Ted Lewis is the founder and coordinator of the Restorative Church project. Along with his other work, Ted works as a restorative consultant and trainer for the Center for Restorative Justice & Peacemaking (University of Minnesota, Duluth), helping new programs nationwide to get established, and training new facilitators. He has taught restorative justice courses at the University of Minnesota Duluth and Bethel University. Since 2014, he has served on the Advisory Council and Board of Directors for the National Association of Community and Restorative Justice. Ted is also the Executive Director of the International Jacques Ellul Society. In addition to his teaching and presenting, Ted is the Acquisitions Editor for Wipf & Stock, and a writer besides.
In this interview, Ted shares some of his views on how we can navigate and overcome polarization, including how to find common ground, the power of storytelling, understanding empathy, deep listening and engaging in the promotion of peaceful coexistence amidst complexities. Ted draws from his years of experience in restorative work.
To learn more about Ted, check out the following resources
Restorative Church Project
Names mentioned in this interview:
Braver Angels, C.S. Lewis, Chesterton, Eric Utne (Utne Reader), Francis Schaeffer, George Yancy, Karl Barth, Nelson Kraybill, Newt Gingrich, Northrop Frye, Paul Kingsnorth, Rush Limbaugh,
Books mentioned:
Braving the Wilderness (Brene Brown)
How to Know a Person (David Brooks)
Lilith (George MacDonald)
Unspoken Sermons (George MacDonald)