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MeaghanMcGann
Dr.Chase
COMM494
23November2015
EthicsofCommunicationCredo

AsastudentofthestudyofcommunicationIhavelearnedthatthemannerinwhichI

communicatewithotherssaysalotaboutwhoIamandthewayIperceivetheworld.As
relationalhumanbeings.wecannotescapecommunication.Itisnecessaryforourengagement
anddevelopmentbothasindividualsandasmembersofthebroaderglobalcommunity.Itisthen
imperativetodeveloppracticesthatreflectconsistencyinthewaywethinkabout
communicationandthewayourcommunicationpracticesplayintoouractions.Thisiswhythe
psalmistsaysLetthewordsofmymouthandthemeditationofmyheartbepleasinginyour
sight,OLORD,myrockandmyredeemer(Psalm19:14ESV).Thewordswespeakare
indicatorsofourhabitualthoughtlives.AsChristiansdevelopingpracticesthatallowour
communicationtoactivelyreflectourfaithisespeciallyimportantaswebecomecommunicators
representativenotonlyforourselvesbutalsoforthekingdom.Ourwordsmeannothingifthey
donotreflectpracticesthatarehabituallyactedoutinourdailylives.1John3:18reads,Dear
children,letsnotmerelysaythatweloveeachotherletusshowthetruthbyour
actions(NLT).ThisistheunderlyingprinciplebywhichIprepareandguidemyEthicsof
CommunicationCredothatmywordsandmyactionsmaybeconsistenttestimoniesofwhoI
amasadaughterofGod.
ThestatementsthatfollowaretheprinciplesIhavedevelopedinordertoguidemeinmy
continualpursuitofbecomingamoreeffectiveandkingdomorientedcommunicator.

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Ibelievethatinordertobeaneffectiveandkingdomorientedcommunicator,Imust
groundmycommunicationintruthnotrelativetruthbutabsolutetruth.
IbelievethatinordertobeaneffectiveandkingdomorientedcommunicatorImustlive
consciouslyawareofthekingdomthatistocome.
IbelievethatinordertobeaneffectiveandkingdomorientedcommunicatorImustact
andthinkinconsiderationofothersbeforeconsiderationofself.
IbelievethatinordertobeaneffectiveandkingdomorientedcommunicatorImust
engagewithothersinwaythatseekstounderstandothersmoresothanIseektobe
understood.
IbelievethatinordertobeaneffectiveandkingdomorientedcommunicatorImustgive
thankswithpurpose.
InordertobeaneffectiveandkingdomorientedcommunicatorImustgroundmy
communicationintruthnotrelativetruthbutabsolutetruth.
Thetrendinourculturehas
turnedtorelativism.Truthhasbecomedependentonwhatfeelsrightinparticularsituations.
Thisleadstoshakygroundsintermsofdevelopingeffectivecommunicationpractices.Howare
wetobecomeeffectivecommunicatorsifourwordsarecompletlyconsumedbyrelativities?We
willnevergetbeyondtrivialconversationifourcommunicationisnotrootedinabsolutetruths.
InhisNYTimesarticle,DavidBrookscommentsthatMoralitywasoncerevealed,inherited
andshared,butnowitsthoughtofassomethingthatemergesintheprivacyofyourownheart.
Ifthereisnouniversalstandardformorality,thenitisimpossibletoestablishcommunication
basedonethics.AccordingtoMiroslavVolfinhisbook
ExclusionandEmbrace:ATheological
ExplorationofIdentity,Otherness,andReconciliation
,theonlywaytogetawayfromthis

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relativityofmoralityinourpresentageistotomaketruthmattermorethanourownselves.
Onlywhenweareabletoconceptualizetruthasbiggerthanourpersonalcomfort,areweableto
communicatewithmeaningandsincerity.Thetaskthenistoknowwhatyoubelieveandwhy
youbelieveittobetrue.Thisbeliefiswhatwillcementthetrustworthinessofyour
communication.
IbelievethatinordertobeaneffectiveandkingdomorientedcommunicatorImust
liveconsciouslyawareofthekingdomthatistocome
.
Itisnotenoughtosimplyclaimthe
BibleandChristsworkofsalvationasmybasisfortruth,Imustalsoliveinsuchawayasto
testifytothisbelief.1Peter1:13admonishesustoremainalertforJesussecondcoming:

Therefore,withmindsthatarealertandfullysober,setyourhopeonthegracetobebroughtto
youwhenJesusChristisrevealedathiscoming(NIV)
.
Adisciplinedandmeditativeawareness
ofthetransienceofthisearthandtheheavenlykingdomthatistocomeisimperativeinbeingan
effectivecommunicatorofthefaith.IfItrulybelievethatthisearthisnotallthatthereisforus,
thenmywordsandmyactionswillcommunicatethisbelief.AllthroughouttheBible,are
accountsofourforgetfulnessasapeople.Timeandtimeagain,theIsraeliteswouldgiveupon
thepromisesofGod,forgettinghowHehadalreadyshownHimselftobegoodandfaithful.In
ordertopreventthistrendofforgetfulnessGodcommandedthemtosetupreminders,to
continuallyreflectonhisprovisionandkindnesstothem.Thesameistruetoday:Weremaina
forgetfulpeople.Inordertobeconsciouslyawareofthekingdomthatistocomeinsuchaway
thatthishopebecomesapparentinourspeechandactionsweneedtocontinuallyremind
ourselvesthroughparticipationinprayer,scripture,practicingdisciplines,andcommunionwith
thebodyofbelievers.

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IbelievethatinordertobeaneffectiveandkingdomorientedcommunicatorImust
actandthinkinconsiderationofothersbeforeconsiderationofself.

Iusetheterm
considerationratherthanlovebecauseloveisoftenmisconstruedandcanmeanmanythingsin
modernsociety.Intheirchapterin
CommunicationEthics:BetweenCosmopolitanismand
Provinciality
,LeslieBaxterandChitraAkkorexaminetwotypesofloveandtheroletheyplay
inrelationships.Theydistinguishbetweenaestheticloveasaconcentrationofattentiononthe
otherandromanticlovewhichismoreindividualisticandinternal.Considerationofothersprior
toconsiderationofselfembodiesthistypeofaestheticlovethattakesintoaccounttheneedsof
others.Whenthereversesituationistrueandweconsiderourownconvenienceoverourcarefor
others,romanticloveismorelikelytooccur.Inordertotobecomethemosteffective
communicatorIcanbe,Ibelievemycommunicationpracticesmustbebasedinaconsideration
forothersbasedoutofaestheticloveacarethatisnotrootedinpersonalgain,butinagenuine
desiretoheartheirneedscommunicatedandbeabletorespondinawayisupliftingand
appropriatetotheirsituation.Thepurposeofcommunicationisnottocommunicatewiththeself,
butwithothers.Thusitisnecessarytakeintoaccountthosewithwhomwearecommunicating.
IbelievethatinordertobeaneffectiveandkingdomorientedcommunicatorImust
engagewithothersinwaythatseekstounderstandothersmoresothanIseektobe
understood.
Thisprinciplegoeshandinhandwithactingandthinkinginconsiderationofothers
beforeconsiderationofself.Inhisbook,
7HabitsofHighlyEffectivePeople
,StephenCovey
highlightsthepracticeofseekingfirsttounderstand,andthentobeunderstoodasapracticeof
highlyeffectivepeople.Thisisembodiedbypracticingtheartoflisteningfirstandlistening
well.Sooftenwefailtobeeffectivecommunicatorsbecausewefailtounderstandthosewith

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whomwearetryingtocommunicate.Wetendtogetsocaughtupinconveyingourownmessage
thatweneglectastyleoflisteningthatpursuesacomprehensionoftheother.Indoingso,weare
shootingourselvesinthefoot.Howmuchmoreeffectivewouldwebe,ifweunderstoodthose
withwhomweweretryingtocommunicatewith?Byseekingfirsttounderstandtheothers
perspective,needs,backgroundandsituationwecontributetoasenseofdignityandrespectfor
thosewithwhomweareparticipatingincommunicationwith.Atthesametimewealsoequip
ourselvestoconveyourmessageinamannerthatbettersuitsouraudience.Communicationisa
participatoryact,itspracticenecessitatestheinvolvementofothers.Wewillbecomemuchmore
effectivecommunicatorsifweallowforthismutualinvolvementbypracticingtheartof
listeningwell.
IbelievethatinordertobeaneffectiveandkingdomorientedcommunicatorImust
givethankswithpurpose
.
Inasocietyinwhichsomuchhasbeenhandedtous,itoftenbecomes
difficulttorecognizeourneedforgratitude.Inthissense,soasnottotakeallthatwehavebeen
givenforgranted,wearetogivethankswithpurposeanddiscipline.1Thessalonians5:1618
reads,Rejoicealways,praywithoutceasing,givethanksinallcircumstancesforthisisthewill
ofGodinChristJesusforyou(ESV).Howdoesgratitudeplayintoeffectivecommunication?
AccordingtoAmyMorinsarticlein
Forbes,
gratitudeopensthedoortomorerelationshipsit
improvesphysicalandpsychologicalhealthitenhancesempathyandreducesaggressionit
helpspeoplesleepbetteritimprovesselfesteemanditincreasesmentalstrength.Thankfulness
notonlybenefitsourselvesasindividuals,butalsoallowsforamindsetthatbetterengagesin
participatorycommunication.Thankfulnessallowsforapositionofhumility.Itinhibitsusfrom
theprideofthinkingthatwedonothaveanythingtogainfromtheworldaroundus.Itpositions

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ustotakeintheworldandothersmorefreelybecausewearecontinuallylearning.Weare
learningthatwhatwehave,wehavebeengiven.Wearelearningthattheprocessofeffective
communicationisacontinualjourney.Wewillneverbeperfectcommunicatorstheonlywayto
getaroundthisistobethankfulforthegraciousnessofotherpeopleandtorealizethatwehave
theopportunityforgrowthifwesochoosetoengageinit.Thankfulnessiskeytoeffectiveand
kingdomorientedcommunicationbecauseitenablesustobecomebetterparticipantswiththe
worldaroundus.Thankfulnessfreesusfromourselfinflictedinhibitionsandallowsusto
engagewithappreciationandwonder.
IknowtheprocessofcommunicationisongoingIwillneverbeaperfectcommunicator.
Myhopeisthatthesefiveprinciplescanservesasafoundationandaguidetowardsthenever
endinggoalofengagingincommunicationinsuchawaythatcontinuouslyseeksgrowthin
effectivenessandanorientationtowardsthekingdomthatistocome.Thatbygroundingmy
communicationinabsolutetruthbylivingconsciouslyawareofthekingdomthatistocome
by
actingandthinkinginconsiderationofothersbeforeconsiderationofmyselfbyengagingwith
othersinawaythatseeksfirsttounderstandthemandbygivingthankswithapurposeIcan
becomeamoreinvolvedandinvitingcommunicatorwhoconsistentlysharestheloveofChristin
mycommunicationhabits.PaulillustratesourdutyasChristiansandaseffectivecommunicators
beautifullyinhislettertotheEphesians:
Itherefore,aprisonerfortheLord,urgeyoutowalkin
amannerworthyofthecallingtowhichyouhavebeencalled,

withallhumilityandgentleness,
withpatience,bearingwithoneanotherinlove,

eagertomaintaintheunityoftheSpiritinthe
bondofpeace(Ephesians4:13,ESV).Effectivecommunicationwillnotonlyaidusinour

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personhood,butasChristiansourpowerascommunicatorsbecomesevenmoreimportantaswe
testifytoourcallingwithChristandtheunityandthepoweroftheHolySpirit.

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Works Cited

Barker,KennethL,andDonaldW.Burdick.
TheNIVStudyBible,NewInternationalVersion
.
GrandRapids,Mich.,U.S.A:ZondervanBiblePublishers,1985.Print.
Brooks,David."IfItFeelsRight..."
TheNewYorkTimes
.TheNewYorkTimes,12Sept.2011.
Web.21Nov.2015.
Covey,StephenR.
TheSevenHabitsofHighlyEffectivePeople:RestoringtheCharacterEthic
.
NewYork:SimonandSchuster,1989.Print.
ESV:StudyBible:EnglishStandardVersion
.Wheaton,Ill:CrosswayBibles,2007.Print.
Glenister,RobertsK,andRonaldC.Arnett.
CommunicationEthics:betweenCosmopolitanism
andProvinciality
.NewYork:P.Lang,2008.Print.
Morin,Amy."7ScientificallyProvenBenefitsOfGratitudeThatWillMotivateYouToGive
ThanksYearRound."
ForbesEntrepreneurs
.Forbes,23Nov.2015.Web.21Nov.2015.
NLTStudyBible
.CarolStream,Ill:TyndaleHousePublishers,2008.Print.
Volf,Miroslav.
ExclusionandEmbrace:ATheologicalExplorationofIdentity,Otherness,and
Reconciliation
.Nashville:AbingdonPress,1996.Print.

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