Wendell Berry, “The Work of Local Culture.” (Written in 1988.)

“Talk less, smile more.” So says the villainous Aaron Burr in Lin Manuel Miranda’s “Hamilton”. Alexander Hamilton’s virtue, according to the musical and in life, was a ceaseless striver. He never stopped talking, writing, pushing, and pressing. He was intent on persuading his enemies, his friends, George Washington, and all the other founders—even Jefferson.

There are a few times in history when there are explosions of talent in a particular time and place. The playwrights of Golden Age Athens, the artists of 1500 Florence, and the political thinkers of early America are three examples of these eruptions. When you have such talent you might think life was ethereal as they all worked together. In the nascent American Republic, the presence of genius (or a number of geniuses) did not lead to peace. Instead, it led to some of the most pointed, demanding arguments about the nature of mankind, community, and politics. Some of the discussions went back and forth in essays like the debates over the Constitution between Federalists and the Anti-federalists. Other debates happened in Congress. Finally, some of the most important debates happened in back rooms or over a meal. Wouldn’t we all like to be in “the room where it happened” to steal another line from Hamilton?

The thread that draws all of these public and private debates together is that those who were in the room were exceptionally prepared to enter into the debate because they were armed with logic, rhetoric, good reading, and were practiced debaters.

Today, debate has fallen out of fashion. The Wendell Berry quote from 1988 (!!) makes this point, but one can only be amazed by how debate and leadership have shriveled since 1988. Today’s politics has turned into team sports where both sides try to say things that are sarcastic and cutting and point out how the other team is lame.

In light of this dearth of debate, rational thought, and persuasion, perhaps some might argue that we should revert to training students to create catchy memes and supply them with teeth whitener and spray tans. Actually, I would say that the kind of students we want to raise will both understand how to present themselves to others (Aristotle calls this “ethos”) and how to make great memes full of pithy truth. That said, classical education aims at so much more. These talents are to be symptoms of a mind ready to debate, discuss, and argue.

In the end, the world comes back to logic and rhetoric. Those who have these tools will have power. To riff on Quintillian, the question is not whether these skills will be dominant, but rather will those using these tools be “good men (and women) speaking truth?”

I have written a number of posts on practical ways to make discussions effective. Today, I am speaking more about the why and less about the how, more about the motivation and importance of deep discussion rather than the principles and techniques that can foster it. So, here are three reasons why your students need to learn to love and engage in deep conversations, discussions, and debates.

Reason 1: Deep Discussion Train in Persuasion

We are always teaching, and students should always be learning. When you read an important passage of Milton, Shakespeare, or Dante, you are heading into deep waters. Students who love these waters and learn to enjoy digging deep into debates that arise from these texts are prepared to persuade in more practical matters later in life, and they will be ready to lead others into critically important deep topics as our Founders did.

Currently, there is a lot of debate about whether America is a Christian nation. This topic is important, but the amazing thing is that it is hard to imagine a more Christian view of man directing the creation of a form of government. Hamilton was once asked why Christ was not mentioned in founding documents; he answered sarcastically, “We forgot.” They did not forget what a Christian view of man’s fallen nature means as men work together in government. Thus, they carefully divided powers and put checks and balances in place. As Federalist 51 reminds us, if men were angels, no government would be needed, and if men were governed by angels, no checks on government power would be needed, BUT man has fallen.

Deep discussions and the love of these discussions are like all the work that a boxer does before the championship bout. He is often sparing, sharpening his skills, and preparing for the test that is coming.

Reason 2: Deep Discussions Assume the Necessity of the Other and Denies the Modern Quest for Power

Discussions subtly imply something: we need others. It takes two to tango, as they say. You can be a great dancer, but if you can’t find a partner, you can’t dance. Deep discussions are the arena where iron sharpens iron. If you want to be sharp, you need others to push you toward truth and toward making the best argument possible.

Classical Christian education is optimal to foster this sort of depth if we are what we should be. We need to hire teachers who are committed to deepening students and raising men and women of strength, conviction, and cunning (yes, cunning). We need to have environments around tables where students can push each other. If at all possible, these discussions should be between 12-15 students. They should be fun, intense, and, in some ways, much harder than the eventual debates these young people will engage in when they are adults. More challenging because the issues are deeper, and their opponents (i.e., their classmates) know their weaknesses better than most adults ever will. Students trained in this sort of joyous furnace are ready to face down giants because they have gone to war with friends.

Reason 3: Deep Discussion Echo the Join of the Trinity and our Union with Christ

I am the father of four daughters. They are strong women. They have a strong mother. They have criticism for their father’s arguments. They often pillory me for ceaselessly employing war and sports analogies. (It’s true.) Most of what I have said so far has been in that vein. Debate and discussion can be warlike. They can also be thrilling, like a basketball game where the entire game comes down to the last shot. Discussion, great discussions between friends, are not just war or sparring; at their best, they are an incredible example of love, unity, and friendship.

Good discussions and Christian friendships point toward some deep truths about God and the Christian faith. God is a Trinity, and the Persons of the Trinity love each other and are not threatened by each other. Of course, they are one also, but the mutual love of the persons has massive impacts on Western Civilization. I remember recognizing this impact while reading The Horse and His Boy. When the Narnian princes and princesses are visiting Calormen, they walk through the streets with uncovered heads joyfully conversing. The leaders of the Calormens (a culture that is an obvious echo of Islamic culture) are not like the Narnians. Narnians are not threatened by others having power. Most cultures believe that power is a zero-sum game. The more others have, the less you have and the more vulnerable you are. This poisons everything with a competitive spirit. (In a recent visit to Istanbul, we saw the graves of many tombs of children of Ottoman royal families. When a sultan died, all of the sons tried to take power. When they did or as they did, they would kill all of their brothers. Power was unitary. Allah is one, but not three.

Good, deep discussions mirror the love in the Trinity and Christ’s love for the Church. Interaction is enjoyable. Sartre said, “Hell is other people.” In the dance that is at the heart of our faith, love and mutuality are expressed. We could say, “Heaven is other people.”

So, help your students go deeper into discussion. Challenge them to work to persuade each other. Teach them to keep an open mind and listen to the arguments of others. Remind them to enjoy and appreciate the contributions and criticism of others. Infuse your discussions with grace, joy, and good humor. Doing so will help your students to bear great future responsibilities, be sharpened for usefulness in the kingdom, and be well-prepared for the joy of heaven.