DeanWuBlog

Criticism

This weekend, members of my church visited with our senior minister at a potluck dinner. The group was organized because of concerns about diversity, within a congregation that, by my estimate, is likely already one of the more racially integrated --at least in black and white terms -- that could be found anywhere in the nation. There is still work to be done, though, however much progress can be made.

I was struck by the attitude of the senior minister. He came to us six years ago, accepting the call to this congregation as his first permanent post following seminary, itself rather remarkable given the prominence of the institution. As good as he has proven to be from the pulpit, he has been even better in his ability to manage: the combination of the substance of his sermons and his skills in organizing have revitalized the place. What was remarkable at our informal gathering, however, was his humility and openness to criticism.

It would be easy to conclude that he is able to listen to negative comments, because he has been successful. The better analysis, in my view, ascribes just the opposite casual relationship. He has been so successful, exactly because he demonstrates that rare ability to respond to others with an assumption of their good faith and a shared cause. He is able to envision the future, rather than defend the past.