The important thing is that, as a community, we openly and actively
engage in such conversations and purposefully choose to not shy away from this level of self - reflection.
Yet they do not find enough ministers who are equipped to be, or even interested in being, vital
participants in such conversations — and in participating as deeply faithful, learned clergy.
What is perhaps most frustrating about engaging
in such conversations within the evangelical community in particular, however, is that differences regarding things like Calvinism and Arminianism, baptism, heaven and hell, gender roles, homosexuality, and atonement theories often disintegrate into harsh accusations in which we question one another's commitment to Scripture.
To encourage students to engage each
other in such conversations, teachers implementing the Common Core typically assign students to sit in small groups.
In such a conversation, we go over the fight or withdrawal we were just in, but with an appreciation for each partner's struggle and recognition that each partner's position makes sense.