Dear Rebecca:

That’s a hell of a gift. I admit that I might’ve gotten teary-eyed reading it on the bus home from Kansas City this afternoon.

I’ve been absent lately, the self-induced victim of some despair about, yes, our inability to be civil with each other. I won’t get into how I understand that civility can be used to quash marginalized voices, except to say that my own goal for civility is that it go hand in hand with the pursuit of justice.

But sometimes we fail, and we lose loved ones along the way.

Mostly, I think we need to listen to each other. And I think we need to work extra hard in listening to people we think are wrong. I’ve discussed why during this first year of  the blog. I suspect I’ll deepen my own thinking in Year Two.

But, hey! A pretty good first year!

We’re still getting started. But I think we’ve gotten underway with a commitment to highlighting important voices in the church, and have offered a sharp critique of nationalistic Christian tribalism versus a faith that reaches out with Christ as our example.

When we started this a year ago, it was partly because I felt our Facebook interactions — about politics, faith, and more — were substantive, challenging, and worthy of further contemplation.

I think that’s proven true. You’ve brought evidence, passion, and deep thinking to this blog. I couldn’t ask for a better blogging partner. We haven’t always agreed completely, nor will we. But what’s the fun in that?

Hallelujah, amen.
Joel