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Claiming the Courageous Middle: Daring to Live and Work Together for a More Hopeful Future
Today's political and cultural polarization has led to suspicion and animosity in our churches, our workplaces, and even our families. It has also led to a false sense of available options. But there is a better way.
Shirley Mullen invites readers to claim the powerful, redemptive potential of the courageous middle. Far from being a place of bland averaging, moral cowardice, wobbling indecisiveness, or lazy indifference, the courageous middle is a place where thoughtful individuals work with urgency to foster attentive rather than dismissive listening in order to garner what is true and praiseworthy even from those with whom they disagree. Their Christian faith, which makes it impossible for them to align themselves fully with one side or the other, uniquely equips them to call their communities to imagine a more hopeful, grace-filled future.
This book offers a Christian theological framework for the work of "middle space" drawn from the Old and New Testaments. It also includes practical advice on how to prepare for this work, examples of those who have called their communities to alternatives beyond binary options, and discussion questions.
Shirley Mullen invites readers to claim the powerful, redemptive potential of the courageous middle. Far from being a place of bland averaging, moral cowardice, wobbling indecisiveness, or lazy indifference, the courageous middle is a place where thoughtful individuals work with urgency to foster attentive rather than dismissive listening in order to garner what is true and praiseworthy even from those with whom they disagree. Their Christian faith, which makes it impossible for them to align themselves fully with one side or the other, uniquely equips them to call their communities to imagine a more hopeful, grace-filled future.
This book offers a Christian theological framework for the work of "middle space" drawn from the Old and New Testaments. It also includes practical advice on how to prepare for this work, examples of those who have called their communities to alternatives beyond binary options, and discussion questions.
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200 pages, Paperback
Published April 16, 2024
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June 25, 2024
Living in the middle can be dangerous. It takes courage to live between poles but in a polarized world, it is a necessary calling. Living in the middle isn't necessarily being centrist or moderate. It's not as if you lack convictions or embrace relativism. It's not being lukewarm, which according to John the Relavator, God doesn't like. It's something more. It is a willingness to stand in the gap and seek to build bridges where possible.
Shirley Mullen, the author of "Claiming the Courageous Middle," is President Emeritus of Houghton College (New York) and a former history professor and administrator at Westmont College (Santa Barbara, CA). She is by confession an evangelical Christian (but not of the Trumpian kind). She argues here for engaging the middle, demonstrating why it is important and why it takes courage.
As someone who has spent much of his ministry over the past 25 years or so engaged in bridge-building, often between more liberal and more conservative folks, I am attracted to Mullen's message and calling. In many ways what she calls for here resonates with me. Her starting place for engaging in this work is a bit different from where I find myself. She is an evangelical and I am postevangelical. Nevertheless, whatever our starting places, she offers us a pathway to a different way of existing in this world we inhabit.
So, what is the "courageous middle"? Mullen writes that it involves working "actively in this 'middle space' in such a way that we convene a new community of individuals who, together, can imagine a way forward out of the polarization that is dividing our families, our workplaces, our politics, and our churches. Instead of our collective creativity as a society being used to maintain our side --- whatever that side is in a particular situation or on a specific issue --- we are directing that energy forward in service to the common good." (p. xi). As she writes of creating this courageous middle Mullen does show her cards as to where she stands on issues, such as abortion (she is pro-life) and LGBTQ+ (she appears to favor traditional views) but she wishes to engage with those with whom she differs to see if there is common ground to be found. That's not an easy task.
Mullen addresses these and other topics from the perspective of someone who has spent several decades in Christian higher education where differences of viewpoint are regularly present among students, faculty, alumni, and other constituents. She has found herself on many an occasion in the middle of these discussions, seeking to find a solution that will bring people together.
Mullen begins in Chapter 1 "Catching a Vision for a Third Way of Being in the World" by telling her own story. From there she moves in Chapter 2, titled "A Gift We Would Not Ask For," in which she shares why it takes courage to live in the middle space. While those inhabiting the Middle are often charged with timidity, that is not what is involved. What it involves is recognizing the complexity of the world and the issues facing us.
Chapter 3 introduces us to the biblical narrative and its witness. She takes note of several biblical characters, whom she believes inhabited this middle space and therefore offers us exemplars. These include Joseph, Moses, Esther Daniel, and Paul, as well as Jesus whom she calls the "Ultimate host of Middle Space." While there isn't necessarily an exact parallel between the experiences described in Scripture and now, she believes these offer us a theological home for those working in this area. I will note here that she tends to view these stories with a flatness, such that Esther and Daniel are portrayed as historical figures in ways many if not most biblical scholars would not. However, the point is well taken --- we have exemplars of the kind of work she is inviting us to engage in.
The final two chapters address the challenges of this work and guidance for preparing for such a calling. In Chapter 4, Mullen provides us with a risk analysis for engaging in this work, especially since it is likely that you will get hit from both sides. She also seeks to help those called to make sure they are rooted in their own convictions. It is important to have a strong anchor to engage in such work. We will need to weigh the short-term costs against the long-term benefits of such work. She writes: "The work of weighing the risks and benefits of middle space is the work of practical wisdom, the work of creativity, the work of faith in the realities that we cannot see, and the work of partnership in the great cosmic exchange that will someday trade out our spirit of heaviness for a garment of praise." (p. 138). Chapter 5 reveals who might be the primary audience of this book, at least in the author's mind. It is students and young adults who are concerned about the polarization of this world, and thus who might be open to such work. In other words, this might be used as a college textbook, likely at a Christian liberal arts college such as Westmont or Houghton. Her audience is, I would say, more conservative than me. That is fine. If we are to build bridges, people from both sides of the centerline will need to hear the call and be reminded of the costs and benefits of such engagement.
At points, I struggled with the messaging, as I found myself looking back at a world I no longer inhabit. Yet, it is with people like Mullen that I will need to partner if we are to build bridges of understanding in pursuit of the common good. She provides in the fifth chapter suggestions regarding groups that work in middle spaces, some of which are interfaith in orientation. Since I have been spending a lot of my life working in middle spaces in that arena, I greatly appreciated those references.
A book like this needs to be read carefully. That involves recognizing the starting point of the author and the primary audience of the book. I wonder whether there needs to be a corresponding book from a more liberal/progressive side, helping folks on my side of the center line understand the value of engaging with the "other side." The challenge for those of us in the church is that our engagement within the Christian community is often colored by our partisan commitments. Nevertheless, I believe Shirley Mullen is on to something here.
Shirley Mullen, the author of "Claiming the Courageous Middle," is President Emeritus of Houghton College (New York) and a former history professor and administrator at Westmont College (Santa Barbara, CA). She is by confession an evangelical Christian (but not of the Trumpian kind). She argues here for engaging the middle, demonstrating why it is important and why it takes courage.
As someone who has spent much of his ministry over the past 25 years or so engaged in bridge-building, often between more liberal and more conservative folks, I am attracted to Mullen's message and calling. In many ways what she calls for here resonates with me. Her starting place for engaging in this work is a bit different from where I find myself. She is an evangelical and I am postevangelical. Nevertheless, whatever our starting places, she offers us a pathway to a different way of existing in this world we inhabit.
So, what is the "courageous middle"? Mullen writes that it involves working "actively in this 'middle space' in such a way that we convene a new community of individuals who, together, can imagine a way forward out of the polarization that is dividing our families, our workplaces, our politics, and our churches. Instead of our collective creativity as a society being used to maintain our side --- whatever that side is in a particular situation or on a specific issue --- we are directing that energy forward in service to the common good." (p. xi). As she writes of creating this courageous middle Mullen does show her cards as to where she stands on issues, such as abortion (she is pro-life) and LGBTQ+ (she appears to favor traditional views) but she wishes to engage with those with whom she differs to see if there is common ground to be found. That's not an easy task.
Mullen addresses these and other topics from the perspective of someone who has spent several decades in Christian higher education where differences of viewpoint are regularly present among students, faculty, alumni, and other constituents. She has found herself on many an occasion in the middle of these discussions, seeking to find a solution that will bring people together.
Mullen begins in Chapter 1 "Catching a Vision for a Third Way of Being in the World" by telling her own story. From there she moves in Chapter 2, titled "A Gift We Would Not Ask For," in which she shares why it takes courage to live in the middle space. While those inhabiting the Middle are often charged with timidity, that is not what is involved. What it involves is recognizing the complexity of the world and the issues facing us.
Chapter 3 introduces us to the biblical narrative and its witness. She takes note of several biblical characters, whom she believes inhabited this middle space and therefore offers us exemplars. These include Joseph, Moses, Esther Daniel, and Paul, as well as Jesus whom she calls the "Ultimate host of Middle Space." While there isn't necessarily an exact parallel between the experiences described in Scripture and now, she believes these offer us a theological home for those working in this area. I will note here that she tends to view these stories with a flatness, such that Esther and Daniel are portrayed as historical figures in ways many if not most biblical scholars would not. However, the point is well taken --- we have exemplars of the kind of work she is inviting us to engage in.
The final two chapters address the challenges of this work and guidance for preparing for such a calling. In Chapter 4, Mullen provides us with a risk analysis for engaging in this work, especially since it is likely that you will get hit from both sides. She also seeks to help those called to make sure they are rooted in their own convictions. It is important to have a strong anchor to engage in such work. We will need to weigh the short-term costs against the long-term benefits of such work. She writes: "The work of weighing the risks and benefits of middle space is the work of practical wisdom, the work of creativity, the work of faith in the realities that we cannot see, and the work of partnership in the great cosmic exchange that will someday trade out our spirit of heaviness for a garment of praise." (p. 138). Chapter 5 reveals who might be the primary audience of this book, at least in the author's mind. It is students and young adults who are concerned about the polarization of this world, and thus who might be open to such work. In other words, this might be used as a college textbook, likely at a Christian liberal arts college such as Westmont or Houghton. Her audience is, I would say, more conservative than me. That is fine. If we are to build bridges, people from both sides of the centerline will need to hear the call and be reminded of the costs and benefits of such engagement.
At points, I struggled with the messaging, as I found myself looking back at a world I no longer inhabit. Yet, it is with people like Mullen that I will need to partner if we are to build bridges of understanding in pursuit of the common good. She provides in the fifth chapter suggestions regarding groups that work in middle spaces, some of which are interfaith in orientation. Since I have been spending a lot of my life working in middle spaces in that arena, I greatly appreciated those references.
A book like this needs to be read carefully. That involves recognizing the starting point of the author and the primary audience of the book. I wonder whether there needs to be a corresponding book from a more liberal/progressive side, helping folks on my side of the center line understand the value of engaging with the "other side." The challenge for those of us in the church is that our engagement within the Christian community is often colored by our partisan commitments. Nevertheless, I believe Shirley Mullen is on to something here.
May 31, 2024
I wrestled a bit with how to rate this book. It was very enlightening. Though I don't think Mullen acknowledges quite enough the dangers of being in the "middle" for our own spiritual health and for the spiritual health of churches and organizations, I do think she is doing good work in encouraging people to listen to each other and acknowledge commonalities, especially in the political realm. It was a challenging book that definitely has made me think about things in different ways - I think there is great value in thinking of navigating issues through a place of strong Biblical convictions on individual topics rather than committing to an entire party platform.
There were many times when I wished I could highlight my library book, some points of skepticism and disagreement, others that were spot-on.
In one section that particularly impacted me, especially after a semester-long study into the phenomena of political polarization, was the following:
"No one has to be entirely wrong in what she or he believes in order to accept a larger or more complex picture of the situation. There is enough dignity to go around and enough time to come to see a more complete picture of the truth - not so that our convictions are diluted or weakened but so that our convictions are attached to deeper and more complete visions of whatever issue is in question."
There were many times when I wished I could highlight my library book, some points of skepticism and disagreement, others that were spot-on.
In one section that particularly impacted me, especially after a semester-long study into the phenomena of political polarization, was the following:
"No one has to be entirely wrong in what she or he believes in order to accept a larger or more complex picture of the situation. There is enough dignity to go around and enough time to come to see a more complete picture of the truth - not so that our convictions are diluted or weakened but so that our convictions are attached to deeper and more complete visions of whatever issue is in question."
March 1, 2025
I'm all about nuance but here's an absolute for you: EVERYONE needs to read this. Dr Mullen says what I have at times attempted to say, but so much better and thoroughly.
If you tend to dismiss those who see things differently than you as Evil or mentally inferior to yourself, you might be better served to try to understand their perspective and provide them with your well-reasoned thoughts and opinions.
Granted, there may be some in the middle b/c they are weak or wishy-washy but for others it is a matter of courage and conviction to not flee to the siloed poles with their comforting echo chambers of like opinions and common enemies and overly simplified talking points.
Dare to be dialectical. Courage and curiosity over close-mindedness and fear.
If you tend to dismiss those who see things differently than you as Evil or mentally inferior to yourself, you might be better served to try to understand their perspective and provide them with your well-reasoned thoughts and opinions.
Granted, there may be some in the middle b/c they are weak or wishy-washy but for others it is a matter of courage and conviction to not flee to the siloed poles with their comforting echo chambers of like opinions and common enemies and overly simplified talking points.
Dare to be dialectical. Courage and curiosity over close-mindedness and fear.
January 27, 2025
Helps cast vision beyond capitulation to tribalism or abandoning convictions. Well-researched and thorough.
September 1, 2024
Truth in advertising-I’m friends with the author. The book reflects so many of my own positions theologically and academically that it feels like cheating to review it. I appreciated Mullen making the case for noticing when we are in a bridge building position. If we are in a context where we love people on multiple sides of an issue, we can “host” space in the middle. We may help find a third way or we may just help people focus on another goal rather than try to decide who is right. Helping remind each other of our humanity is vital here. She provides lots of practical resources for where to go if you want to learn how to do this.
August 15, 2024
People talk a lot about how polarized America is and how increasingly uncivil our public discourse has become, but people rarely suggest substantive solutions for how to deal with this. In this book, Shirley A. Mullen presents a clear case for why it is important for Christians to engage with people across political divides, treating everyone with dignity and collaborating to find new ways to handle controversial issues. She assures her readers that despite the many challenges of working in "middle space," it provides a way forward, helping people come up with solutions instead of staying locked in total disagreement and getting nothing done. She encourages people to recognize that because we are finite, we cannot see all ends of everything. Even when we're absolutely persuaded of a particular truth, different perspectives can challenge us and lead us into a fuller, more complex vision of the whole truth.
Mullen encourages her readers with real world examples, and she shows that it is possible to work in "middle space" without giving up your deeply held convictions, becoming lukewarm, or settling for a weak compromise that doesn't really address the issues at hand. She explains that when people work together across areas of disagreement, they can become a bridge between different poles and can help others see the bigger picture. Mullen explains what it can look like in practice, and she responds to common obstacles and objections in a very thoughtful way. Also, due to her work in academia and the mediating roles that she has played as a college president, she brings a wealth of personal experience to this conversation.
Although Mullen warns against the dangers of tribalism, she acknowledges the potential dangers of middle spaces as well. She reflects on various risks, such as everyone being mad at you because you won't take a predefined side, and the risk that someone can lose a grasp on objective truth in their efforts to see all sides. One of this book's greatest strengths is that Mullen responds to the strongest, most thoughtful objections to her argument, instead of going for weak responses that are easy to refute. Because she truly engages with the challenges and weaknesses of working in middle space, she is able to make an even stronger argument for why this type of engagement is so valuable and necessary, in spite of the risks.
Near the beginning of the book, Mullen shares her personal story, showing how her unconventional upbringing and her many years studying history made her a better thinker and trained her to recognize nuance and complexity, and to see the many-faceted sides of any issue. I really appreciated this and related to it a lot, since I'm also a history major. I found this part very encouraging, and it also helped me give more grace to other people, recognizing that they don't have the same type of training to see nuance and particularity everywhere, or to balance the many sides to every story.
Then, after Mullen introduces her background and writes some about her work as a college president, she delves into the topic of why it is important to work in middle spaces. She writes about the challenges of embracing tension and complexity, and she shares encouragement for people who feel isolated and overwhelmed because their views don't fit into predefined social categories. Even though it is uncomfortable to not fit in, Mullen considers this to be a gift and an opportunity.
In the next chapter, she explores middle spaces in Scripture, providing a biblical rationale for this type of work and exploring the stories of biblical figures who became bridges between different cultures and belief systems. Then she writes about the risks and challenges of working in middle space, and she provides ideas, encouragement, and real-world stories for how people can get involved in meaningful community-building projects and cooperative advocacy work.
My only critique is that I wish that she had acknowledged the spiritual dangers of working in middle spaces, since this can engender a sense of pride and elitism. Of course, it requires intellectual humility to listen to the other side, but someone who does this can end up nurturing a smug sense of superiority, believing that they are more virtuous, cultured, and intelligent than anyone who sticks closer to a party line. Mullen never conveys this attitude, but I wish that she had provided a stern warning against it.
This incredibly thoughtful, well-written book provides a clear rationale and examples for why Christians should invest effort into middle spaces, instead of sticking to a party line or disengaging from culture. Mullen encourages readers through her personal story, takes potential objections very seriously, and provides a robust, bracing vision for how Christians can live out their deeply held convictions while also creating space for conversation and collaborative change with people outside the church, and with people within the church whom they disagree with. This well-argued, timely, and thought-provoking book is one of the most important books I have read this year, and I highly recommend it.
I received a free copy from the publisher, and am voluntarily leaving an honest review.
Mullen encourages her readers with real world examples, and she shows that it is possible to work in "middle space" without giving up your deeply held convictions, becoming lukewarm, or settling for a weak compromise that doesn't really address the issues at hand. She explains that when people work together across areas of disagreement, they can become a bridge between different poles and can help others see the bigger picture. Mullen explains what it can look like in practice, and she responds to common obstacles and objections in a very thoughtful way. Also, due to her work in academia and the mediating roles that she has played as a college president, she brings a wealth of personal experience to this conversation.
Although Mullen warns against the dangers of tribalism, she acknowledges the potential dangers of middle spaces as well. She reflects on various risks, such as everyone being mad at you because you won't take a predefined side, and the risk that someone can lose a grasp on objective truth in their efforts to see all sides. One of this book's greatest strengths is that Mullen responds to the strongest, most thoughtful objections to her argument, instead of going for weak responses that are easy to refute. Because she truly engages with the challenges and weaknesses of working in middle space, she is able to make an even stronger argument for why this type of engagement is so valuable and necessary, in spite of the risks.
Near the beginning of the book, Mullen shares her personal story, showing how her unconventional upbringing and her many years studying history made her a better thinker and trained her to recognize nuance and complexity, and to see the many-faceted sides of any issue. I really appreciated this and related to it a lot, since I'm also a history major. I found this part very encouraging, and it also helped me give more grace to other people, recognizing that they don't have the same type of training to see nuance and particularity everywhere, or to balance the many sides to every story.
Then, after Mullen introduces her background and writes some about her work as a college president, she delves into the topic of why it is important to work in middle spaces. She writes about the challenges of embracing tension and complexity, and she shares encouragement for people who feel isolated and overwhelmed because their views don't fit into predefined social categories. Even though it is uncomfortable to not fit in, Mullen considers this to be a gift and an opportunity.
In the next chapter, she explores middle spaces in Scripture, providing a biblical rationale for this type of work and exploring the stories of biblical figures who became bridges between different cultures and belief systems. Then she writes about the risks and challenges of working in middle space, and she provides ideas, encouragement, and real-world stories for how people can get involved in meaningful community-building projects and cooperative advocacy work.
My only critique is that I wish that she had acknowledged the spiritual dangers of working in middle spaces, since this can engender a sense of pride and elitism. Of course, it requires intellectual humility to listen to the other side, but someone who does this can end up nurturing a smug sense of superiority, believing that they are more virtuous, cultured, and intelligent than anyone who sticks closer to a party line. Mullen never conveys this attitude, but I wish that she had provided a stern warning against it.
This incredibly thoughtful, well-written book provides a clear rationale and examples for why Christians should invest effort into middle spaces, instead of sticking to a party line or disengaging from culture. Mullen encourages readers through her personal story, takes potential objections very seriously, and provides a robust, bracing vision for how Christians can live out their deeply held convictions while also creating space for conversation and collaborative change with people outside the church, and with people within the church whom they disagree with. This well-argued, timely, and thought-provoking book is one of the most important books I have read this year, and I highly recommend it.
I received a free copy from the publisher, and am voluntarily leaving an honest review.
July 19, 2024
Summary: Claiming the courageous middle in a polarized time as a risky and redemptive adventure of pursuing a hopeful future.
Since 2016, and perhaps far longer, I’ve lived in the middle. I cannot identify with either of the extremes in our polarized society. I’m not a moderate. I describe myself as a “third way” person, whose life is shaped by Jesus and his kingdom. And neither the left nor the right encompass what I believe is the Bible’s vision for a flourishing society. I’ve often felt lonely in that place and wondered what I have to contribute.
Shirley A. Mullen gives me hope that I am not alone. She even uses the “third way” language I’ve often used to describe the role of Christians in society. She describes a home not unlike my own that fostered both devotion and a love of learning. But she was encouraged early to step boldly and not defensively into both. Her grandfather told her that if something showed Christianity not to be true, he wanted her to know. She traces her journey through academia to the college presidency at Houghton College. There, she found herself often in the middle of groups that wanted her and the college to take their side. And she discovered the power of staying in the middle, and the courage, and risks that involved.
The Power of the Middle
Mullen contends that the middle is a place of courage and not a place for the wishy-washy. Firstly, it is courageous to remind people of their finiteness and fallenness, to adopt the posture of a humble learner. Secondly, the middle calls for a willingness to explore complexity and ambiguity to find better solutions rather than settle for the simplifications that substitute for solutions. Finally, the middle seeks the common good rather than defining the world as “us/them” and “winners/losers.”
But is the middle way biblical? After all, there are truths to believe or deny, commands to obey or disobey. And Mullen acknowledges this but also points to an underlying narrative of God working redemptively amid a fallen world where each person continues to have infinite worth before God. To illustrate her point, she highlights examples of Joseph, Moses, Daniel, Esther, Paul, and Jesus himself as those who worked in middle spaces.
However, the middle space is a risky space. It means the possibility of being attacked on both spaces. As a historian, she offers nine examples in history where this was so. And as a college leader, she speaks of the dangers of loss of trust, the loss of cohesion in one’s base, and creating unfulfilled expectations. But the other side of risk is benefits, and she sees a number of these. Among these are gaining a larger perspective on the issues, finding new options that serve both sides, and building new community on common ground.
Having cast the vision for the middle space, she gets down to the practicalities of claiming the courageous middle in a polarized time. Beginning with remembering our stories and framing one’s convictions, she encourages finding a community of kinship, apprenticing, and finding places to work redemptively in the church and the world. Toward that end, she offers a number of examples of individuals and organizations, both Christian and secular, working in the middle space.
Concluding Thoughts
I found this both a bracing and encouraging call to step into the work of the middle way. Mullen cites the many places in higher education, in civic affairs, and other places where good work may be done. Yet it seems like a “mustard seed conspiracy,” to use a phrase from Tom Sine, one that works in small and perhaps hidden ways.
But what about the powerful national interests battling each other? I sometimes wonder if the only way to change that is a subversive one of taking the air out of their efforts by grassroots efforts that engage citizens in a better way. Hopefully, they will demand better behavior from those who serve them in political office. Claiming the courageous middle in a polarized time seems like a long game. While Mullen offers a few examples of people who were in it for the long haul, like William Wilberforce, we need more examples and instruction on persisting over the long haul. That just might be a good idea for her next book!
____________________
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher for review.
Since 2016, and perhaps far longer, I’ve lived in the middle. I cannot identify with either of the extremes in our polarized society. I’m not a moderate. I describe myself as a “third way” person, whose life is shaped by Jesus and his kingdom. And neither the left nor the right encompass what I believe is the Bible’s vision for a flourishing society. I’ve often felt lonely in that place and wondered what I have to contribute.
Shirley A. Mullen gives me hope that I am not alone. She even uses the “third way” language I’ve often used to describe the role of Christians in society. She describes a home not unlike my own that fostered both devotion and a love of learning. But she was encouraged early to step boldly and not defensively into both. Her grandfather told her that if something showed Christianity not to be true, he wanted her to know. She traces her journey through academia to the college presidency at Houghton College. There, she found herself often in the middle of groups that wanted her and the college to take their side. And she discovered the power of staying in the middle, and the courage, and risks that involved.
The Power of the Middle
Mullen contends that the middle is a place of courage and not a place for the wishy-washy. Firstly, it is courageous to remind people of their finiteness and fallenness, to adopt the posture of a humble learner. Secondly, the middle calls for a willingness to explore complexity and ambiguity to find better solutions rather than settle for the simplifications that substitute for solutions. Finally, the middle seeks the common good rather than defining the world as “us/them” and “winners/losers.”
But is the middle way biblical? After all, there are truths to believe or deny, commands to obey or disobey. And Mullen acknowledges this but also points to an underlying narrative of God working redemptively amid a fallen world where each person continues to have infinite worth before God. To illustrate her point, she highlights examples of Joseph, Moses, Daniel, Esther, Paul, and Jesus himself as those who worked in middle spaces.
However, the middle space is a risky space. It means the possibility of being attacked on both spaces. As a historian, she offers nine examples in history where this was so. And as a college leader, she speaks of the dangers of loss of trust, the loss of cohesion in one’s base, and creating unfulfilled expectations. But the other side of risk is benefits, and she sees a number of these. Among these are gaining a larger perspective on the issues, finding new options that serve both sides, and building new community on common ground.
Having cast the vision for the middle space, she gets down to the practicalities of claiming the courageous middle in a polarized time. Beginning with remembering our stories and framing one’s convictions, she encourages finding a community of kinship, apprenticing, and finding places to work redemptively in the church and the world. Toward that end, she offers a number of examples of individuals and organizations, both Christian and secular, working in the middle space.
Concluding Thoughts
I found this both a bracing and encouraging call to step into the work of the middle way. Mullen cites the many places in higher education, in civic affairs, and other places where good work may be done. Yet it seems like a “mustard seed conspiracy,” to use a phrase from Tom Sine, one that works in small and perhaps hidden ways.
But what about the powerful national interests battling each other? I sometimes wonder if the only way to change that is a subversive one of taking the air out of their efforts by grassroots efforts that engage citizens in a better way. Hopefully, they will demand better behavior from those who serve them in political office. Claiming the courageous middle in a polarized time seems like a long game. While Mullen offers a few examples of people who were in it for the long haul, like William Wilberforce, we need more examples and instruction on persisting over the long haul. That just might be a good idea for her next book!
____________________
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher for review.
April 10, 2025
As has been said, “The problem with walking down the middle of the road is that you get run over by both sides.”
To take a path in the middle can seem like you’re wishy-washy, intellectually sloppy, or without convictions. Shirley Mullen says no. Taking the heat from both extremes can be a very courageous stance. And not just courageous. It can be a stance that gets us closer to the truth as well as to the good and the beautiful.
Why? It’s wrong to say that valuing different opinions means we can never find the truth. Rather, valuing different opinions is one of the best ways to arrive at the truth. Since we are finite humans who can’t know everything or know it all perfectly, we should embrace a humility that says we all have something to learn from each other.
This is not giving way to a relativism that says there is no right or wrong. Rather this embraces a pluralism that says allowing a diversity of opinion is actually the surprising path to truth.
History, says Mullen, is invaluable for us because the actual lived reality of people is in the grittiness of life not in abstract ideals. Each of us is embedded in a richly textured culture of good and bad. The same is true of us as individuals. Our lives are closer to complex stories full of gray, full of twists and turns rather than the straight-line black and white principles of Marxism, nationalism, feminism, or populism.
Mullen also offers a strong chapter highlighting biblical characters who found themselves in the middle. She unpacks the stories of Joseph, Moses, Daniel, Esther, and Paul—all of whom were bi-cultural people who with wisdom and skill navigated between competing values without categorically rejecting either group.
Jesus was the ultimate host of the middle space, embracing humanity and divinity, truth and grace. He refused the simplistic and politically charged binary framework of the Pharisees when they pressed him about paying taxes to Caesar. To those who would say Jesus would certainly join their group, he instead rejected all the options of his day—Pharisees, Essenes, Sadducees and Zealots—and carved out a different path which included aspects of each (and rejected aspects of each) in his own overarching framework of the kingdom of God.
Who would have thought that it would take courage to stand in the middle? Yet this is that day.
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Note: I received a complimentary copy of the book from the publisher. My opinions are my own.
To take a path in the middle can seem like you’re wishy-washy, intellectually sloppy, or without convictions. Shirley Mullen says no. Taking the heat from both extremes can be a very courageous stance. And not just courageous. It can be a stance that gets us closer to the truth as well as to the good and the beautiful.
Why? It’s wrong to say that valuing different opinions means we can never find the truth. Rather, valuing different opinions is one of the best ways to arrive at the truth. Since we are finite humans who can’t know everything or know it all perfectly, we should embrace a humility that says we all have something to learn from each other.
This is not giving way to a relativism that says there is no right or wrong. Rather this embraces a pluralism that says allowing a diversity of opinion is actually the surprising path to truth.
History, says Mullen, is invaluable for us because the actual lived reality of people is in the grittiness of life not in abstract ideals. Each of us is embedded in a richly textured culture of good and bad. The same is true of us as individuals. Our lives are closer to complex stories full of gray, full of twists and turns rather than the straight-line black and white principles of Marxism, nationalism, feminism, or populism.
Mullen also offers a strong chapter highlighting biblical characters who found themselves in the middle. She unpacks the stories of Joseph, Moses, Daniel, Esther, and Paul—all of whom were bi-cultural people who with wisdom and skill navigated between competing values without categorically rejecting either group.
Jesus was the ultimate host of the middle space, embracing humanity and divinity, truth and grace. He refused the simplistic and politically charged binary framework of the Pharisees when they pressed him about paying taxes to Caesar. To those who would say Jesus would certainly join their group, he instead rejected all the options of his day—Pharisees, Essenes, Sadducees and Zealots—and carved out a different path which included aspects of each (and rejected aspects of each) in his own overarching framework of the kingdom of God.
Who would have thought that it would take courage to stand in the middle? Yet this is that day.
--
Note: I received a complimentary copy of the book from the publisher. My opinions are my own.
August 16, 2025
Mullen’s book challenges binary thinking. She encourages the reader to “begin intentionally to prepare yourself to be an agent of hospitality in these moments to invite the community at hand beyond binary alternatives- to imagine that there are spaces of conviction beyond polarization.”
She also used the example of five blind men describing an elephant where no one has the full truth about the elephant until the five realities are considered/combined.
“Hosts in the courageous middle call for a convening in which multiple perspectives can be shared… there is enough dignity to go around and enough time to come to see a more complete picture of the truth.”
“This embracing of humility and making time for such rethinking is the work of those who dare to sign up to be ambassadors of the courageous middle.”
She also addresses pluralism, secularism, and relativism in ways that are helpful.
If individuals are unlikely to have a complete understanding of the truth then we can benefit by the best thinking of others by engaging with a humble, sincere, respectful spirit.
This book has encouraged me to lean in to the courageous middle, to listen carefully to others, and to seek a “third way” that strives for the good of ALL, rather than succumb to polarized false binaries.
She also used the example of five blind men describing an elephant where no one has the full truth about the elephant until the five realities are considered/combined.
“Hosts in the courageous middle call for a convening in which multiple perspectives can be shared… there is enough dignity to go around and enough time to come to see a more complete picture of the truth.”
“This embracing of humility and making time for such rethinking is the work of those who dare to sign up to be ambassadors of the courageous middle.”
She also addresses pluralism, secularism, and relativism in ways that are helpful.
If individuals are unlikely to have a complete understanding of the truth then we can benefit by the best thinking of others by engaging with a humble, sincere, respectful spirit.
This book has encouraged me to lean in to the courageous middle, to listen carefully to others, and to seek a “third way” that strives for the good of ALL, rather than succumb to polarized false binaries.
July 23, 2024
Shirley Mullen, former president of Houghton College, identifies that space where some of us who have had leave higher education find ourselves. As professors we desired to explore ideas, engage in challenging discourses, and feel heard. But instead, when our ideas did not fit the status quo we were silenced -- we had to live in the "courageous middle" Mullen gives us a way to identify our challenges as we struggle to recover from and stand strong in the midst of bullying fragile-ego leaders.
September 4, 2024
Thank you so much giving those in the middle a place to stand.
September 18, 2024
There are some great ideas, but I wish there were more actionable ideas. Also, there are several parts that are overly wordy.
October 4, 2024
Outstanding. Stunning. Important.
December 12, 2025
Claiming the Courageous Middle is a wise and timely call to resist polarization without abandoning conviction. Mullen invites readers to practice intellectual humility, generous listening, and faithful engagement in a divided world. Rather than choosing sides, she challenges us to choose courage—grounded in truth, grace, and love for our neighbors.
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