Communicating in Dialogue (CID): Workshops for Local Faith Communities
By Frances Forde Plude
This project could analyze, systematically, new information on dialogue theory, along with negotiation case studies. A Monograph could summarize this data as a basis for workshop materials to be developed for use within local churches. The goal is to enable various church constituencies to dialogue effectively in the light of current communication difficulties among polarized groups of the faithful.
As Peter Steinfels notes in A People Adrift, there may be a limited time frame in which the Catholic Church, for example, can strengthen itself before it will fade sharply as institutional religion already has in Europe. Laypersons will be key in this re-development in the light of decreasing clergy numbers and weakened leadership credibility after sexual abuse scandals have occurred in both Catholic and Protestant churches. Another challenge, in an age of instantaneous media, is the development of dialogue – so decision-making in churches can be more thoughtful, participatory and proactive.
The Project Director, hopefully a specialist in interactive communication, would review the dialogue literature, conduct interviews and do limited surveys. Several specific congregational groups could be consulted and negotiation experts could be engaged. This research would be the basis for project tasks. Such a project could institutionalize wide-ranging dialogue in the management of churches for the sake of strengthened leadership and greater effectiveness.
The project would not deal with dogma nor would it reflect any given philosophical stance. It would, rather, stress communication and negotiation principles, along with church management issues such as decision-making processes, collaborative practices and financial strategies.
An Advisory Board would provide oversight for the project. A Development Group would meet to suggest components of Communicating in Dialogue (CID) workshop materials. Various church constituencies would be represented on this development team. The group should also reflect varied geographic areas and ethnic groups. At least one international representative could participate so workshop materials can later be adapted for other countries.
Professional staff should develop workshop materials and evaluate their trials in the field.
Workshop materials (print and web-based) would be pilot-tested in numerous geographical regions. Individuals testing the materials would be able to communicate with one another on a website for their exclusive (password-protected) use. Development team members could interact with any pilot program in their region. Materials can then be re-worked based on the pilot evaluations. They would then be prepared for publication.
A marketing plan would be developed so workshop materials would be widely available for sale. All proceeds could be invested in further marketing and in subsidizing the distribution of workshop materials in areas where costs might otherwise prevent their use.
Rationale Reflections
a. Some of today’s polarizations within churches are related to media coverage. In the past, religious thought and activity could develop over decades, even centuries. Now it is difficult for ideas or ‘positions’ to mature, partially because they are exposed and become contentious before positions or thinking can become integrated and evolve.
b. The media genre tends to be conflict oriented. For example, our elections focus on ‘the race’ (who is ahead) rather than thoughtful discussion of vital issues.
c. The communication scholar Deborah Tannen has called us an ‘argument culture.’ And there are many disagreements about how faith issues can be discussed in the public sphere.
d. In this digital culture churches are gravely disadvantaged in their systems of communication. In a defensive mode, churches tend to use authoritarian statements to cut off discussion. Dialogic forums are often suspect. Yet individuals want to be heard; they want leadership to listen.
e. This project would offer academic research on new approaches to dialogue. It would then design workshop-training materials to help church members and leaders learn how to dialogue effectively. The skills could be used by theologians, bishops, parish leaders, and others. Awareness and skills would develop and spread over many years.
f. The late Common Ground Project called attention to this problem; it conducted seminar discussions. This CID project could expand what Common Ground accomplished by 1) providing a deep research/theory base about effective dialogue; and 2) developing workshop materials for use in countless individual situations – congregations, seminaries, regional leadership, etc.
Collaborative Partners
The project should be linked with collaborative partners, such as the project “Church in the 21st Century” at Boston College, and the Cushwa Center for the Study of American Catholicism at the University of Notre Dame. Protestant groups like the National Conference of Christians and Jews would have much to offer as partners, along with the National Conference of Catechetical Leadership and others.