Civic Faith

Civic Faith is a practical philosophy that holds that placing people, community, and shared responsibility at the center of our shared lives will create a more equitable, fair, just inclusive and hopeful society for all.

All of the Institute’s work is rooted in Civic Faith.

At the heart of Civic Faith are the following principles:

  • People. They must be at the center of what we do—their lives, what matters to them, their aspirations and their dignity. Civic Faith is built by recognizing people’s desire to find ways to express their agency, together—to bring about change in their own lives and our collective lives.

  • The belief in people’s innate capabilities to shape their own lives and the lives of those in their communities. Under the right conditions, we can transcend our vital self-interests to forge a stronger common good. We don’t have to agree on everything–or even always like one another–but we must find our common ground and work on that together.

  • Authentic hope. More than anything, people want a sense of possibility and hope—to believe that tomorrow can be better than today. We each get to choose whether we engender authentic hope or false hope. While false hope pushes people away and gives rise to cynicism, fear, and mistrust; authentic hope is the fuel we need to put one foot in front of the other and take action that will strengthen communities and transform lives.

  • The conviction that community is a common enterprise. We cannot create the kind of shared lives we seek on our own. We make our communities and country great by building together. When we feel isolated and alone, we must continually remind ourselves of this enduring truth that community is made by us.

  • At the core sits a civic covenant. We are in a relationship with one another—that is the only way a shared society works. Programs, processes, and technical approaches are all important to implementing ideas and initiatives. But nothing can substitute for the relational nature of community and society.

More Resources

Podcast: Why We’re Here: Civic Faith

Book: Stepping Forward: A Positive, Practical Path to Transform Our Communities and Our Lives

Report: Hope