In this episode of the Denison Forum podcast, host Dr. Mark Turman converses with Dr. John Inazu, the Sally D. Danforth Distinguished Professor of Law and Religion at Washington University in St. Louis. They discuss his new book Learning to Disagree: The Surprising Path to Navigating Differences with Empathy and Respect. Dr. Inazu emphasizes the need for Christians to engage in nuanced disagreement and to approach difficult conversations with relational trust. 

The conversation explores the challenges of disagreement in today's culture, the role of empathy in understanding others' perspectives, and the intersection of law and religion, emphasizing the importance of civil liberties for all, not just for Christians. It explores the distinction between wrongness and evil, highlighting the need to separate people from their beliefs and actions. The conversation also touches on the power of forgiveness and the challenge of speaking the truth in love. It concludes with the importance of rest and Sabbath as a strategy for disagreeing better.

Topics

• (11:24): The Challenges of Disagreement in Today's Culture
• (13:55): The Complexity and Nuance of Issues in Disagreements
• (16:41): The Intersection of Law and Faith in Navigating Differences
• (19:14): A Year in the Life of a Law Teacher: Exploring Difficult Conversations
• (21:24): The Limitations of Social Media in Navigating Disagreements
• (23:28): The Importance of Relational Trust and Discernment in Difficult Conversations
• (25:12): Navigating Differences in a Diverse Democracy
• (27:17): The Intersection of Law and Religion
• (31:41): Distinguishing Wrongness from Evil
• (35:35): The Power of Forgiveness
• (44:16): The Importance of Rest and Sabbath

Resources

• Episode Transcript (PDF)
• John Inazu’s Website
• John Inazu Substack
• X: John Inazu
• Learning to Disagree: The Surprising Path to Navigating Differences with Empathy and Respect
• Liberty’s Refuge: The Forgotten Freedom of Assembly
• Confident Pluralism: Surviving and Thriving Through Deep Difference
• Uncommon Ground: Living Faithfully in a World of Difference (with Tim Keller)

About John Inazu

John Inazu is the Sally D. Danforth Distinguished Professor of Law and Religion at Washington University in St. Louis. He teaches criminal law, law and religion, and various First Amendment courses. He writes and speaks frequently about pluralism, assembly, free speech, religious freedom, and other issues. John has written three books and published opinion pieces in the Washington Post, Atlantic, Chicago Tribune, LA Times, USA Today, Newsweek, and CNN. He is also the founder of the Carver Project and the Legal Vocation Fellowship and is a senior fellow with Interfaith America and the Trinity Forum. He holds a B.S.E. and J.D. from Duke University and a Ph.D. in political science from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

About Dr. Mark Turman

Dr. Mark Turman is the Executive Director of Denison Forum and Vice President of Denison Ministries. Among his many duties, Turman is most notably the host of The Denison Forum Podcast. He is also the chief strategist for DF Pastors, which equips pastors and church leaders to understand and transform today’s culture.

About Denison Forum

Denison Forum exists to thoughtfully engage the issues of the day from a biblical perspective through The Daily Article email newsletter and podcast, The Denison Forum Podcast, as well as many books and additional resources.