Given American incivility and open disdain for our religious and political opposites, Christian churches have two options: we can fan the destructive flames or develop the holy habit of respectful, other-honoring engagement across our differences. Jesus tipped the scale on which he would prefer when he prayed for his followers, “that they all may be one.” (John 17:20-21) Could we follow Jesus’ example that values our differences – even become God’s solution to what ails our nation?

In the weeks since George Floyd’s death, our hearts have been opened to the oppression and grieving of the black community. We have seen peaceful protests and burning cities. Our minds have been puzzled by the riots and we may have even felt anger over the destruction of places that we frequent. The topics of our conversations have changed. We have sought to understand the issues facing people of color, especially those who are black, and how our position in the world informs our view of today’s racial issues.