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.