What are different ways of looking at conflict?

Conflict can be grouped into three basic categories:

1. Goals or Purposes
2. Programs or Methods
3. Values or Traditions

All conflict situations in the church could be categorized as one of these three basic types.  These three basic types could also be stated as the “what”, “how”, and “why” of conflict.  Conflict over goals or purposes revolves around what is to be accomplished.  Programs or methods focus on how a particular goal is to be accomplished.  The answer to the question of why we are doing a particular program or set a particular goal is found in what the church values or the traditions it holds to be important.

It is helpful when trying to analyze and understand a problem to look at it from many perspectives.  Another view of the varieties of conflict is found in another three-part list:

1. Intrapersonal
2. Interpersonal
3. Substantive

Intrapersonal conflict is that which occurs internal to an individual.  The conflict in our thoughts and feelings concerning an individual or situation is certainly common.  Perhaps all conflict starts at this point, however briefly it may stay there.  Interpersonal conflict describes what goes on between individuals.  One may have hurt the other by an ill-spoken word.  The way that something truthful was said may have offended someone.  Interpersonal conflict is very difficult to handle because of the sensitivities of people over wanting to be liked and accepted.  I once pointed out to my wife that not everyone was going to like her no matter how much she tried to please them.  This was quite illuminating to her.  It should not stop us from trying to please others but should help us understand when the response we get is less than what we expected.  The third category in this list relates to substantive or factual issues.  Conflict over goals, methods, and values are usually substantive.

Another way of summarizing the basic types of conflict is a view of Keith Huttenlocker, author of “Conflict and Caring”.¹  He uses a two-part list that describes conflict as either personality centered or principle centered.  Personality centered conflict seems to address the intrapersonal and interpersonal categories discussed earlier.  Principle centered conflict deals more with issues of beliefs, standards, morals, ethics and other similar things.  It might also fit closely with the category of substantive issues.

All of these categories can be helpful in analyzing a conflict situation.  It must be remembered that a conflict situation may involve several issues, some of which may be in each of the categories noted.  An appropriate analysis of a conflict situation should attempt to delineate the issues into these types of categories in order to define a proper strategy for managing the conflict to resolution.
 

End Notes:

1. Huttenlocker, Keith. Conflict and Caring. Zondervan: Grand Rapids, Michigan, Copyright 1988.

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Copyright 5/23/2001, Randy Lariscy.