Separation of Church and Hate: Civility with Reggie Camarse

In this thoughtful and energizing conversation, Reggie Camarse invites listeners to reimagine civility not as politeness, passivity, or avoiding the hard stuff, but as a Kingdom-shaped way of engaging conflict with conviction, compassion, and restraint. As a pastor and leader who has navigated ministry across generational, political, and cultural lines, Reggie brings a grounded perspective on what it means for followers of Jesus to resist the escalating hostility of our age and embody a more excellent way.

Reggie begins by reframing civility through the lens of discipleship. Civility is not the suppression of truth but the transformation of our tone. It is the discipline of approaching people with dignity, listening before assuming, and refusing to let disagreement become dehumanization. Throughout the episode, he shares stories from ministry and personal life in which choosing civility opened doors that anger would have slammed shut—conversations that moved forward, relationships that were preserved, and tensions that softened simply because someone chose to remain calm, curious, and compassionate.

Together, you unpack the cultural pressures that push us toward outrage: algorithm-driven polarization, spiritual fatigue, and the subtle seduction of “us versus them.” Reggie speaks honestly about the emotional and spiritual work required to show up differently—to lead with empathy, to stay slow when others escalate, and to keep our identity rooted in Jesus rather than in winning arguments.

He also offers practical ways to cultivate civility: asking better questions, naming emotions without weaponizing them, checking motivations before responding, and creating spaces in the church where people can process disagreement without fear. According to Reggie, civility doesn’t weaken the church’s witness—it strengthens it. It gives credibility to our convictions, clarity to our message, and Christlikeness to our posture.

Ultimately, Reggie challenges listeners to imagine a church that isn’t known for reacting, but for responding with grace. In a culture of heat, civility becomes a light—the kind that points back to Jesus.

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