Formation with John Ortberg 003. Facing Humanity's Hidden Capacity for Evil ft. Gary Haugen
What does it take to do hard things for a long time without being broken by them? Gary Haugen is the founder and CEO of International Justice Mission, a global organization that protects the poor from violence throughout the developing world. He joins John for a conversation about evil, the human capacity for violence, and why the people most serious about changing the world may be the ones most in need of spiritual formation.
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About Gary Haugen:
Gary Haugen is the founder and CEO of International Justice Mission, which has secured the release of nearly 50,000 people from violence and forced labor across more than 30 countries. Before founding IJM, he directed the United Nations' genocide investigation in Rwanda in 1994. He is the author of The Locust Effect and Good News About Injustice.
What this Conversation Explores:
- What Gary witnessed in Rwanda and what it revealed about the human capacity for evil and the reality of a fallen nature
- The four conditions that open ordinary people to violence, and what this means for how we understand sin and formation
- How IJM became a community of spiritual formation and what that looks like in an organization of 1,500 people
- The practice Gary calls "prayerless striving" and the daily rhythms IJM built to resist it
- What Dallas Willard's work on humility and careful reflection has meant for Gary's own formation
Resources Mentioned:
- The Locust Effect — Gary Haugen
- Good News About Injustice — Gary Haugen
- Renovation of the Heart — Dallas Willard
- Ordinary Men — Christopher Browning
- Explaining Hitler — Ron Rosenbaum
- International Justice Mission — ijm.org
About Formation:
Formation is a podcast that explores the science and soul of spiritual formation. Each episode brings together the ancient wisdom of the contemplative tradition and the best of modern research. John Ortberg sits down with some of the most rigorous and honest thinkers working at the intersection of faith and human flourishing for extended, unhurried conversations about how we are being shaped. New episodes every other week, wherever you listen to podcasts.
Connect with Formation:
Website: formationpodcast.com
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Socials: @formationjohn
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