Why "Can We Talk?"
Conversations Matter
Scot McKnight wrote his blog as a Patheos channel in 2007. He wrote a lengthy series thinking through the book, The Age of Conversation by Benedetta Craveri. Scot wrote,
Last week I took a look at Bennedetta Craveri’s book, The Age of Conversation, and this week I’d like to begin reflecting on conversation in a more explicitly and self-consciously Christian context. Here’s the crucial setting for me: by and large I don’t think evangelical Christians know how to converse. (January 17, 2007)
Evergreen.
That is, not much has changed in almost fifteen years.
Tracking conversations on Twitter threads or replies to Facebook posts illustrate that we all need a crash course on the art of conversation. McKnight identified two obstacles to good conversations among evangelicals: 1) right vs wrong obstacle and, 2) information only obstacle. The third way, the aim of conversation that moves us forward is one where the aim is exploring what each other thinks.
A week later (January 25, 2007) Scot listed ingredients for a good conversation:
A Safe Environment
A Good Topic or Good Question
Shared-Assumptions
Spirit of Exploration and Experimentation
Desires Wisdom
Can We Talk is a place where I want to use McKnight’s ingredients to open up a space for conversations related to pastoral ministry, pastoral theology, public theology, and more. What subjects would you like a safe place to have conversations?