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Evangelization presumes friendship with non-Catholics — it’s difficult to communicate the Gospel to those whose friendship you refuse.
Many of the news stories about the recently-departed Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg have highlighted the fact that she and her late colleague Antonin Scalia shared a close friendship. Reporters often ask in bewilderment How could that be? How is it possible that an originalist and a progressive could share anything approaching civility, much less friendship? In our current me-versus-everyone-who-disagrees-with-me culture, it is important that we address that question.
In her eulogy for Antonin Scalia, Ginsburg quoted him when asked how he could be friends with Ginsburg. Scalia answered: “I attack ideas; I don’t attack people. Some very good people have some very bad ideas. And if you can’t separate the two, you’ve got to get another day job.”
For a man noted for his brilliant opinions, Antonin Scalia may have never offered us better counsel. So much sadness and misery in our world today could be lessened if we followed his advice. So many worthwhile friendships could be gained.
It’s strange how unimportant friendship has become. We used to celebrate friendship as a key component of the good life, yet nowadays we dismiss both friends and would-be friends if they disagree with our political opinions. And it’s rare that our personal disagreements with others are about something as serious as abortion. For too many, the fight is about a relatively insignificant matter that was highlighted on our favorite news program the day before. Such brawls are often enough to destroy a friendship. We let our friendships teeter on such a tenuous precipice that we simply become acclimated to going without friends.
This approach does not do much to help our evangelization efforts, either.
Evangelization presumes friendship with non-Catholics. After all, it is difficult to communicate the Good News of the Gospel to those whose friendship you refuse. Evangelization requiressomething that my good friend Dr. Onalee McGraw often speaks about: recognizing our common humanity. When we look into the eyes of another, we must remember that this is a person whom God has loved from all eternity. Shouldn’t we love him or her too?
Continued below.
What Justice Scalia Can Still Teach Us
Many of the news stories about the recently-departed Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg have highlighted the fact that she and her late colleague Antonin Scalia shared a close friendship. Reporters often ask in bewilderment How could that be? How is it possible that an originalist and a progressive could share anything approaching civility, much less friendship? In our current me-versus-everyone-who-disagrees-with-me culture, it is important that we address that question.
In her eulogy for Antonin Scalia, Ginsburg quoted him when asked how he could be friends with Ginsburg. Scalia answered: “I attack ideas; I don’t attack people. Some very good people have some very bad ideas. And if you can’t separate the two, you’ve got to get another day job.”
For a man noted for his brilliant opinions, Antonin Scalia may have never offered us better counsel. So much sadness and misery in our world today could be lessened if we followed his advice. So many worthwhile friendships could be gained.
It’s strange how unimportant friendship has become. We used to celebrate friendship as a key component of the good life, yet nowadays we dismiss both friends and would-be friends if they disagree with our political opinions. And it’s rare that our personal disagreements with others are about something as serious as abortion. For too many, the fight is about a relatively insignificant matter that was highlighted on our favorite news program the day before. Such brawls are often enough to destroy a friendship. We let our friendships teeter on such a tenuous precipice that we simply become acclimated to going without friends.
This approach does not do much to help our evangelization efforts, either.
Evangelization presumes friendship with non-Catholics. After all, it is difficult to communicate the Good News of the Gospel to those whose friendship you refuse. Evangelization requiressomething that my good friend Dr. Onalee McGraw often speaks about: recognizing our common humanity. When we look into the eyes of another, we must remember that this is a person whom God has loved from all eternity. Shouldn’t we love him or her too?
Continued below.
What Justice Scalia Can Still Teach Us
