Ignorance and Grace

“The Most Demanding Idea in the World.” The title of that essay caught my attention this week. Its author, Dutch historian Rutger Bregman. Bregman is published widely, known for TED talks, and has founded the nonprofit School for Moral Ambition—but he was new to me, and I was curious about his argument.

Bregman’s read of history points him to what he sees as the world’s most demanding idea, which he calls universalism. At the core of that idea is the claim “that every human being is sacred. That our moral circle should expand beyond tribe and nation to encompass all of humanity, and even beyond.”

That idea, he says, has often been considered bizarre, though it’s present in many global traditions. It is demanding, he argues, because it implies an obligation for all to serve the common good. And it’s presently weakened and under attack. By way of illustrating universalism in action, Bregman offers a thorough discussion of movements to abolish slavery as exemplars of universalism, calling abolition the “mother of all emancipation movements.”  

It’s a compelling and thought-provoking piece. I’m not sure he convinced me that moral universalism is the most demanding idea in the world, but I’m grateful to Bregman for the opportunity to think about it.

And I was struck by this: in his detailed description of abolitionist movements in the US and Britain, Bregman named only white people. No mention of formerly enslaved abolitionists like Frederick Douglas, Harriett Tubman, Sojourner Truth or Samuel Ward. No credit to free Black abolitionists like David Walker, Charles Redmond, or Frances Ellen Watkins Harper.

And honestly, though I’ve known about Douglas, Tubman, and Truth for a long time, I only just recently learned about Ward, Walker, Redmond, and Harper. In fact, until recently – I now realize -  when I heard “abolitionist”, I subconsciously thought “white.” But of course there were other Black, public abolitionists. There were thousands of people who were enslaved, unsung yet no less engaged in the work of abolition.

In his otherwise powerful argument for moral universalism, Bregman’s portrayal of movements for abolition risked advancing the same lack of dignity that the moral universalism seeks to undo. Given his clearly earnest desire that all people live with dignity, I don’t imagine that Bregman intended to render Black abolitionists invisible. One could argue that as a historian he ought to have known better. But no historian knows all of history; no so-called expert knows everything about their field.

Ignorance is an absolutely unavoidable part of being human. No one knows all they need to know in order to never cause harm. And yet it's easy to fall into shame or defensiveness about one’s own ignorance, or to diminish others for not knowing. It’s easy for grace to evaporate.

But grace is exactly what’s called for here, I think. Grace and accountability. In my comment on Bregman’s piece, I didn’t tear him down. I thanked him for his careful thinking, then pointed out the omission and the harm it could cause. I hope, if he reads my comment, he can receive it with grace, not with shame or defensiveness.

I felt embarrassed last week. I thought I ought to have recognized my bias sooner, that I should have known all those names, when what I needed was to acknowledge my ignorance, not that I’m bad for not-knowing.

But that isn’t all. Once I see the gap in my knowledge or understanding, it becomes my job to fill it. And I’ll need to do that over and over again, because out of my inevitable not-knowing, I will most certainly cause others harm. Only once I accept that with grace will I be able to do something about it.

-Lucinda Garthwaite, Executive Director

References

“The Most Demanding Idea in the World.”  Rutger Bregman. June 18, 2026. Substack. Originally written as a graduation speech for The School for Moral Ambition.

Black Abolitionists. Zinn Education Project: Teaching Peoples History. 2014.

The Black Abolitionist Papers. National Archives. National Historical Publications & Records Commission

Force and Freedom: Black Abolitionists and the Politics of Violence. (2019) Kellie Carter Jackson. University of Pennsylvania Press

“In Force and Freedom, Kellie Carter Jackson provides the first historical analysis exclusively focused on the tactical use of violence among antebellum black activists. Through rousing public speeches, the bourgeoning black press, and the formation of militia groups, black abolitionist leaders mobilized their communities, compelled national action, and drew international attention. ... an exploration of the agonizing decisions, strategies, and actions of the black abolitionists who, though lacking an official political voice, were nevertheless responsible for instigating monumental social and political change.”