January 28, 2020
PRACTICE ALERT
Dear Colleagues,
We are hearing a lot of rhetoric during the impeachment trial of President Donald Trump, both on the Senate floor and in the press, about what democracy means and how it can be supported. So it's a good time to reflect upon what has been said about it over the years.
To practice democracy today, we invite you to use some of these quotes as springboards for contemplation of what it means when the people (
demos
in Greek) rule (
kratia
).
If you are religiously inclined, you might use the lectio divina process with a quote that stands out to you: (1) read the quote slowly and attentively; notice if one word speaks to you; (2) reread the passage and reflect upon that word's personal meaning to you, (3) respond to the word with a prayer or a vow as to how you will continue to live with it, (4) spend a few more minutes in silence contemplating how the Divine is acting through this example of the values, virtues, and practices of democracy.
Salaam, Shalom, Shanti, Peace,
The Practicing Democracy Project Team
