A national conference with Parker J. Palmer on habits of the heart and the future of American democracy

I am not alone in my heartbreak about the way American democracy has been diminished as disagreement among its citizens turns to distrust, anger and hatred, undermining the civic community that can hold power accountable and help create a better future for our children. That kind of heartbreak spans the political spectrum—and in that shared pain lies hope.

There are two ways for the heart to break: it can break apart in anger, or it can break open into a greater capacity to hold the tension of our differences. “Habits of the heart” that make the heart supple, enabling it to break open, not apart, can help those of us who differ on the issues renew our sense of “we, the people” on which democracy depends.

Citizens who are able to hold tension in a life-giving way within and among themselves can put democratic institutions to their intended use. As Joseph Ellis has written, the Founders invented a form of government that “was not about providing answers, but about providing a framework in which the questions could continue to be debated.” They left us a loom on which we can weave the fabric of a common life—if we have an inward capacity to turn tension into creativity, letting it open our hearts to new ways of seeing, hearing and being present to each other across our great divides.

In education, religion and various venues of public life, we have daily opportunities to develop habits of the heart that can renew democracy and help us resist the many forces that are bent on closing it down. The ”better angels of our nature“ that Lincoln called upon have not abandoned us. Let us not abandon them.

Our days together will feature compelling ideas, large- and small-group dialogue, poetry, story-telling, and performances by singer-songwriter Carrie Newcomer.

We expect this program to fill rapidly, so please register as soon as possible. And please This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it the names of others who might like to know about this event. Registration and payment deadlines are indicated on the online registration forms.

We are excited about this important topic and about the ways in which we will explore it together. But much depends on who the explorers turn out to be. We hope that you will be one of them, because we know that you have commitments, capacities and experiences that will enrich and enliven this retreat and amplify what we hope will flow from it. Democracy depends on many voices, and we want to hear yours!