Civic Engagement
The Society We Deserve
Political scientist Rachel Kleinfeld says democracies heal when everyday people choose to move toward one another — not away. We cannot wait for Washington or a single leader to fix what’s broken. Renewal begins locally, with neighbors rebuilding trust, holding each other accountable to our best values, and creating small victories that ripple outward. Every…
Read MoreBuild: The Long Work of Civic Muscle
Building is where the future lives. It is the slow work of: Building renews democracy from the ground up. It creates what we call civic muscle—the ability of a community to face stress without tearing itself apart. Why Build Is Essential Now Our democracy is not only polarized. It is fragile. We need: Building does…
Read MoreBlock: Why Protecting People Matters
Blocking is the strategy of protection. When systems harm people, especially the vulnerable, silence becomes complicity. Blocking is necessary. More to the point: Blocking is about love. I recently listened to some Lutheran leaders in Minneapolis/St. Paul. They have been organizing with many groups to support neighbors in terror imposed by the federal government there.…
Read MoreResistance is Not Futile – And Not Enough
Resistance Is Not a Vision You may remember the Borg from Star Trek. They would appear and announce: “Resistance is futile.” It was terrifying because it meant you would be absorbed into a system with no freedom, no individuality, no humanity. Today, many people feel something similar. So people say, “We must resist.” And sometimes,…
Read MoreSo What Do We Do?
Practical Steps for Faith and Interfaith Leaders Living on the Edge If we agree that the sacred–secular split is hollowing out both faith and public life—and if we reject domination as an answer—then the question becomes practical: What leaders of wisdom traditions and interfaith leaders actually do? Not next decade.Not after the culture cools down.Now.…
Read MoreShared Values, Shared Life, a Renewed Civil Contract
Here is where I believe a real opening appears. Across cultures, continents, and centuries, wisdom traditions have named remarkably similar public values. These values were not designed to win arguments or decorate sanctuaries. They were shaped to help human beings live together without destroying one another. They functioned as a kind of social contract—shared commitments…
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