Krista Tippett on Public Life, Social Humility, and the Religious Other

The Table Audio w/ Evan Rosa

What are some aspects of social humility? Becoming humble means more than understanding one's own stature and status. It means finding oneself standing on common ground with others. This is part 2 of Evan Rosa's interview with Krista Tippett (host of On Being and author of Becoming Wise: An Inquiry into the Mystery and Art of Living). Krista talks about the origins and purpose of the question she asks all of her conversation partners; intellectual humility as an article of faith; and how humility enables communication with the religious and political other.

##Show Notes

00:01 - "Remember that thou art dust..."

01:25 - We are the in-between (link to Gilbert Meilaender's book, Neither Beasts Nor Gods).

01:38 - "Dusting" by Marilyn Nelson (link to the full poem).

02:35 - Glorious dust as an idiom for humility and a point of common ground.

03:04 - Finding common ground on... the ground. Two words with the same Latin root.

03:40 - Episode introduction and overview.

04:35 - Krista Tippett sparks civil conversations through generous listening.

04:52 - "What was the spiritual background of your childhood?" Krista Tippett explains her famous question.

06:58 - The origin and purpose of the question. "How would you answer [theological question X] through the story of your life?"

07:43 - Merging what you believe, and who you are (and the messiness of all that).

08:18 - Adapting the question to the radio show.

10:02 - Intellectual virtues and improved public discourse.

10:43 - The challenge and importance of intellectual humility as an article of faith.

13:01 - Paradox of inter-religious dialogue: enlarging our sense of learning from the religious other, while gaining a deeper and more illumined perspective on your own tradition.

14:32 - Humble politics. Humility as an approach to a more human politics.

14:59 - Humility and Conviction in Public Life at University of Connecticut (link to project website). Michael Lynch on Intellectual Humility / "Teaching Humility in an Age of Arrogance" (link to article).

16:15 - Krista Tippett comments on humility in politics. Humility isn't rewarded in politics. Humility can be found everywhere throughout local politics. The good news about the future of humble politics.

19:53 - Concluding thoughts, more from Krista Tippett.

20:28 - Episode credits.

21:58 - An earthy Table snack.