The culture war rhetoric has heated up, polarized people, and eradicated the word “civil” in civil society, and when democratic societies are no longer civil, they die. In many aspects of society – education, family, science, art, politics, and more – constructive communication is increasingly hard to find. Divisive attitudes and expectations too often shape our perceptions of others and hinder our practices in public dialogue. This conference sought to move beyond this framework of divisiveness to help build beloved community.
The conference was primarily designed to cultivate channels of communication with representatives of diverse perspectives and traditions often perceived to be in conflict with one another. Speakers included Christopher Zinn, Executive Director, Oregon Council for the Humanities; Kyogen Carlson, Abbot, Dharma Rain Zen Center; Zach Dundas, feature writer, Willamette Week; Georgene Rice, Radio Host, KPDQ; Marilyn Sewell, Senior Minister, First Unitarian Church; Tony “the Beat Poet” Kriz of Blue Like Jazz fame; and Multnomah professors Nathan Baxter, Brad Harper, and Paul Metzger.