Edwin Rutsch Aug 14, 2026 Empathy Expert Interviews Edwin Rutsch and Tim meet to explore whether empathy can function as an organizing principle for civilization. Edwin argues from a secular perspective that mutual (“wholistic”) empathy and deep listening can serve as the foundational bedrock for societal conflict resolution and governance. Tim contends that while empathy is an essential moral virtue, civilization also requires objective truth, moral value judgments, and structural frameworks to function effectively. Tim Orr is an ordained Evangelical minister, seasoned academic, and passionate advocate for interreligious dialogue. He serves as a Research Fellow with the Institute for the Study of Global Antisemitism and Policy (ISGAP), where his scholarship focuses on the intersections of religion, ideology, contemporary antisemitism, and public life. Dedicated to fostering understanding across divides, his digital ministry and platform are centered on building bridges, uniting hearts, and helping faith flourish. A contributing writer for The Times of Israel, his published essays include “Beyond the Red-Green Alliance: Empathy and Structural Asymmetry” and “Toxic Empathy is Not Love – and It’s Dangerous.” https://blogs.timesofisrael.com/autho… / tim-orr-a0959524 Edwin Rutsch is the Founding Director of The Empathy Center, as well as a leading organizer in the global Empathy Movement. Over nearly two decades, he has dedicated his work to bridging social, cultural, and political divides by establishing mutual active listening as a foundational social practice. Edwin is the developer and primary advocate of the Empathy Circle framework—a structured, highly scalable dialogue practice used worldwide across educational, community, and conflict-resolution settings. Through his initiatives, including the public-dialogue Empathy Tent project, global Empathy Summits, and hundreds of recorded interviews with scholars and thought leaders, he works to foster empathy as a primary social value and everyday skill. Building the Empathy Movement
