Bishop Simon Burton-Jones has shared his hopes for 2019 in a New Year message.
Writing for the Times of Tunbridge Wells, he says that it would be good in 2019, to see an improvement in the way we debate with one another publicly about what matters:
"Listening is out of fashion and the tendency to demonise people we disagree with and let the world know online is making for a harsher climate.
Societies flourish where there is forgiveness and strangers are shown kindness."
Read the Times of Tunbridge Wells article here
He added: "Slowly, without noticing in our networked world, we are surrounding ourselves with people who think the same way we do. Brexit is only a symptom of this, not a cause.
"We no longer know what to do with opinions we disagree with."
He went on to say that while asking for tolerance is good, we need to go further:
"Imagine looking into someone’s eyes and saying: I tolerate you. It’s barely one cheer, never mind three! GK Chesterton said a long time ago: tolerance is all that’s left when love runs out.
We need a richer understanding of what it means to love other people, especially those who are not like us and whom we do not particularly like. Good communities are built on tolerance; the best are founded on love.