Waging Christian empathy and resistance against indifference
Photograph by Taryn Elliott via Pexels
Rev. Dr. Alan Rudnick
There is an emerging thread within our public dialogue and certain strands of Christianity that is a puzzling one. It goes something like this: Empathy is suspicious, and therefore, we should not have compassion for the needs of society. I can understand how one can arrive at a secular, non-religious notion of a Stoic worldview of compassion. Still, if anyone claims to be a follower of Jesus and rejects actions of care and love based on empathy, it is a truly dizzying spiritual and theological conclusion to draw from Christ’s Good News.
In the English language, “empathy” is defined as “the action of understanding, being aware of, being sensitive to, and vicariously experiencing the feelings, thoughts, and experience of another.” There are two origins of the word “empathy.” One from the Greek understanding: empátheia, meaning “affection” or “passion,” and one from German, einfühlung, or “in-feeling.” Empátheia can be broken down to “em,” which means “in,” and the root “path” means “to suffer.”
Conversations about resisting empathy are not confined to the realms of blogs and podcasts but are also finding their way into publishing houses. Books like Allie Beth Stuckey’s 2024 volume “Toxic Empathy: How Progressives Exploit Christian Compassion,” Joe Rigney’s 2025 title “The Sin of Empathy: Compassion and Its Counterfeits,” and Dr. Gad Saad’s soon-to-be-released work, “Suicidal Empathy” are leading the way in constructing the case against empathy. Anti-empathy resources are quoted by Christians, pastors, religious commenters, and even politicians.
Empathy is an action that Jesus often embodied in Scripture. The Gospel writers take note of Jesus’ actions and motivations for empathy. In Matthew 9:36, we read of Jesus’ actions in response to people’s suffering: “When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.” Jesus saw the plight of a large crowd of people and their need for support. In Matthew 14:14 we read, “When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them and healed their sick.”[i] When the Pharisees complained about Jesus eating with sinners and tax collectors, Jesus told a story about a wayward and lost son who was forgiven by his father in Luke 15.
Jesus had compassion for those on the margins, the forgotten, the broken, and those excluded from society. Let us not default to indifference towards the challenges facing our country and the world. Compassion and empathy are the greatest tools God has given us to transform our families, communities, and ourselves.
The epistles of Scripture compelled Christian communities to intervene on behalf of others in their time of need. Saint Paul wrote, “Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn.” (Romans 12:15). Saint Peter proclaims, “Finally, all of you, be like-minded, be sympathetic, love one another, be compassionate and humble. Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult” (1 Peter 3:8-9). We read in 1 John 3:17 (NIV), “If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person?”
As Christians, we are taught to model the work and compassion of God. Paul told the church at Ephesus, “Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.” (Ephesians 5:1-2). Clearly, if we imitate the actions of God in the person of Jesus Christ, then we must emulate empathy, being sensitive to others, listening to them, and understanding them in order to show God’s love.
Actions of empathy involve connecting with our humanity through listening, caring, acting, and serving. Author and researcher Brene Brown has shared, “Empathy is a choice and it’s a vulnerable choice. Because if I were to choose to connect with you through empathy, I would have to connect with something in myself that knows that feeling.”[ii]
Ashley Abramson, writing for the American Psychological Association, analyzed dozens of studies and found that empathy can promote the public good, promote racial healing, increase charitable donations, and decrease violence and conflict.[iii] Actions of empathy are not only good for individuals but also good for our society.
Holocaust survivor Elie Wiesel told U.S. News and World Report in 1986: “The opposite of love is not hate, it’s indifference. The opposite of beauty is not ugliness, it’s indifference. The opposite of faith is not heresy, it’s indifference. And the opposite of life is not death, but indifference between life and death.”
Jesus had compassion for those on the margins, the forgotten, the broken, and those excluded from society. Let us not default to indifference towards the challenges facing our country and the world. Compassion and empathy are the greatest tools God has given us to transform our families, communities, and ourselves.
The Rev. Dr. Alan Rudnick, Th.D. is an author and Senior Minister at DeWitt Community Church, DeWitt, NY., He is a former member of the board of directors for American Baptist Home Mission Societies, Board of General Ministries and Mission Council of the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship.
The views expressed are those of the author and not necessarily those of American Baptist Home Mission Societies.
[i] All Scripture quotes are from the New International Version.
[ii] Brown, Brene. Dare to Lead: Brave Work. Tough Conversations. Whole Hearts. New York: Random House, 2018, p. 142.
[iii] This source is a fairly thorough literature review of existing research and alongside these benefits of empathy, acknowledges some studies on the limitations or even harms of empathy in some contexts.
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