Words are critical in political communication, and Abraham Lincoln was a politician who used language to encourage understanding in America in his second inaugural address, said Ronald White, a Lincoln scholar and theologian at a Table Talk Lunch Forum Wednesday.
Students and faculty discussed the necessity of faith and understanding in politics with White and the Rev. Gaspar Lobiondo during the forum at the Kay Spiritual Life Center. White said he sought to transcend the political divide through learning about the legacy of Abraham Lincoln.
In pulling apart the subtle threads of the speech, from the repetition of the word "war" to numerous biblical references, White said Lincoln used inclusive powerful language to unite the country.
"Words fiercely mattered to Abe Lincoln," White said. "Should they matter to us?"
He later emphasized this point by having the audience read the last paragraph of Lincoln's second inaugural address out loud in unison.
White said it is important to listen and have empathy in a divisive world, much like the nation Lincoln led.
"We cannot criticize until we empathize," he said. "Work hard to understand the point of view of those who disagree with you."
Adding a religious perspective to the talk, Lobiondo, executive director of the Woodstock Theological Center of Georgetown University, responded to White's analysis.
"For moral clarity in times of war, listening is essential," Lobiondo said.
Most important to Lobiondo was the way in which Lincoln used faith to unite the nation, he said.
"Lincoln asked the questions of non-judgmental, non-demonizing religion," Lobiondo said. "We all have a compass - conscience. But it needs to be educated."
University Chaplain Joe Eldridge said he hoped the speech would bring students to a greater level of clarity about which direction to take in times of war.
He said specifically about the Iraq War, "Everything about this war divides. How do we get a vision that unifies?"
"Moral Clarity and Politics in a Time of War" was sponsored by the Center for Congressional and Presidential Studies, Center for Global Peace, International Student and Scholar Services and the Office of the University Chaplain.
