Speaking to the Silent Audience: Reflections on a Public Exchange about Faith, Gender, and the Power of Contemplation
Public debates rarely end with one person convincing the other they are wrong. Minds seldom change that way. Yet sometimes those conversations matter deeply for another reason. They are not really between two people at all. They are taking place in front of an audience. Nearly fifteen years ago I found myself in a lengthy public exchange with Dr. Michael Brown, a well-known evangelical author and speaker. The conversation unfolded online in the comment section of a Facebook page associated with his ministry. What began as a direct conversation between two individuals soon evolved into something much larger.