April 5, 2026
Neighbors: The Gospel of Proximity
Granthem’s talk reflects on the idea of the Imago Dei by challenging the ways we create invisible hierarchies that determine whose lives, suffering, and dignity matter. Drawing on the Dunning-Kruger effect, historical examples like Germany’s “stumbling stones,” and the parable of the Good Samaritan, he argues that our greatest blindness is not ignorance but misplaced certainty that quietly shapes who we see as our “neighbor.” He suggests that faith is not about having the right theology or more information, but about formation—a willingness to cross boundaries, risk proximity, and respond to real human need. Ultimately, the call of the gospel is not to analyze or agree, but to act: to see the image of God in others and choose to “cross the road” in love, even when it disrupts our assumptions or comfort.