Msgr. Pope on Civility in Political Discourse

"We are in times of strident political protest that includes a lot of harsh language, personal attacks, name calling, and even debased and profane terms. There are tweets, and angry monologues, harsh commentary on news networks, and interruptive press conferences and news interviews that sound more like a brawl than a debate. To put it all more pleasantly, these are times of 'colorful' discourse.

"What is the overall teaching of Scripture when it comes to this sort of colorful language? Are there some limits and ground rules? Let's take a look.

"The word 'civility' dates back to the mid-16th century and has an older meaning that referred to one who possessed the quality of having been schooled in the humanities. In academic settings, debate (at least historically) was governed by a tendency to be nuanced, careful, cautious, formal, and trained in rhetoric. Its rules often included referring to one's opponents with honorary titles (Doctor, Professor, etc.) and euphemisms such as 'my worthy opponent.' Hence as the word entered common usage, it has come to mean speech or behavior that is polite, courteous, gentle, and measured."

In a recent commentary, Monsignor Charles Pope (pastor of Holy Comforter-Saint Cyprian Parish, Washington, DC), using examples from the Bible, reflected on civility (or lack thereof) in political discussions (part of his presentation includes reflections on strong denunciations used Jesus and by Saint Paul).

To access Msgr. Pope's complete post, please visit:

Community in Mission: In Times of Harsh Political Discourse, What Do the Scriptures Say? (26 JUN 18)