Braver Angels is a civic organization that develops educational tools to build bridges between people divided over politics.
Braver Faith
Braver Faith is an arm of this group that equips religious groups with these tools in the context of their own faith traditions. Our opportunity is to see that civil discourse begins in recognizing the image of God in our conversation partner, and that our baptismal promises realign us to honor the dignity of every human being. As a result, mutual respect is crucial in connection. Respect, not agreement, is an essential key for a healthy discussion. And in these offerings, we are reminded that we can be unified in God’s love while also being diverse in the ways we live and move and have our being.
Saint Stephen’s is offering several dates through this year for learning and deepening in our commitment to partner with our Christian family to address hard topics, grounded in God’s love and mutual respect. Here are the dates and descriptions of events ahead this spring:
This introductory workshop is designed to foster skills to help participants lessen the effects of polarization when encountering them in political conversations. Note that “polarization” is not referring to healthy disagreements over an issue or philosophy. Rather, this describes how we regard and talk about large groups of ordinary people on the other side of the political aisle.
This next-step workshop provides skills for listening, understanding more fully, and sharing your perspectives in constructive ways – even when we disagree sharply. Sometimes we find more common ground than we thought possible. When ready to share our own views, participants may use the skills taught in this workshop to make their points in a way the other person can take in.
This workshop brings together equal numbers of Conservatives and Liberals - Reds and Blues (4-8 of each) - for a deep dive into a specific topic. Together participants talk about their connection to the issue and their opinion on solutions. By the end of the event, they come up with jointly and unanimously held Points of Agreements on values, concerns and policies.
Looking to the fall, Saint Stephen’s will offer additional conversations to help equip participants with ways to connect faithfully, in the midst of differing perspectives. We will host a Christian formation offering on a Sunday morning in September to hear how these events give meaning to participants, and additional trainings will begin in October 2026.
For more information or to get connected to these formation offerings, contact the Rev. Katherine Harper or Kathleen Franklin.