Digital Commons @ George Fox University Doctor of Ministry Theses and Dissertations 1-1-2018 Crossing Lines/Weaving Lives: Storytelling as a Means of Building Bridges across the Progressive/ Conservative Divide Jennifer Yocum [email protected] This research is a product of the Doctor of Ministry (DMin) program at George Fox University. Find out more about the program. Recommended Citation Yocum, Jennifer, "Crossing Lines/Weaving Lives: Storytelling as a Means of Building Bridges across the Progressive/Conservative Divide" (2018). Doctor of Ministry. 243. http://digitalcommons.georgefox.edu/dmin/243 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Theses and Dissertations at Digital Commons @ George Fox University. It has been accepted for inclusion in Doctor of Ministry by an authorized administrator of Digital Commons @ George Fox University. For more information, please contact [email protected]. GEORGE FOX UNIVERSITY CROSSING LINES / WEAVING LIVES: STORYTELLING AS A MEANS OF BUILDING BRIDGES ACROSS THE PROGRESSIVE/CONSERVATIVE DIVIDE A DISSERTATION SUBMITTED TO THE FACULTY OF PORTLAND SEMINARY IN CANDIDACY FOR THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF MINISTRY BY JENNIFER YOCUM PORTLAND, OREGON FEBRUARY 2018 Portland Seminary George Fox University Portland, Oregon CERTIFICATE OF APPROVAL ________________________________ DMin Dissertation ________________________________ This is to certify that the DMin Dissertation of Jennifer Yocum has been approved by the Dissertation Committee on February 15, 2018 for the degree of Doctor of Ministry in Preaching as Story. Dissertation Committee: Primary Advisor: Dottie Escobedo-Frank, DMin Secondary Advisor: Mary McCracken, DMin Lead Mentor: Leonard I. Sweet, PhD Expert Advisor: Tricia Gates-Brown Copyright © 2018 by Jennifer Yocum All rights reserved. ii DEDICATION The spirit of this work is dedicated to all those who have ears to hear, hearts to listen, and willingness to make connections across barriers that falsely divide us from loving each other as Christ has loved us. This dissertation is dedicated to Dr. Robert Warren whose inspiration and financial support made my dream of earning my doctorate possible. Thanks, Uncle Bob! iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS First, always first, I’d like to thank my beloved Ellen for her patience, encouragement, support, editing, humor, and willingness to support me jumping into this program with less than two days of notice because that’s how I roll. Thanks, honey. I also thank my fantastic church, the Forest Grove United Church of Christ, for their support, love, care, and occasional time off through this DMin process. And for all those who continue to tell me, “That DMin program has really improved your preaching,” thanks, I think. For all of my friends and family members who watched me disappear into stacks of books and behind computer screens for two years and promised to help me get the dust off my kayak and social life when I re-emerged, I’m back! Last, I’d like to acknowledge the faculty, staff and cohort members of Portland Seminary for their profound wit, wisdom, and courage in welcoming me as their colleague and sister in Christ. I’m so glad we had this time together. May your stories continue to reveal love, justice, hope, joy, and grace. Amen. iv TABLE OF CONTENTS DEDICATION ................................................................................................................... iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ............................................................................................... iv PREFACE ......................................................................................................................... vii Tell Me a Story ..............................................................................................................x Structure of this Paper ................................................................................................ xiii ABSTRACT .......................................................................................................................xv SECTION 1—THE PROBLEM ..........................................................................................1 Historical Perspectives of American Progressive and Conservative Theologies .........1 Puritanism Crosses the Waters .....................................................................................2 Great Awakenings ........................................................................................................5 The Social Gospel and Progressive Movements ..........................................................9 Setting the Stage for Contemporary Context ...............................................................13 The Rear View ...........................................................................................................14 The Contemporary Horizon .......................................................................................15 Godless Communism and the Romance of the Right ................................................16 The 1970s and the Rise of Wedge Issues ...................................................................21 Abortion .....................................................................................................................22 Gay Rights .................................................................................................................24 Voices of the Religious Left ......................................................................................25 Church and State ........................................................................................................26 Conclusion ...................................................................................................................29 SECTION 2: OTHER PROPOSED SOLUTIONS ..........................................................30 Denominationalism—For and Against ........................................................................31 Ecumenism ...................................................................................................................33 Connectionalism: United and Uniting Churches .........................................................35 Civility .........................................................................................................................38 Conclusion ...................................................................................................................40 The Case for Storytelling .............................................................................................41 SECTION 3: THESIS .......................................................................................................44 Kofi’s Hat .....................................................................................................................44 This Is Your Brain on Stories ......................................................................................46 An Axis of Stories ........................................................................................................51 Stories That Heal the World ........................................................................................52 Building Empathy Face to Face ...................................................................................55 Conclusion ...................................................................................................................57 SECTION 4: ARTIFACT DESCRIPTION ......................................................................59 SECTION 5: ARTIFACT SPECIFICATION ..................................................................60 Book Proposal Template—Non-Fiction ......................................................................60 Cover Letter: ..............................................................................................................60 Title: ...........................................................................................................................61 Author: .......................................................................................................................61 v Overview: ...................................................................................................................61 Purpose: ......................................................................................................................61 Promotion and Marketing: .........................................................................................62 Competition: ..............................................................................................................62 Uniqueness: ................................................................................................................63 Endorsements: ............................................................................................................63 Book Format (non-fiction): ........................................................................................63 Chapter Outline and Sample Paragraphs .....................................................................63 Intended Readers: .......................................................................................................66 Manuscript: ................................................................................................................66 Author Bio: ................................................................................................................66 Publishing Credits: .....................................................................................................67