THE VISION

  • FRD envisions societies where diverse believers respectfully affirm and contest their unreconcilable truth and value convictions by means of mutual persuasion as trustworthy rivals.

  • FRD envisions thriving societies where people of all persuasions live their convictions and continually reach for the whole truth by learning from as many perspectives as possible.

THE PROBLEM:

It is not polarized disagreement—it is fearful distrust and angry contempt.

THE RESPONSE:

It is extending good faith to engage as trustworthy rivals.

ANALYZING THE PROBLEM:

  • Without respectful appreciation and contestation of ideals and value priorities, suspicion overwhelms the trust in people and institutions needed for dynamic diverse societies to patiently negotiate a thriving social order.

  • Integrity requires that we sincerely admit that most have chosen a way of life they sincerely – not arrogantly – find to be superior to alternatives like ours.

  • The problem is not that we tend to polarize over conflicting ideals; it resides in our contempt for those we fail to persuade—believing them stupid, naive, or evil.

  • Often frustrated at our inability to convert our rivals, we dismiss or disdain them, causing distrust, resentment, ill will, and eventual social disintegration.

  • Often frustrated at our inability to convert our rivals, we dismiss or disdain them, causing distrust, resentment, ill will, and eventual social disintegration.

  • So, our great social/political/religious problem today is finding how to thrive in peaceful tension with trustworthy rivals who believe we are wrong about our deepest convictions.

FRD’s APPROACH

FRD has developed an effective way to face, not evade, our deepest unreconcilable differences together with integrity and good will.

FRD’s trust-building conversation protocol allows for mutually persuasive contestation between critics, opponents or rivals that desire to live together in peaceful co-resistance.

Respecting the values alignment problem, universal consensus yields tyranny, individual relativism yields anarchy, but respectful contestation yields peaceful co-resistance.

OUR STORY

For more information about our past initiatives, events, films, publications, and software development, see FRD’s activities and events in our history document.

  • THE START

    In the year 2000, after a decade at the University of Chicago exploring historical forms of religious conflict, Charles Randall Paul, the founder and president of the Foundation for Religious Diplomacy (FRD), concluded that we are mistaken to presume that our common humanity and mutual understanding are sufficient to sustain peacefulness in and between societies with conflicting uncompromising worldviews and value priorities. We needed better ways to peacefully sustain vigorous contestation over ideals by means of respectful mutual persuasion instead of coercion and violence.

  • ENGAGING, NOT AVOIDING CONFLICT

    Our simultaneous desires for co-resistance and collaboration yield at best a fruitful peaceful tension. Overturning the notion that compatibility yields trust and loyal commitment, social scientists have observed the practical fact that successful long-term marriages, partnerships, and societies sustain multitudes of unresolvable conflicts within them — not by avoiding conflict — but by engaging it respectfully from time to time in honorable contests of mutual persuasion between trustworthy opponents who are also admiring friends.

  • TRUSTWORTHY OPPONENTS

    Such is the backstory of FRD, a non-profit group of social entrepreneurs seeking pattern-breaking social change that will improve our lives by recognizing many value conflicts are unresolvable by any means. FRD aims to change the common manner of thinking and treating our inevitable religious critics and rivals. We emphasize how invigorating it is to have and to be a trustworthy opponent.

  • HONORABLE ENGAGEMENT

    We are promoting a new telos or purpose that is not tranquil world peace. It is a telos of honorable engagement between trustworthy rivals that expect conflicts over ultimate purpose, truth, and value always to remain in play, and thus aim optimally for continual peaceful contests. This process of continual contestation rarely alters religious convictions, but it converts feelings of suspicion and contempt to trust and respect—and that is the medicine that makes a rival an important part our lives.

  • GIVING PEACE A FIGHTING CHANCE

    In summary, FRD promotes intra and interreligious wrestling without suspicion or contempt. Trusting love that lasts always includes resistance and embrace. We discover our true religion or highest values when we display our attitudes and actions toward our critics and rivals. FRD facilitates this experience in a practical way that gives peacefulness a fighting chance.

Meet the Leadership Team & Senior Fellows