From Bubble to Bridge: Educating Christians for a Multifaith World by Marion H. Larson

Author:Marion H. Larson [Larson, Marion H.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9780830891559
Publisher: InterVarsity Press
Published: 2016-12-06T00:00:00+00:00

Virtues for the Common Good

A common theme shared by all systems of virtue ethics is a commitment to bridge the personal with the social. This means that cultivating virtues is never merely about becoming a good person. Rather, the end goal of becoming virtuous always points beyond the self toward a better form of life together. In order to address the civic concerns outlined in the first chapter of this book, we must think beyond ourselves to the essential role that receptive humility, reflective commitment, and imaginative empathy can play in developing friendships and, ultimately, in cultivating peace.

According to Eilberg, the fundamental work of peace-building is for us to “move beyond generalized thinking about ‘the other’” and instead “see the other as a trustworthy and admirable human being, even in the presence of real religious and/or ideological differences.”42 The virtues needed for, and deepened by, interfaith engagement do just that. Receptive humility invites the other into my intellectual and moral space, reflective commitment motivates my continued investment in working with others for the common good, and imaginative empathy bolsters my belief and hope in the possibility of peace. As I engage with those who believe differently, I practice using what Eck calls “bridging speech,” which is the ability to communicate across faith lines—a skill needed for effective common action.

The virtues of receptive humility, reflective commitment, and imaginative empathy can start to be learned through books and films. But it’s in the context of face-to-face encounters and budding relationships with real religious others that such qualities can mature.43 In our work with evangelical Christians, we’ve seen these encounters to be energizing, motivating them to deeper spiritual commitment, to acts of service, and possibly also to cultivate relationships across faith lines. Others may find themselves frustrated when they can’t understand another—or when they can’t get another to understand them. Some may be deeply unsettled, not sure what to do with the questions that interfaith conversations raise. In each case we can work to provide the necessary challenge and support as we all learn to relate to each other amid our differences.

While we’re convinced that Christians need to move beyond our own religious bubbles, we also recognize that these bubbles can be helpful spaces for cultivating the virtues and skills needed in building constructive relationships with persons of different faiths. How we can go about using our faith-based college campuses and organizations to meet this goal is the focus of the next two chapters.

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