Winsome Conviction

American theologian philosopher Richard Mouw has been championing a call to civil discourse on religious, political, and other social issues for well over four decades. On this episode, he resumes the conversation with Tim and Rick on a distinctly Christian approach to civility. Dr. Mouw shares personal experiences in interfaith dialogues and other exchanges involving pointed disagreement where he...

Can we think about civility from a distinctly Christian perspective? American theologian philosopher Richard Mouw joins the podcast to explore this question with Tim and Rick. Dr. Mouw has been thinking about civility and helping religious and political parties engage in civil discourse for over 40 years, and he sits down to share stories and insights gained. The conversation ranges over the bibli...

Tim and Rick resume the conversation with Andrew Sullivan on civility and its vital role in a healthy democracy. In this episode, Andrew reflects on the quality of generosity in many Americans, a bright spot in dark times of the argument culture; the discussion then turns to the topic of cancel culture where Andrew candidly shares his experience of being cancelled; and they round out the discussio...

Civility is a requirement for a healthy republic. But we seem to be losing faith in civility, and people are confused on what civility involves and when to be civil. Andrew Sullivan joins the podcast to speak with Tim and Rick on a range of social issues that bear on civility. In this episode, they discuss the danger of labels and the importance of humanizing others before mining the secret of a h...

Tim resumes the discussion with Stephanie Bennett (PhD) on her new book, “Silence, Civility, and Sanity: Hope for Humanity in a Digital Age.” They take a deeper look at silence as a set of practices for counteracting unhealthy and uncivil discourse. Dr. Bennett unpacks two types of silence - contemplative silence and ontological silence - to help us reclaim civil communication and healthy public c...

Stephanie Bennett (PhD) joins Tim to discuss her new book, “Silence, Civility, and Sanity: Hope for Humanity in a Digital Age.” In this episode, they discuss features of the fallout from digital culture on our communication, including the dangers of immediacy, the prevalence of noise, and other dynamics in our speech that prevent or erode healthy, meaningful, and civil dialogue. They begin to expl...

Arthur C. Brooks (PhD) joins the podcast to talk about our culture of contempt and how it is contributing to the polarization in America today. What is contempt? How is it different from anger? And how does contempt affect us and our relationships? Do the social sciences and the Bible provide insight on the pitfalls of contempt and how to steer clear from danger? Tim and Arthur discuss these quest...

Tim and Rick continue going back through the archive of episodes on the podcast and highlight ideas, practices and moments with guests that stand out. In this episode, they discuss Shane Hurley's grassroots approach to helping people talk about race (Episode 13, Mar 1, 2021); Russell Moore on issues polarizing the generations in the Church (Episode 38, Feb 14, 2022); Theon Hill on what to do...

To celebrate the 50th episode, Tim and Rick reflect on previous episodes on the podcast and highlight ideas, practices and moments with guests that have left a lasting impression. On this episode, they discuss the argument culture; David French on the dangers of like-mindedness (Episode 5, Nov. 16, 2020); Julia Wood on navigating the complexities of movements and theories (Episode 16-17, beginning...

Tim and Isaac Adams resume the conversation on race and discuss practical insights and advice for the Church when we talk about race. They draw from a fictional shooting in Isaac's book, Talking About Race, to explore ideas and practices for developing biblical conviction and faithful engagement with racial tensions and problems. The conversation also touches on systemic or structural racism,...

It's hard to talk about race, so we're looking to Isaac Adams for help. Isaac Adams is the lead pastor of Ironside City Church in Birmingham, Alabama, and he recently wrote a book on race for Christians. Tim speaks with Isaac about the origins of the book, the significance of narrative, the wisdom in listening and the importance of mutual engagement, and why God's Word should be the...

Tim and Rick have been discussing the practice of hospitable orthodoxy with Dr. Karen Swallow Prior. In this episode, Dr. Prior shares how reading the Great Books have helped her to cultivate a posture of hospitable orthodoxy to those with whom she disagrees. They also dig into the connection between empathy and reading broadly and how reading helps us with the virtues. This is part 3 of a 3-part...

Tim and Rick resume the conversation on "hospitable orthodoxy" with Dr. Karen Swallow Prior. In this episode, they consider examples of people who demonstrate this idea in action and provide us with examples of truth and love working in harmony. They also draw out principles of communicating for when we enter into disagreement. This is part 2 of a 3-part conversation with Dr. Karen Swall...

It can be hard to love someone with whom you disagree, especially when those disagreements involve faith convictions and ideas central to identity. We don't want to abandon truth in our aims to love, but we can also miss the mark by failing to love while holding fast to the truth. Dr. Karen Swallow Prior joins Tim and Rick to discuss issues surrounding love and willingness with disagreement,...

Tim and Rick continue to reflect on lessons they are learning on having healthy communication during moments of passionate disagreement. They consider CS Lewis' notion of "a hallway of faith" as a helpful image for thinking through matters and manners when we disagree, the value of being curious over the desire to be victorious, and the necessity to prepare oneself prior to and outs...

We are two years in with the Winsome Conviction Project, so it's a good time to stop and reflect on lessons we're learning. Tim and Rick share what they are learning on having healthy communication during moments of passionate disagreement. They draw out insights that help prevent disagreement from devolving into a toe-to-toe conflict that harms the relationship. This is part 1 of a 2-pa...

When disasters strike, people tend to put aside their differences and commit to work together to resolve the problem. These moments of crisis are instructive - they reveal our willingness to make "loose connections" with people we otherwise find disagreeable. Tim and Rick discuss times when they have seen parties across lines come together, draw out features that make "loose connect...

We've been talking with Gregg Ten Elshof (PhD) on our need for shame. In this episode, Tim, Rick, and Gregg pick up on notions of honor in order to cultivate a healthy understanding of shame. They discuss the social practice of conferring honor; Gregg unpacks what he means by "white shame"; and they discuss the vital role of the honorable person in helping those who suffer shame bef...

Tim and Rick resume the discussion with Gregg Ten Elshof (PhD) on the topic of shame. In part 2, they pick up on the ways communities influence personal feelings of shame. They discuss the errors we make when addressing acts of "shaming" and the difficulties of knowing how to respond in love when "shaming" takes place. This is part 2 of a 3-part discussion with Gregg Ten Elshof...

Is shame good or bad? In one sense, it is bad. In another sense, according to Gregg Ten Elshof (PhD), author of the recent book For Shame: Rediscovering the Virtues of a Maligned Emotion, a certain kind of shame can be good. Healthy shame provides social benefit and helps to foster virtues such as decency and self-respect. Gregg joins Tim and Rick to talk about shame and contemporary issues surrou...

Dr. Russell Moore (PhD) joins the podcast to speak with Tim and Rick on issues and scandals in our cultural moment that erode trust in Christian leaders and instill cynicism toward the Church and the claims of the Christian faith. Trends toward image maintenance, conspiracy theorizing, and loyalty to the group over loyalty to the truth also undermine faithful witness to the world about the good ne...

Rick and Tim resume the conversation on themes in Tim's newest book, Eyes To See: Recognizing God's Common Grace in an Unsettled World. They look at language, James' words to Christians on how to communicate, the power of gentle words, the danger of negative spirals, and how God's gift of common grace is given throughout creation - to those who profess Jesus as Lord and to thos...

Tim's newest book, Eyes To See: Recognizing God's Common Grace in an Unsettled World, is out. Rick and Tim take up the book's theme of common grace and consider how it impacts topics and issues around winsome conviction. What is common grace? How should we think about divine and human action in this gift? They explore how we can develop eyes to see common grace and skills from commu...

Dr. Theon Hill (PhD) joins Tim and Rick to discuss radical rhetoric: What is it? How is it a form of civic engagement? And when should we use it? They also consider whether the Old Testament prophets were radical rhetoricians, the tensions between the prophetic voice and the winsome voice, how radical rhetoric as a form of engagement is similar to and different from conventional rhetorical approac...

Dr. Theon Hill (PhD) joins Tim and Rick to discuss radical rhetoric: What is it? How is it a form of civic engagement? And when should we use it? They also consider whether the Old Testament prophets were radical rhetoricians, the tensions between the prophetic voice and the winsome voice, how radical rhetoric as a form of engagement is similar to and different from conventional rhetorical approac...