Divinity School Panel Calls for Empathy to Bridge Social Divides

Faculty and students discussed empathy as a means of bridging societal divides, especially in light of the recent election, at the Divinity School on Thursday.

The event, titled “Cultivating Community Across Divides in the US: Relationship Building As a Spiritual Practice,” was hosted the Divinity School’s Religions and the Practice of Peace Initiative. Though the event was planned before Election Day, President-elect Donald Trump’s unexpected victory shifted the focus of the event to understanding the factors behind the result.

The panelists recommended different spiritual and religious approaches for dealing with an increasingly polarized America.

Matthew L. Potts, an assistant professor at the Divinity School, discussed the grief that many Americans expressed following the election. He said that the process of grieving was a spiritual one because it allows humans to comprehend loss.

Some discussed the immediate emotions and issues facing many Americans. Divinity School professor Stephanie Paulsell emphasized the spiritual obligation to continue to support and protect marginalized groups and minorities.

Other panelists looked for comfort through their own cultural backgrounds.

Elizabeth Ruqaiyyah Lee-Hood, moderator of the panel and a Ph.D candidate at the University, recommended the tenets of patience and self-reflection in times of uncertainty, drawing lessons from her Islamic background.

Hugh O’Doherty, a lecturer at the Kennedy School, drew comparisons with his native Ireland, where people around him saw the English as the enemy. He encouraged the audience to reflect on the idea that groups define themselves by designating an “other.”

“Even though all the great spiritual traditions communicate that we are one—and we all know this in our deepest heart of hearts—somehow, we separate,” he said.

Melissa W. Bartholomew, a Ph.D candidate at Boston College’s School of Social Work, discussed remembrance as a spiritual comfort. She said she drew hope from understanding how her ancestors, who were slaves, endured for their families and descendants.

“We must engage in remembering the painful past as a spiritual practice, and we also must remember how we made it through,” she said.

Attendees said they found solace in the panelists’ messages of understanding and pushing forward positively. Local resident Carly Nix said she supported the idea of finding common ground between people of different perspectives.

“Being able to be present, see yourself reflected in the ‘other,’ and find common ground is very important,” she said.

Divinity School Dean David N. Hempton, who introduced the panelists, cautioned against assuming negative intentions in those who hold different political views.

“To ascribe the worst into others is a spiritually damaging thing to do,” he said.