What calls leaders to confront discomfort in their efforts to reach beyond the choir?
In a recent convening of PACE’s Faith In/And Democracy’s learning community, we explored the following question: “What calls leaders and enables institutions to confront discomfort and disagreement in their efforts to reach beyond the choir?” To reach beyond the choir is to reach beyond those people with whom you are already most comfortable, most at home, and most aligned.
Such work is essential today, because it strikes against the developing estrangement and animosity that festers in our society between different groups and perspectives. It is not just the kind of polarization we have today — what social scientists have termed “political sectarianism” — that can be destructive, but that polarization can deplete the resources required to not be so polarized. As polarization increases, it can become increasingly difficult to access the tools and the will to bridge all kinds of divides in our communities and in society. Yet, all across the country, leaders and institutions — not to mention “average” citizens in the midst of their daily lives — find the will and access the tools to reach those who are different than them.
The FIAD learning community broke up into small groups to explore this question, and as diverse leaders in both faith and democracy, they were able to…
