Entries by Admin

John Wesley and Eastern Orthodoxy

April 15, 2022 /0 Comments/in , /by

Dear Sarah, Thank you for your informative contribution to our ongoing conversation. You are probably aware of the fascinating ways John Wesley is linked with Eastern Orthodoxy, but some of our conversation partners may not be aware of these connections. First of all, while John Wesley loved all the Church Fathers of the first four […]

President Trump and Visions for America: Final Report from the Moderator, Harold Heie

February 17, 2020 in /by

MODERATOR REPORT ON THE COMPLETED TRUMP CONVERSATION: AGGREEMENTS AND DISAGREEMENTS, UNANSWERED QUESTIONS, ADVICE FOR REPLICATING THIS EXPERIMENT

The complexities and nuances of our recently concluded conversation about “President Trump and Visions for America” are such that no two people will take-away the same set of conclusions. Therefore, what follows is my attempt to make coherent sense of it all. Although I draw deeply from the perspectives presented by all my conversation partners, I take full responsibility for the conclusions I present below.

I present my report in three sections: My perceptions of areas of agreement and disagreement that emerged from our series of conversations; my perception of questions that remain unanswered and beg for ongoing conversation; and my advice for those readers who wish to replicate this experiment in political discourse that draws heavily on what worked well and what did not work well (the beautiful and the ugly) in our conversation as well as my other past attempts to orchestrate respectful conversations among those Christians having strong disagreements. My ultimate hope is that the positive results that emerged from this conversation will inspire many readers to go out and do likewise in their respective spheres of influence.

Session 11- Transcript

January 27, 2020 in /by

Session 11 – Transcript

Full Transcription of Responses to End Game Questions

End Game Question 1:  What areas of agreement, if any, emerged from our conversations?

Session 7 – Transcript

November 14, 2019 in /by

Leading Questions:

F. FOR GENERAL SUPPORTERS OF PRESIDENT TRUMP: Identify one initiative President Trump has taken for which you agree with his “goal” (“end”), clearly stating your reasons for your agreement in terms of your Christian beliefs.

G. How would you describe the way President Trump is “doing politics” (his “means” for seeking to accomplish his “political goals”)? Are his “means” consistent with your understanding of Christian values? If not, do you believe his “means” are justified because they lead to “ends” that you believe are consistent with Christian values?

Session 7

November 14, 2019 in /by

SESSION 7 – TRANSCRIPT Full transcription of Session 7 Leading Questions: FOR GENERAL SUPPORTERS OF PRESIDENT TRUMP: Identify one initiative President Trump has taken for which you agree with his “goal” (“end”), clearly stating your reasons for your agreement in terms of your Christian beliefs.   How would you describe the way President Trump is […]

Session 5 – Transcript

November 1, 2019 in /by

SESSION 5– TRANSCRIPT

Full transcription of Session 5

 

Leading Questions: 

  1. What is your Christian understanding of the meaning of “prosperity” and to what extent is President Trump fostering, or not, such prosperity?
  2. What is your Christian understanding of the scope of the “gospel” and to what extent is President Trump fostering, or not, your understanding of that scope?

 

Session 3- Transcript

September 29, 2019 in /by

Full Transcript of Session 3

Leading Questions:

  1.  What is your Christian understanding of the meaning of “freedom” and to what extent is President Trump facilitating, or not, your concept of freedom?
  2. What is your understanding as to the proper role of government in America, taking into account the “vision of the Founding Fathers,” and to what extent is President Trump facilitating, or not, your understanding?