A few days ago I was engaged in a conversation with a couple of friends around the upcoming Presidential election when a third friend walked over and sat down next to us. Upon realizing the topic of conversation, he half-jokingly said, “Oh no, politics…I’m out of here,” and then motioned as if he was going to get up and leave. He didn’t leave, but he didn’t really contribute to the discussion, either. It was clear that he didn’t want to talk politics … and that’s OK. We changed course and chatted about something else, ultimately.
This encounter encapsulated the current state of politics for me. So many of us are annoyed, frustrated, angry, flabbergasted, and divided over U.S. politics — whether it be local, state, or federal. There are a number of contributing factors at play, but one of the most significant — in my opinion — is this: there’s no real discourse anymore. Not just for us, but for the actual politicians, as well. We don’t have an opportunity to talk about issues in any meaningful way, because our politicians refuse to lay out their platforms or discuss the issues in a way with which we can thoughtfully interact. Rather, political communications are a dizzying mixture of double-speak, platitudes, and enough logical fallacies to make a 7th grade student blush (note: RCS students take formal logic in 7th and 8th grade). Due to the aforementioned lack of actual discourse, we have no way to meaningfully engage with one another. Therefore, we resort to ad hominem attacks, talking past each other, viewing each other as the problem (rather than viewing each other as collaborators in solving the actual problems), and living in echo chambers. No wonder my friend didn’t want to “talk politics.”
As I thought about this sad state of affairs, I found myself longing for something better for my children. I want them to live in a world where the issues are at the forefront. A world where they can openly and honestly dialogue with others — especially those with whom they disagree. A world where they can share their ideas without fear of name-calling or cancellation. A world where we can learn and seek solutions together. A world where politics is substantive, not a circus, and where civil discourse is both civil and actually includes discourse.
Before you roll your eyes, trust me … I know that this is both idealistic and naive. Politics has always been a circus to some extent, after all. But I don’t think it’s wrong to want and strive for such a society. Even if this type of world is impossible, it’s surely feasible to improve upon what we have now. In other words, I think it’s wrong to throw our hands up in frustration, to assume that it can’t get any better, and to stop trying. To do so would be to abandon, at least in practice, our commitment to the good, the true, and the beautiful. Furthermore, it would relegate our children to inherit our mess, ill-equipped to do anything about it.
This is one of the many reasons why I appreciate Redeemer and our classical Christian education. We believe deeply in the transcendentals of truth, goodness, and beauty, and seek to bring them to bear in everything we do. As such, we teach our students how to think critically, speak eloquently, and to dialogue openly around important ideas and issues. We encourage and equip our students to call out logical fallacies, to understand the issues facing our world, and to get to the heart of the matter. We want our children to both respect and be able to work with those with whom they disagree, and to be able to seek solutions together — whatever the problem, no matter the size. Just as a rising tide raises all boats, we hope our Redeemer students can raise the level of civil discourse so that everyone involved is better for it. What’s more, we pray our students will be men and women of character and integrity. We disciple them to be those who seek to do all things for the glory of Christ, including the political views they espouse and the way in which they articulate them.
It may sound overly sanguine, but when I find myself frustrated by politics today, I look at my students, I converse with my children (who are, themselves, classical Christian students) and my hope rises. Truly. May God work in and through us at Redeemer Classical School to raise up a generation of men and women who are equipped to make the world — and yes, politics — a better place. Soli Deo Gloria.