Running Head: PROGRESSION, PROMOTION, PROTECTION

Senior Seminar Ethical Credo:

My Commitment to Communication that Progresses, Promotes and Protects
Alley Kammer
Wheaton College

PROGRESSION, PROMOTION, PROTECITON

Alley Kammer
COMM 494 Dr. Chase
24 November 2015
My Commitment to Communication that Progresses, Promotes and Protects
I cannot not communicate. I learned this principle early on in my study of communication
at Wheaton. With every action I take, emotion I convey, and word I speak, I am telling a story.
This story is not for myself, it is a means by which I can share myself with others and give
testimony to the ways the Lord has worked within me how He has redeemed me. I want this
story to be an outpouring of the character I hold within a character that has been cultivated with
time, discipline, many positive and negative experiences, prayer, laughter and tears, careful
thought, and much intentionality. The simple truth that I am always communicating therefore
becomes a motivational factor that urges me to cultivate a set of principles to govern the way I
communicate. Having thought about these principles now, they will be a guide for my life in
relationships, future studies, careers, stemming from my relationship with Jesus Christ. I choose
to commit to three principles that will make up my ethical credo of communication so that my
verbal and nonverbal communication. The three principles that comprise my ethical credo of
communication are that it should be: 1) a work in progress, 2) committed to truth, and 3) loyal to
others and loving in practice. I hope to continually measure my communication against this
standard (comprised of three principles and many courses of action and thought, based in biblical
principles and academic study), that my story would be one worth telling.
A Story of Progression
If there is anything that Ive learned during my time on earth, its that there is so much I do
not yet know. I know that I will always be learning throughout my life and therefore, my first

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principle within my ethical credo is that my communication must be a work in progress. The
worst mistake I could make would be to assume that I have all of the answers and that my way of
communicating, or the things I put into place are equal to the gospel. When I have come to that
place in my life, a place of enlightenment God is always quick to show me, either by means of
a difficult experience or a conviction of the Holy Spirit, just how unenlightened I am in another
area of my life. If I were to assume that this credo, in its original form, and even the knowledge
that Ill take with me from all my communication classes as I leave Wheaton College in May,
would be the only information that I allow to shape my communicative reality, I would be
deceiving myself. It is nave to think that the experiences I have after walking away from this
campus, and the people I meet after I leave are any less valid. This is a living document. There is
surely discretion that is necessary any time I examine new ideologies, deciding whether or not I
want to adopt them as my own, however, it is no reason to fear. I have seen fear drive
relationships apart, and I do not want to live believing that I have nothing left to learn. The
moment I stop learning, is the moment I become stagnant in my communication. I cannot live
out of fear of saying the wrong thing and being awkward this perpetuates silence which
perpetuates the unknown and only leaves room for fear. As Jerry Root puts it, If youre not
awkward, youre not growing. When I am stagnant, I miss out on the growth that will surely
occur as relationships are challenged and strengthened by new ideas and resolved conflict.
Conversation in and of itself is not harmful, and as I think about progressing in my
communication abilities, I commit to upholding a teachable spirit within those interactions. My
communication the way in which I present myself to others and am perceived by them should
strive to be humble in its willingness to learn, while simultaneously recognizing I cannot will
myself to have humility it is a fruit of the Spirit. I can, however, commit to entering each

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conversation with prayer and humility, and to listen first, then speak. It is tempting for anyone to
walk into a situation and use their personal past experiences and knowledge to enlighten others
in the midst of trials. It is tempting to say that I love to listen, when the reality is that I secretly
look for ways to insert myself into a dialogue. I like listening in theory, and though Ive
cultivated a good posture in listening to others, if I am honest, I am always in denial that it is
actually okay to say nothing when listening to a friends problems. This is an area in which I can
walk in humility now and learn to listen when I remember that I actually dont have anything to
contribute of my own accord. Any knowledge I have from past experiences, is actually a gift
from God by His grace that he has revealed to me by His word and often times by my failures. If
I hold a truth I have gained through a particular experience, I may be prompted to share it, but I
must be aware that sometimes it is my place to recognize that I dont have the necessary
experience to speak into a situation, and I must simply be a friend, a listening ear, a pupil to
anothers life experiences.
In committing to a communication style that encourages progression and growth, I must also
commit to being adaptable, and to be reflective. Countless times have I walked away from a
situation unable to see the lesson I should have taken from the experience often even unaware
there was one. As my mental and emotional distance from the scenario increases, I am able to
see more fully its purpose in shaping my life. This necessary distance affirms the need for
rhythms of rest and reflection (to use a HoneyRock phrase) throughout my week, in order to
process how and what I have communicated in the near or distant past. This time of reflection
will give me space to think about how I can continue to improve my communication.
A Story of Promotion

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One way that I choose to better my communication is to promote the viewpoints of others,
particularly those unheard. By doing this, I will seek to uphold the principle that my
communication must be committed to truth. Not only must I be open to continually listening to
and learning from others experiences, I also must actively seek out those to whom society tends
not to listen. Therefore, it is my responsibility to encourage dialogue, to seek to open lines of
communication, and not to shut down conversation regarding uncomfortable topics. I have the
freedom to do this primarily because I am no longer a slave to fear. Fear is not a place out of
which I will choose to communicate. Instead, as is stated in Galatians 4:7, you are no longer a
slave, but God's child; and since you are his child, God has made you also an heir. Out of a
place of freedom I can choose to be adaptable, to understand the needs of those with whom I am
communicating without necessarily agreeing to be the solution. I believe this to be the only way I
can truly understand anothers reality and broaden my scope of his or her truth. The word truth
gets a bit muddled, particularly in our increasingly individualized culture in which each person
can have their own version of the truth as long as it is right for them.
For some, truth does mean that each has his or her own personal standard of living, and for
others, such as those with a Christian faith, a more strict belief is held that there can only be one
way, truth, and life mentioned in John 14:6 and his name is Jesus. As Miroslav Volf, a Croatian
Protestant theologian, writes, in order to know truly we need to want to exercise power rightly,
and this argument is made within a commitment to a particular strand of a Christian tradition
and its practices (Volf, 1996, p. 249). The word exercise within this explanation indicates the
way in which I promote truth cannot be a passive one; rather, it actively seeks out the others
point of view and names them first as humans with dignity, then as people who are seeking
social change.

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Secondarily, and equally as important, I must seek out these viewpoints question others
because as a white person I come from a place of racial power and privilege within my current
societal structure. Unfortunately, as it is all too often the case, I am quite unaware of the ease in
which I can function in my surroundings, which is why I must make the effort to understand
those for whom living a normal life each day is a chore. In order to do this, I commit to
employing Standpoint Theory authored by Sandra Harding and Julia T. Wood. This theory
suggests that the social groups to which we belong shape everything about us, including what
and how we communicate.
Different locations within the social hierarchy affect what is seen. The standpoints of
marginalized people provide less false views of the world than do the privileged perspectives
of the powerful. Strong objectivity requires that scientific research start from the lives of
women, the poor, gays and lesbians, and racial minorities. (Griffin, Ledbetter, & Sparks,
2014)
This theory suggests that I, in my own place on the hierarchical social structure cannot
understand the needs of those who are more marginalized than I unless I engage in dialogue and
create a space that gives them the freedom to share their views without further trivializing or
alienating them. To produce truth and sustain it you need multiple forms of constraint, and to
have constraint you need social power whether that power is concentrated in the person of a
sovereign or diffused in a given social system as a whole (Volf, 1996, p. 246). In my pursuit of
open dialogue a fuller picture of all of Gods people may be attained, not just the image of the
privileged and empowered whose needs are already being heard and met. Through the
knowledge of their specific needs, I can understand how to better advocate for them, especially
in instances when my voice is heard and theirs is not. It is not a guilt trip, it is simply gaining

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awareness of the social standing and power that I hold in order to utilize it to benefit the most
people.
The truth, as it stands, must be sought, and according to Volf, even though there are many
falsehoods in our world that try to pass for truth, both lies and ideologies presuppose that there
is truth out there which must be told and may not be masked (1996, p. 245). I must be a
communicator that is readily equipped and ready to press into the standard of truth from which
all else can be measured. I cannot become more committed to truth without immersing myself in
truth itself which is manifest for us in the form of Gods word and in the revelation He gives us
by His Spirit. As theologian and scholar N.T. Wright wrote, as a believer, I must be committed
to learning in advance, the language of Gods new world(2010, p. 69). If I am to be oriented in
such a way that I am living in the already, but not yet reality that is heaven on earth, I must be
training myself, through the disciplines of prayer, reading scripture, and worshipping, to hear the
language of God. In Micah 6:8b, the call on every Christian life is clear, To act justly and to
love mercy and to walk humbly with your God. My communication must be that which
promotes and protects justice for one another, and also in my own life.
As I seek to promote others, this also means I must be willing to engage conflict, either in
speaking out against injustices that I see, or even engaging in difficult conversations where I see
hurt and dysfunction. This may be one of my most difficult commitments to keep. I like to avoid
conflict, and I like to please others. I know, however, that the healthiest forms of communication
are those in which problems and darkness are brought to light exposed that they may be healed.
Ive seen conflict done very poorly and so I want to be someone who asks questions, remains
honest and vulnerable, and can exchange grace in growing, challenging interactions. If I

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communicate these truths to others with grace and mercy, this is a way I can be loyal and loving
to those around me.
A Story of Protection
If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding
gong or a clanging cymbal. 2If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and
all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am
nothing. 3If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may
boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing. 1 Corinthians 13:1-3
These verses from Pauls writing in 1 Corinthians have adorned the walls of the BGC since my
freshman year at Wheaton. They have grown to stretch out across the entirety of the building and
can even be found continuing on in other hallways across campus. I read them far too little as I
have become accustomed to their familiarity, but really they serve a vital, and foundational role
in my credo. My communication must be loyal to others and loving in practice. All three
principles comprising my credo must be woven together, but above all, love must be woven
throughout every aspect of my communication. Whether it be allowing someone to teach me
more about the way in which they view the world, or accepting and giving correction in pursuit
of truth, knowing that discipline comes out of a place of enrichment and the desire to see the
body of Christ sanctified, these actions all must be infused with love. For without love, we have
nothing.
The love I want to give others through the way I speak and act is a love that is committed and
not fleeting as a way of protecting their dignity and upholding Christian character. I want to be a
loyal friend and confidante. In my communication, I will seek to give the kind of love Baxter and

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Akkoor describe as aesthetic love, which is not a concept organized around internal feelings
of sexual attraction or feelings of sentiment. Rather, it is above all a concentration of
attention(2008, p. 28). I highly value of quality time, and therefore, I hold a very high view of
being with others and choosing to give my time to others whom I love and respect. I commit to
being loyal in this love, and basing it firmly upon a choice and a commitment to relationship,
instead of a feeling based in my own emotions that continuously wavers. I commit to sitting in
pain with people because pain is incredibly common, and yet it can be so awkward to embrace
pain and mourning when I am entering into a situation with someone who is hurt or grievin. It
makes a world of a difference, though, for someone to be able to release feelings of pain or
confusion and know that they are heard and known. I want to ultimately be someone who gives
and receives the grace that was first shown to me.
The Story in Practice
I can assure myself and anyone who seeks to hold me accountable to this credo that I will
fail time and time again in upholding these principles, because in all actuality I am unable to do
it on my own. In practice, my credo must be lived out in the community of saints by the grace of
God who equips me to do all things in his name. Without this blessed assurance of hope in
Christ, I would have no hope of measuring my life against an unattainable standard. I can hope in
the new life that Christ offers, the justification I have received in his blood, and the sanctification
process he uses to refine and redeem every part of my life. I praise God that he redeems my
communication, that it may be an outpouring of the character I have within, as I seek to cultivate
that character with time, discipline, many positive and negative experiences, prayer, laughter and
tears, careful thought, and growing intentionality.

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References
Baxter, Leslie A., & Akkoor, Chitra. (2008). Aesthetic love and romantic love in close
relationships. In K. Glenister Roberts & R. C. Arnett (Eds.), Communication ethics:
Between cosmopolitanism and provinciality (pp. 2346). New York: P. Lang.
Griffin, E. A., Ledbetter, A., & Sparks, G. G. (2014). A first look at communication theory.
Volf, M. (1996). Exclusion and embrace: A theological exploration of identity, otherness, and
reconciliation. Nashville: Abingdon Press.
Wright, N. T. (2010). After you believe: Why Christian character matters. New York, NY:
HarperOne.

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