toward a new (old) mode of political discourse

""If you're someone who only reads the editorial page of the New York Times, try glancing at the page of the Wall Street Journal once in a while," Obama said. "If you're a fan of Glenn Beck or Rush Limbaugh, try reading a few columns on the Huffington Post Web site." "It may make your blood boil," he said. "Your mind may not often be changed. But the practice of listening to opposing views is essential for effective citizenship" [links added]

Barack Obama speaking to over 90,000 at a University of Michigan commencement address on Sat 1 May 2010 (Washington Post story).

This president and I disagree on some issues, but I thoroughly endorse his sentiment here. Obama's comments remind me of something I heard one of my favorite theologians, the late S. Lewis Johnson, say some time ago. The content of this remark is a talk that Dr. Johnson is giving on two variant theological orientations: Covenantalism and Dispensationalism, but the spirit of the remark can be applied to any controversy whether political, religious, or personal.

"Now I hope you won't mind that when I talk about Covenant Theology, I'm going to try to present it as faithfully to its proponents as I can. And when I talk about Dispensational Theology I'll try to present it as faithfully to the viewpoints of its proponents as I can. That won't necessarily mean that I agree with everything of either one of these theologies, of course. But I will try to be as honest as I can and presenting [sic] the viewpoint in as strong a way as possible. And if some of you are partisans for one view or the other, you may get upset when I present ... the other person's viewpoint - and I hope you realize that what I'm trying to do is to do what any person should do in discussing an issue. He should present all of the viewpoints in as positive a way as possible, in a way in which proponents would present it (emphasis mine)."

Effective political discourse is not possible unless we have the ability to stop two-dimensionalizing those with whom we disagree.