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Join us for our next Author Conversation on Thursday, May 16, from 2:00 to 3:00 p.m. EDT, featuring two standout authors from this spring’s violence issue: April Lawson and Leah Libresco Sargeant.

In her essay “Mutual Endangerment Society,” Leah examines the weird dynamic that has come to dominate so much of our public discourse: how two groups can feel threatened and oppressed by each other at the same time. In light of the fact that we often suspect others (or maybe even ourselves) of longing for the moment when the normal rules of civility no longer apply, she advocates for a recognition of the significance of the stakes involved in our disagreements without losing sight of the opposing side’s humanity.

April’s essay “Why We Cancel” tackles a similar theme, exploring the driving forces behind modern-day “cancel culture.” She suggests that this phenomenon is rooted in the innate human desire to scapegoat others—that is, to lay the blame on a single actor and then purge them from our midst. While this urge stems from a real sense of evil and danger, April ultimately argues that we must foster communities and institutions that continually remind us of the duality of good and evil within each of us.

A note about our co-sponsor: We’re delighted to host this webinar in partnership with the After Party, an organization actively working to help Christians engage in meaningful dialogue across steep differences.

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Thursday, May 16 at 2:00 p.m. EDT

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