For Christians such as myself, the basis of this ability to love those who disagree with us is rooted in two unique ideas. First, we believe that every human being is created in the image of God and possesses dignity and worth. Second, we have as our example Jesus, who while being unjustly crucified, urged forgiveness for his captors.

Kindness, then, is not a tactic to be tried and dismissed on a whim, but a way of life.

Of course, loving our political enemies shouldn’t be confused with approving ideas we abhor or passive acquiescence to injustice. In a democracy like ours, Christians have a duty to bring their faith to bear on our public life. Jesus’ command to love our neighbor is expansive. It doesn’t permit us to retreat from the important debates about the flourishing of our communities.