McCarthy Lectures

2024-18th Annual Eugene J. McCarthy Lecture Series featuring John Inazu & theTheater of Public Policy

A collage shows a book titled "Learning to Disagree," people networking, a group posing for a photo, a speaker at a podium, and a crowd attending an event at the McCarthy Center.
A group of nine people, dressed in business or semi-formal attire, stand smiling together on stage in front of event banners. The person in the center holds a book.
McCarthy Center Director, Matt Lindstrom with John Inazu and the Theater of Public Policy, Sept. 19, 2024.
The Theater of Public Policy on stage at the Humphrey Theater for the 18th annual Eugene J. McCarthy Lecture.
The Theater of Public Policy troupe on stage at the Stephen B. Humphrey Theater during the 18th annual McCarthy Lecture.
Eugene J. McCarthy Banner
John Inazu being interviewed by Tane Danger

This year, we were honored to welcome Professor John Inazu as the keynote speaker for the annual Eugene J. McCarthy Lecture. A leading voice in the fields of law and religion, Professor Inazu teaches courses such as Criminal Law and Religion and the Constitution at Washington University in St. Louis. In the weeks leading up to the lecture, the CSB and SJU community was invited to explore his most recent book, Learning to Disagree: The Surprising Path to Navigating Differences with Empathy and Respect. In it, Inazu offers a thoughtful perspective on how individuals with contrasting values, beliefs, and worldviews can coexist peacefully, without needing to see eye to eye on every issue.

Following Professor Inazu’s insightful lecture, the evening took a creative turn with a performance by Tane Danger and the Theater of Public Policy. This Twin Cities-based improv group brought energy and humor to the stage, using real themes from the conversation to craft spontaneous skits. As the Star Tribune aptly put it, the experience is “like watching C-SPAN and having the cast of Saturday Night Live walk on stage.”

Their performance featured memorable scenes, including a humorous look at performative empathy and a lighthearted but thoughtful sketch in which a student unexpectedly confronts a professor about a classroom disagreement over Thanksgiving dinner. These moments brought laughter, but also reinforced key takeaways about humility, perspective, and respectful dialogue.

Together, the lecture and performance were a powerful kickoff to our Disagreeing Better initiative. The evening sparked important conversations and equipped our campus with new tools for engaging across difference. We look forward to building on this momentum as we continue to explore how to disagree more thoughtfully and respectfully as a community.

John Inazu is the Sally D. Danforth Distinguished Professor of Law and Religion at Washington University in St. Louis. He is the author of Learning to Disagree: The Surprising Path to Navigating Differences with Empathy and Respect (Zondervan, 2024). His previous works include Liberty’s Refuge, Confident Pluralism, and Uncommon Ground (co-edited with Tim Keller). Inazu is also the founder of the Carver Project and the Legal Vocation Fellowship. He serves as a senior fellow with both the Trinity Forum and Interfaith America, where he co-directs the Newbigin Fellows with Eboo Patel.

The Theater of Public Policy is America’s unique civics-inspired improv comedy troupe. Since 2011, they have hosted over 300 live and online shows across the U.S., blending expert interviews with witty improv performances. Covering diverse topics like housing, climate science, and gun rights, their shows are both educational and entertaining. They have featured notable guests including Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, Senator Tina Smith, and Congressman Dick Gephardt. Led by Tane Danger, an improviser with a master’s in public policy, the troupe also collaborates on innovative events – from live quiz shows to virtual museum guides – where creativity meets intelligence in engaging new ways.