Bedford was the site of a different kind of conversation on March 23 and 24 when the Humanities Council convened the opening conference in our two-year initiative on the intersection of religious and political thought in America. Order DVDs of the Shifting Ground conference.

Close to 200 people met to talk about civic values and how God, and talk about God, should or should not enter the public arena to influence culture and public policy issues - issues such as gay marriage, intelligent design, climate change, and foreign policy - that have been straining the civility and goodwill of neighbors one toward another across the country.

What we discovered is that civic discourse is alive and well in New Hampshire. For at least these two days, people listened respectfully to speakers across the religious and political spectrum, from secular humanists to Baptist ministers. The smaller workshop sessions became civics laboratories where beliefs and values were openly expressed and discussed – where proponents of both evolution theory and intelligent design tested the virtues and boundaries of science and faith; where representatives of the Catholic Church and those who supported legal civil unions in New Hampshire argued their cases with equal dignity. Attendees were surprised to discover, as one commentary put it, “that the Bible was such a ‘green’ book” or that “core beliefs of Southern Baptists have been essential to U.S. liberty.” Alan Wolfe, Director of the Boisi Center for Religion and Public Life at Boston College, highlighted the importance of including the voices of non-believers in the national dialogue.

Author and former journalist Geneive Abdo offered an insider’s look into the lives of young American Muslims trying to negotiate their faith with modern life in a country that allowed them new freedoms of expression and association and did not inhibit either their expression of religious beliefs or their desire to be engaged citizens of a democracy. Douglas Johnston, Founder of the International Center for Religion and Diplomacy, described his faith-based political balancing act in Africa, engaging leaders from various faith traditions in serious discussions of religious thought and ethics without imposing Christian values or practices on their traditions. Richard Land made the point that American religious leaders like John Leland, who persuaded a reluctant James Madison to enact the Bill of Rights, have been instrumental in working to guarantee democratic freedoms.

The conference did not change minds; rather it invited people to gently shift perspectives on preconceived ideas about the views of others. The conference demonstrated the virtues of civic reflection - that listening, arguing with respect, learning about our history (formed by both 18th century rationality as well as bold spiritual ideals) can lead to a deeper understanding of our democratic values and tolerance for diversity.

The conference served as the first foray in the exploration of our civic life through the lens of religious and political thought. The project also includes a series of community forums across the state where participants are now engaged in text-based conversations and reflection with the guidance of trained facilitators. This “civic reflection” reading and conversation model has been offered in Manchester, Portsmouth, Concord, Berlin and Keene and will continue in other towns and cities throughout New Hampshire in 2008.

NEW HAMPSHIRE HUMANITIES COUNCIL
19 Pillsbury Street, Concord, NH 03301
(603) 224-4071 FAX (603) 224-4072