Christianity is not just about going to church. It's a way of seeing and understanding the world around us that should affect everything we do. In other words, Christianity is both a lifestyle and a worldview.

In politics, civility shows itself in respect for disagreement and in granting others the right to express it. Civility shows itself when we acknowledge the best in our political opponents' line of thinking and the best in our political opponents themselves. Civility is mercy and forgiveness. It is a form of public grace.

All incivility is, at its root, preceded by dehumanization. Incivility is toxic because it stems from a lapse in the recognition of human dignity: recognition of the dignity of others or recognition of one's own dignity.

Indeed, we should be careful to ensure that we do not invoke moral order only in regard to issues that don't affect us directly. Christians should be sure that they first apply any standard to themselves and those ideas most personal to them before thinking about how that standard affects others (Matthew 7:5).

At certain times and on certain issues Christian principles compel us to defy both political conservatism and political progressivism. When it comes to political ideology, to be conservative or progressive at all times and on every issue is not only to be intellectually lazy and easily manipulated, but also it's unfaithful.

As Christians, we have to be careful about how we label people. When we portray others in a demeaning light, we sin against them and reveal our own lack of wisdom (Proverbs 11:12). Discrediting a group might help us win an argument, but if it belittles our neighbor, it's wrong.

For Professor John Inazu, humility does not reflect a lack of conviction, but rather reflects "the limits of translation, and the difficulty of proving our deeply held values to one another... Humility also recognizes that our human faculties are inherently limited - our ability to think, reason and reflect is less than perfect, a limitation that leaves open the possibility that we are wrong.

Our purpose in civic engagement is not to make our own names great but to make known the greatness of the One who sends us. Our great desire is to be agents of the will of God in the earth, distribution centers for the love of God toward his creation.

Love for others should compel us to advocate for justice on their behalf just as we would do for ourselves. When we're confronted with a societal problem we must consider the best solution out of love, compassion, and justice.