By Jimi Calhoun
This entry is the third post in a series of bridge-building, theological-cultural reflections by Jimi Calhoun, Pastor of “Bridging Austin,” in Austin, Texas.
As I write this, scientists are examining the different behaviors and thought patterns of liberal and conservative voters. Researchers are not hoping to help someone win an election; they are exploring the possibility that political differences are rooted in brain functions. However, there is no consensus among them to date. We know brain function matters, but it may not be our greatest asset, which leads to the question, “What drives behavior?”
According to one online source, “You can use the word ideological to describe shared ideas or beliefs.” Currently, anger and distrust are the ideas and beliefs people seem to share the most. Let us look at the how and why of that. In a book titled The Ideological Brain, Dr. Leor Zmigrod argues that biological and physiological factors in the brain determine why people become rigid in their beliefs. The basic premise is that our ideologies ultimately tell us what and how to think.
That idea flows seamlessly into one of the points of this post. Think about this:. Seeing someone as a person lets you truly capture their essence. That is because a person is more than a brain encased in a human body. We each come equipped with unique personalities. Suffice it to say a person’s uniqueness can complicate connecting with others. This is where bridges come in. A bridge can span ideological, philosophical, cultural, and even racially polluted waters—regardless of how deep or wide.
To get what I am saying, you will need to embrace nuance. At Bridging Austin, we distinguish between a self and a person. We believe diversity thrives when we honor personhood because it provides a stronger foundation for inclusion than trying to fuse multiple selves. Here’s why. For some, the self revolves around a person’s subjective identity. For example, in my lifetime, I have identified as a rock musician, pastor, missionary, and author/ethicist. That indicates I was a different “self ” at various times.
Conversely, according to sociologist Christian Smith, “persons are first and foremost centers of something.” He adds, “Persons are not mere . . . compilations of diverse features,” as was the case with my professional career. That is because a personalist view offsets socially constructed distinctions. Sadly, despite the Christian command to love one another, many continue to fall miserably short due to divisions created by politics, race, and ideology. Why?
Neuroscience is built on the idea that the brain holds the key to unlocking the mysteries of human behavior. Sociologists argue that social structures like family, education, and religion shape behavior. Additionally, people often follow false narratives their culture has normalized. Needless to say, none of those examples completely answer why human division exists.
Bridging Austin’s focus is on creating chances for people to connect, putting human interaction ahead of addressing the causes of division. For this to occur, a connector is required. We believe reciprocal altruism serves as that connecting bridge. In his book More Than Things, Paul Louis Metzger writes, “Altruism refers to those situations where people presumably pursue the wellbeing of others freely and selflessly.” Our concept of reciprocal altruism stems from that idea, and it allows Bridging Austin’s collective identity to be a lived reality rather than an ideological statement. I will share how we build bridges between the ideal and the real in future blog posts.
You may contact Jimi Calhoun at Jimi@Bridgingaustin.org.