A zero-sum mentality shapes more religious, political and social behavior today than many of us realize. Believing that resources and opportunities are essentially fixed easily stymies all kinds of collective work and benefit. Too many political and religious leaders adopt rhetoric that willingly accommodates some form of: “If someone else rises or wins, I (or we) necessarily fall or lose.” Countering this mindset deserves to be a priority for those who believe that the more you share, the more you have. When it comes to a non-transactional understanding of society, and crafting a common good through collective commitments, Abraham Lincoln’s rhetorical leadership rises to extraordinary heights. His ability to take himself and his hearers deeper than self-interest provides a wisdom from which we could all learn.  

Speaker

Peter W. Marty serves as editor/publisher of The Christian Century, a journal devoted to shaping America’s conversation about religion and faith in public life. He writes a monthly column for the Century. He is also a Lutheran pastor (ELCA) who spent 39 years in parish ministry, the last 28 of which as senior pastor of St. Paul Lutheran Church, a 3500-member congregation in Davenport, Iowa.