PQT – Prior Question of Trust

Perhaps the most valuable course I took for my MA from Wheaton Grad School (early 70s) was Biculturalism with Dr. Marvin Mayers (anthropology/mission). He started us out with what he called PQT – prior question of trust. Mutual trust is essential before people of differing cultures can accomplish anything together, whether the cultural differences seem great or small. This became a reliable compass on the journey of my pastoral career.

To me this makes sense out of the social schisms that I have observed in the US the last dozen or so years. Race, climate change, election integrity, and responses to the Covid-19 pandemic are just the most obvious. Strident voices clamor to claim they should be trusted and those with a differing perspective should not be trusted. The citing of evidence is dismissed by asserting the source is not to be trusted rather than by addressing the evidence.

My observation is that the fragmenting and polarization of our society has plunged the US into cross cultural crises. Without trust, working together for constructive efforts has become impossible. Even communication has become impossible as words and ideas are assigned mutually exclusive meanings and become weapons to attack trust.

I wish I could extract from that class fifty years ago a strategy for answering the PQT for our time. I am reminded of a Peanuts cartoon in which Snoopy is writing a book on theology. When asked the title, he replied, “Have you ever considered that you might be wrong?” I believe that level of humility among those in positions of public influence and responsibility is essential for breaking this impasse of trust.

 

Clearing My Mind About Afghanistan

I have no expertise nor knowledge nor access to information to address the recent events in Afghanistan, only my personal responses to what is publicly available. So I am not writing to enlighten or influence anyone or anything, only to clear my mind so I can move on.

My opinion is that the collapse of the Afghan military and government and the rapid take over by the Taliban was inevitable from the moment the first US military forces arrived in Afghanistan. The only real question was: on whose watch would it come?

After the terror attacks of 9-11-01, the mood of the US public was hungry for revenge. George W. Bush recognized and responded to that, not only in Afghanistan but also in Iraq. Barack Obama followed conventional wisdom of building troop strength in the illusory hope of completing the mission with violent force.

By the time Donald Trump became President, the mood of the US public had changed to wanting to stop sending US young people and resources on a costly, hopeless errand. Accurately perceiving that, the Trump administration negotiated a treaty with the Taliban with the hope of a peaceful, orderly withdrawal. If Donald Trump had won a second term, what we have just witnessed would have come on his watch.

But it came on Joe Biden’s watch, and it will rightfully be an historic hallmark of his administration.