Colin Woodard at Chautauqua Institution By: Brionna Howard

On July 3rd in Chautauqua Institution’s Hall of Philosophy, Colin Woodard described several settlement regions in American history, and how those settlement patterns still impact the heartbeat of America today.

Woodard argued that politics can be understood through looking at the historic regions, and that today there are two superpowers that have stood out: Yankeedom and the Deep South. The two struggles with the balance between individual liberty and the common good, and Woodard maintains that straying too far in either direction is a detriment to society. Although, as Woodard says, we are becoming more polarized as a nation due to people moving to live with like-minded people, we can potentially find a middle ground by recognizing that at the base of American politics, what we really want is to let the best idea win, ensure taxpayers are not being cheated, that wealth not be based on birth, but on merit, and that everyone has the chance to achieve their potential. So, then, our American identity can be about our unalienable rights given to us with the very document that declares we are American in the first place. 

Friday Morning Service with Rev. David Gushee By: Brionna Howard

Rev. David Gushee gave his final sermon here at Chautauqua, titled “On Community.” The theme directly tied into other lectures we have heard throughout the week, in which tribalistic conflicts in America were front and center. Gushee reminded those attending of Paul’s letter to the Romans in Romans 14, which culminated in Paul stating that we should not judge others, because judgment can only be passed by God. Gushee commented that “it is our tendency to judge others negatively who see things differently than we do,” and that we should look past this and “pursue what makes for peace.” Reiterating what prior speakers this week have stated and some words of Amy Chua, who immediately followed Gushee’s sermon, America is a place of many cultures, religions, ethnicities and so on, but we should look to create a community of mutual respect despite our differences and remember that America is special because of our national bond in conjunction with our tribal identities. As Chua said, “being an American is not a matter of blood.” 

Robert P. Jones at Chautauqua Institution by Brionna Howard

Gathered in Chautauqua Institution’s Hall of Philosophy, the St. Bonaventure scholars (#chqscholars) had the opportunity to listen to a lecture given by the founding CEO of the Public Religion Research Institute, Robert P. Jones, titled “The New Challenge of Pluralism After the End of White Christian America.”

As a white Christian myself, Jones’ final thoughts particularly resonated with me. Despite Chautauqua’s primarily white audience, he stated that white Protestant propriety is an issue and that the commitment to a democratic society should trump those feelings.

Oftentimes it can be easy to not speak up in order to keep the peace, but Jones challenges this notion and says that Americans need to stand up for one another.

In fact, Jones was followed by a Muslim American, who praised America for allowing Muslims to be more complex. That act in and of itself was an example of the type of pluralism Jones stands for, and that we should all strive to achieve.