From Your Synod Executive...

Chip Hardwick
22 hours ago
3 min read

As I write, Charlie Kirk’s memorial service took place yesterday. His mix of conservative politics and Christianity clearly struck a chord with many across our land, as published reports say that his service was one of the largest in American history. The vast majority of Americans also decry the violent act that killed him at age 31 two weeks ago, in front of 3,000 college students. The reaction to his approach to politics and faith, though, seems to have made him more polarizing in death than he even was in life. Far too many politicians have blamed the undeniable increase in political violence on the other side of the aisle. What can we do to address the toxic polarization around us?

The polarization is not simply out in the culture; it also permeates the church, too. Since Kirk’s passing, I have heard of churches in our synod where parishioners are frustrated that pastoral leaders are not extolling Kirk’s virtues, and at least one church where parishioners left a service mid-sermon because the preacher was building up Kirk too much. Of course, it’s not restricted to this current event; polarization over issues of sexuality and gender identity and over Israel and Gaza lead both to congregational splits and congregational refusal to dig into controversial issues.

For these reasons and more, the Synod Leadership Team has invited Rev. Dr. Allen Hilton to be the keynote speaker at our in-person assembly October 23-25, 2025, in Adrian, MI. Allen is the author of A House United—How the Church Can Save The World and the executive director of an organization by the same name. He will preach for us on Thursday evening 10/23 and then lead a conversation from 9:00 to 3:00 pm (including lunch) on Friday 10/24. You can watch a short video about his presentation here. The assembly is in Adrian, MI, at the Weber Center. We’d love to have you attend in person; you can register to do so here[CH3] .

Decreasing toxic polarization does not mean everyone has to agree on the issues. It does mean, however, that we will not demonize people with whom we disagree. After all, they are made in the image of God just as we are. We can argue for our perspective, speaking the truth in love, and living into Jesus’ prayer that we would be one. Even if we think of those with whom we disagree as our enemies, Jesus calls us to love them, too.

The Belhar Confession, the newest addition to the PCUSA’s Book of Confessions, speaks of Christian unity in this way:

Unity is…both a gift and an obligation for the church of Jesus Christ; that through the working of God's Spirit it is a binding force, yet simultaneously a reality which must be earnestly pursued and sought: one which the people of God must continually be built up to attain.

Let’s pray and work together for this unity, first in the church, and then in the world.

[CH1]Link to House United Movement – Coming Together for the Common Good

[CH2]Introducing Allen Hilton, Speaker on Polarization at the 10/25 Synod Assembly

[CH3]I’ll send you information for this link before I send the newsletter.

Grateful to be your partner in ministry,