The George Fox Civility Project
2023/24
“I will be kind and respectful to everyone.
I will listen to understand the views and values of those with whom I disagree.
I will work to solve problems by seeking common ground.
I will refrain from mocking or ridiculing those who disagree with me.
I will seek to trust, and be trustworthy and truthful, in my interactions with others.”
-- Newberg/Dundee Area Civility Pledge
HEADLINES
- Civility Project Co-hosts local candidate forum.
- Civility Project consults with Oregon coastal community on starting a local civility-promoting group.
- Chapter describing Civility Project's three-layered vision of robust civility will appear in a book on Quaker peacemaking to be published this summer.
- Civility Project supports George Fox on-campus civility promotion work in preparation for fall elections.
Civility Project co-hosts local candidate forum
The GF Civility Project co-hosted on the George Fox campus a successful forum for candidates for Yamhill County offices on May 2.
A crowd of 160 people filled Hoover 105 to hear from four local candidates in a forum open to the public. The forum was co-hosted by the Civility Project, the Newberg City Club, and the Newberg/Dundee United as Neighbors group.
Two candidates running uncontested for county District Attorney (Kate Lynch) and Sheriff (Sam Elliott) had a chance to explain their plans for their coming terms in office, and answer a few questions from the audience. Then two candidates running against each other for an open Yamhill County Commission seat (Lindsay Berschauer and Bubba King) took the stage together to give opening statements, answer seven questions posed by forum organizers, and then give closing statements.
United as Neighbors hosted all four candidates in an informal meet-and-greet in the hour before the forum started. The meet-and-greet took place in the GF President's Library in the Stevens Building, just steps from the Forum site in the Hoover Building.
The forum was live-streamed and video-recorded. A link to the video is available here.
Candidates were reminded of the United as Neighbors Civility Pledge (see the top of this page for a copy). The tone in both the meet-and-greet and during the Forum itself was generally consistent with the Pledge, although none of the candidates were asked to formally endorse it.
Informal feedback received from candidates and event attenders of various political persuasions was positive, including that the evening stayed focused on civil discussion of policy disagreements and respectful interpersonal dynamics.
The three co-hosts (the Civility Project, Newberg City Club, and United as Neighbors) are considering plans to host additional forums (and possibly meet-and-greets) for local candidates in the general elections coming up next fall.
Civility Project consults with Oregon coastal community
Civility Project director Ron Mock traveled to a community on the Oregon coast May 10 to consult with them about how they might go about setting up a local civility-promoting effort.
Residents of the coastal community heard about the Project and its work to start and support the United as Neighbors group in Newberg and Dundee. Facing divisive conflict own in their hometown, they reached out to Ron to see if he would meet with them and help them visualize what it might look like to do similar work in their community.
On May 10, Ron listened to nine residents describe the divisions they see in their community, and the shared with them about experiences he knows about in Newberg/Dundee and other Oregon towns. He helped them begin brainstorming ideas for their community.
A tentative plan emerged. Among the possibilities:
training in listening and communicating in tough conversations led by a local trained mediator.
Ron helping a group with people from different political points of view work together to plan events and activities to build stronger relationships and possibly address community needs.
linking the coastal group with others in the region doing similar work.
Civility Project supports on-campus civility promotion at George Fox
Civility Project director Ron Mock has joined a group of George Fox Student Life and Spiritual Life staff planning activities and events for GF students in preparation for November's general election.
Led by Student Activities Director Kara Holcombe, the group has been exploring ways to help students be better prepared to engage in serious political dialog without contributing to bitter, unproductive polarization.
The group is considering hosting conversations, trainings, speakers, and other events, perhaps starting with RA's and other student leaders before the academic year begins. The hope is to use the election season as a learning opportunity, to help students become more skillful at disagreeing constructively, listening well, and takind advantage of disagreement as an opportunity for all to grow in understanding God's will for us.
Chapter describing Civility Project view of civility expected to be published this summer
The Civility Project vision includes the following goals:
› Help people recognize
disagreements, and the
political cultures we use
to resolve them, as crucial
parts of God's loving
providence.
› Promote a vision for
stewardship of political
culture: nurturing civility
while effectively opposing
injustice.
› Offer resources to support
those working to build
civility and heal political
cultures
Most of the Project's work has been either in practical support of projects working to promote civility in various settings, especially churches and communities. But we've also worked to get people thinking about their disagreements differently, and encouraging better responses to those disagreements.
Ron's chapter, "Robust Civility and Stewardship of the Political Culture", is chapter 17 in Quakers and the Future of Peacemaking. The book is co-edited by George Fox professor of Biblical and Quaker Studies Paul Anderson, Quaker theologian Christy Randazzo, and the late Lonnie Valentine, who was a professor of peace and justice at Earlham School of Religion.
Grounded in the realization that humans are designed to disagree, and that God has chosen not to meet human needs by divine fiat, Ron builds the case for robust civility on the premise that our disagreements are precious, God-given resources for meeting human needs. Civility starts with kindness toward others, including those who disagree. But there is much more to it, including being careful stewards or our disagreements, and of our ability to work together to learn from them.
The book is scheduled to become available this summer. When it does, we will announce it here and in the Civility Project newsletter.
WHAT ELSE CAN I DO TO PROMOTE ROBUST CIVILITY?
MORE STUFF TO READ OR WATCH:
Join in a Community Conversation, sponsored by Newberg/Dundee United as Neighbors. The last Community Conversation for this academic year was held on April 17. Check back late in the summer for the fall schedule!
Consider volunteering to do community mediation with Neighbor-to-Neighbor if you live in Yamhill, Marion, Benton, or Polk counties in Oregon.
Join a Braver Angels event in your area.
Watch video recordings of Civility Project events.
Check out our reviews of articles and books on civility.
Read reflections and explorations about civility as a Christian virtue, and its connections to key Christian ideas like providence, justice, stewardship, service, peacemaking, and love.
George Fox Civility Project Would you like to receive e-mail updates? Do you have questions, comments, or suggestions?
C/O George Fox University If so, tell us your email address. We won't give your email to anyone else. Let us know at civility@georgefox.edu. civility@georgefox.edu.
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