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Thinking in Public with Albert Mohler
The Sin of Empathy — A Conversation with Joe Rigney
Feb 19, 2025
Joe Rigney, a Fellow of Theology at New Saint Andrews College and author of "The Sin of Empathy," dives deep into the nuances of empathy. He explores its role in emotional manipulation versus genuine compassion. The complexities of empathy within Christian theology are discussed, along with the dangers of unchecked empathy and its moral implications. Rigney also tackles gender dynamics in evangelical leadership and critiques narratives of victimhood, highlighting their impact on unity and discourse in contemporary Christianity.
01:05:16
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Quick takeaways
- Empathy has morphed from its aesthetic origins into a potentially manipulative emotional force undermining truth and moral clarity.
- Distinguishing empathy from compassion emphasizes the need for emotional governance to maintain stability and avoid destructive emotional turbulence.
Deep dives
The Nature of Empathy and Its Historical Context
Empathy has evolved from its early 20th-century origins in aesthetics to a concept often intertwined with therapeutic ideologies. Initially, empathy was perceived as an advancement over sympathy, encouraging individuals to share emotional spaces with others rather than maintain a helping-dominant stance. A critical distinction arises between feeling for someone in a specific situation versus feeling abstractly for all individuals in similar circumstances, ultimately resulting in a moral abstraction that can detach one from reality. This historical perspective invites reflection on how empathy's adaptation has influenced modern interpretations of emotional connection and interpersonal relationships.
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