One of my favourite radio programs is This
American Life on National Public Radio in the U.S. I was listening to
an episode from their archives last week about how people change their
minds.
The program reported on the rather surprising
results of an experiment in which had canvassers who went door-to-door and
spent some time talking to people about controversial issues such as
same-sex-marriage and abortion. The results were quite amazing as they
showed that after a relatively short period of time the people interviewed
changed their minds on the issue. More surprising is that the change
remained over a significant time period i.e. it was not just momentary.
If you are interested in listening to the program here is the link:
http://www.thisamericanlife.org/radio-archives/episode/555/the-incredible-rarity-of-changing-your-mind.
One of the key factors in this result that they
identified was that the interviewers had to be identified with the issue e.g. a
woman who had an abortion of someone who was self-identified as LGBT.
Another significant factor that was identified is that people do not change
their beliefs based on facts and data. Where people change their minds is
on the level of the gut; of visceral reactions; of emotions; of feelings (which
by the way are not the same as emotions).
They found that the most important thing that the
interviewer could do in this process was to stop telling people things and to
listen. The interviewer needed to let them talk about their own lives and
tell their own stories. I would qualify that this doesn’t quite match the
first finding i.e. that the interviewer needed to be identified with the issue
personally. Their experience was important. However, that information
needed to be revealed in the course of the interview in context of the
discussion. The focus needed to be on the experience of the person
being interviewed.
These findings were quite unexpected and surprising
because they completely overturned the expectation and common wisdom held by
experts in the field. I am wondering how these findings can be applied to
that thing which Anglicans are particularly struggling with these days as we
increasingly find ourselves out of step with our culture which is increasingly
secular and disconnected with anything religious; That thing is
evangelism. Today Anglicans particularly do not have experience in
evangelism; in spreading the Good News of Jesus Christ. Many other denominations
have had greater experience and success in this. It was not something which, I
must admit, I am very comfortable with and did not receive any training
specifically on how to evangelize in school. However, as the number of
people in the pews dwindle; as our parishioners get older; and as more and more
churches close it is something we need to turn our attention to. It is
not just a case of survival as the Anglican Church in Canada and perhaps all
the Western world. It is also an imperative as Christians. We are
called to spread the Good News of Jesus Christ to the world.
I must qualify the above by saying that I am not
comfortable about evangelization when I think of it in the traditional way of
thinking about evangelization. The picture I have is of the T.V.
evangelist who would play on the audience’s fears and desires and prejudices,
or the people at the door who ask if I have been saved or born again.
That is key to the issue and where it intersects with the findings discussed in
that radio program. We need to redefine what evangelism means. We
need to share the Good News by approaching people where they are and listening
to their experience. We also need to be able to share our stories and how
being an Anglican is part (hopefully an important part) of our stories as
Christians.
Actually, that is pretty much what I do as a
Spiritual Director. I listen to the experience and stories of my
directees and share how my experience has helped me to have a closer
relationship with God. The need for listening is even more vital than when
this program was undertaken. Our society is dividing more and more into
camps in which the other side is the enemy if not worse. The American
movie Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner was about a black man being engaged to the
parents of a white woman. Today, the worst thing that could happen in the
States is probably a Republican or Democrat being introduced to a family as the
fiancé of the opposite political persuasion. Canada is not that far down
that road but there are signs it is heading in the same direction e.g. the
Freedom Convoy of a couple of years ago.
This week I invite you to reflect on your
experience of being a person connected to organized religion or as a
spiritual person unconnected to organized religion and how that has affected
your life. What would you say to share that with someone you just
met? Better yet how would you listen with ears to hear to someone who
does not share that experience.
Blessings on your journey.
