Transcript:

Hello, this is Pastor Don of Christ Redeemer Church. Welcome to The Kingdom Perspective.

One of the most interesting friendships as of late in the academic world is that between Dr. Cornel West and Dr. Robert George. West taught for years at Princeton and Harvard, in addition to being a visiting professor at Dartmouth. George is a nationally recognized legal scholar who also teaches at Princeton. What makes their friendship so interesting is their opposite perspective on so many hot button issues. You name it, they are polar opposites.

So why are they friends? Such congeniality in the context of such severe differences is very rare, maybe especially amongst academic elites.

So again, what keeps them together?

Both Robbie and Cornel know that it is possible to be charitable even when you disagree. This is very different than the current cultural climate that give us only two options: Either angry confrontation that demands “justice now at all costs”, or a kind of relativism that shrugs its shoulders saying, “Who am I to judge, who am I say what’s right or wrong?”

But we need not be stuck with these two options. There’s a third way. Kindness. 

This doesn’t come from agreeing with your neighbor but from leaning into the fact that they, like you, are made in the image of God. As Jesus taught and demonstrated, how you treat others, even when you think they are wrong, says a lot about your relationship with God (Matthew 5:43-45; 22:34-40).

And that’s something to think about from The Kingdom Perspective.

“Finally, all of you, have unity of mind, sympathy, brotherly love, a tender heart, and a humble mind. Do not repay evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary, bless, for to this you were called, that you may obtain a blessing. For

“Whoever desires to love life

and see good days,

let him keep his tongue from evil

and his lips from speaking deceit;

let him turn away from evil and do good;

let him seek peace and pursue it.’”

~ 1 Peter 3:8-11 (ESV)

For Further Consideration

https://www.pbs.org/video/cornel-west-robert-george-lgrgwb/