all but lost in our country. And for Christians, civility is rooted in the imago dei—the inherent dignity we all possess as beings created in God’s image. This foundation is crucial for flourishing across our differences today.

What changes must we make as a society, and especially as a church, to usher our nation into a new era of civility, founded on the Christian principle of universal human dignity? There are at least five.

Explore My Previous Contributions to Christianity Today:

Jesus Was Civil, Not Polite

Human Beings Are Stewards, Not Slaves to God

Looking ahead:

• January 23, 2025- Yale Law School

• January 23, 2025- Buckley Institute Dinner Seminar at Yale

• February 7, 2025- Lugar Series

• February 10, 2025, Hillsdale College

• February 27, 2025- Georgia Center for Nursing Excellence

• March 20, 2025- Kiwanis International

• April 24, 2025- Kennesaw State University

• April 30, 2025- Community Book Talk at Hussey-Mayfield Library

• September 26- 27, 2025- Civility Summit

In the news:

• Thanks so much to MSNBC for hosting a segment about The Soul of Civility. Conflict is a part of life with others. The goal shouldn't be to avoid it; we can and should embrace it. I share in this segment some secrets for why conflict with others can strengthen our relationships—timely in our divided moment where so many of us have felt the strain of political differences on our personal lives. Enjoy the segment and let me know what you think!

  Thankful to the Way Too Early team and Jonathan Lemire for facilitating this important dialogue. Watch here!

• Discussing NOT talking about politics on FOX 59's In Focus with Dan Spehler

• Great to join NTD News to discuss how to navigate the holiday season without straining, ruining, or losing your relationships.

• Civility, manners, and hospitality in the Odyssey- guest post for Classical Pursuits

• Washington Post: Want to save your friendships? Take a page from the Founding Fathers.

Currently Reading & Loving:

I’ve enjoyed this deep dive into the building blocks of community, including when it’s appropriate to exclude others in an era of hyper exclusivity.

A Year Ago on Civic Renaissance:

MLKJ on the power of true civility

Thank you for being part of our Civic Renaissance community!