Issue 021: The Beginning, Again
The Beginning, Again. In 2015 we took up the creative pursuit of truth and beauty through an online journal, and invited readers into the pursuit. It was a platform for political professionals to write their honest, authentic thoughts based on firsthand experience. As professionals, we all see dysfunction firsthand, and we see burnout in each other’s eyes. Liberatus was a place to turn burnout into renewed creative participation by exploring a new ethos and value system.
The first journal entry on May 20, 2015, opened with two questions:
How do you make American politics beautiful? Why are we so often stuck with dysfunction, wishing for something better?
From a Christian faith-rooted approach, we sought to connect our concept of freedom to the freedom of the kingdom of God, redefining freedom itself as the creative pursuit of truth and beauty. The vision for Liberatus was healing through freedom.
Now, nine years later, with 19 writers with firsthand professional experience published across 140 digital journal entries and Volume One, and more than 200 total participants, we begin again.
And we begin again with answers to the questions we pursued. We explored—and we found clarity about how to move through dysfunction to unity. Specifically, through conversation, deeper reading, and research we found three core lifestyle actions anyone can take at any time. The actions we advocate for now are not a formula for a perfect life. They are a pattern for the infinite pursuit of unity which makes true freedom a reality, which we can choose individually while we live and work in a world that we believe—from a Christian perspective—is in need of restoration and relief, not condemnation.
We believe that these three lifestyle actions, in their many variations when applied to self-governance, can provide relief for all American citizens as we seek to use the power that we already have wisely:
Collaborate: Be inclusive of other Americans and their lived experiences.
Build trust: Stay grounded in wisdom by always searching for it, and uphold the Constitution.
Build endurance: Create new solutions and culture over time for the next generation.
As we choose this lifestyle, we move from dysfunction to unity, and become leaders for American unity who make our country more just and free for the next generation. In fact, the journey that we are on together, and the American idea, is this: we make our country more just and free when we collaborate, build trust, and build endurance.
In the weeks that follow, this journal series will cover how the infinite pursuit of these actions is the antidote to the cycle of dysfunction which has become the standard cultural way of operating in American politics, including among people of faith. The cultural norms of ideology, division, and burnout, which make up the cycle of dysfunction, will have to die.
And when we reach the immediate funding goal of $2,000 in monthly contributions, we will be able to finalize and publish a new asset we will use for training leaders on the Liberatus team—a white paper detailing suggestions for ways to live these actions based on the perspectives of the writers we have published. The paper is a way to plainly list practical suggestions we have identified through the thoughtful conversations, deeper research, and writing of the last nine years.
In the same way we began nine years ago, we begin again without major funding. Nine donors are giving a combined $210 a month to keep the mission online. Increasing monthly commitments by $1,790 means leader training will move forward to build a high-performing team. It means Volume Two will move forward, and regular connections with stakeholders will be possible. To co-create with us, you can set up a monthly recurring donation here.
Finally, with Volume One complete, a note on how we intend to move forward is in order: our goal is to become a biannual publication, printing twice yearly and giving 20% of the funds donated per copy on the website to partner organizations. The printed publication will offer longer stories offering inspiration for American unity, and digital content will focus on leadership for American unity. Because we are working in politics and advocating for wise use of power, we want to say directly what we are about here on the site. However, stories ultimately will bring these lifestyles to life so that they have meaning, both through the creative work it takes to tell stories well while working with those doing the work of governing and also through the final printed product we can all enjoy.
To over-state what we all already know, Richard Rohr offers perspective on why work like creating inspiration for American unity is so critical:
“It doesn’t matter how old we are; we all need stories to believe in. If there’s no storyline, no integrating images that define who we are or give our lives meaning or direction, we just won’t be happy. I can’t imagine I’m alone in longing for us collectively to embrace a better story, one with the power to change our hearts and minds and enliven our imaginations.”
Read the full meditation here: https://cac.org/daily-meditations/stories-matter/
Inspiration for American unity is about how we can make our country more just and free for the next generation when we collaborate, build trust, and build endurance.
Creating a biannual publication is a way to build up new and existing leaders, include all Americans in the mission to inspire American unity, and fund organizations who are making our country stronger. And in this way, we can become a sustainable organization; your support now as a Liberatus Advocate makes you a co-creator of the mission and means we can continue working to get there.
To conclude the introduction to the series, thank you to the 19 writers who have participated in this pursuit with us, to the 60 people who have participated in content creation, 132 donors across 20 states, and the two partner organizations who we now fund, Border Perspective and Refuge Coffee Co. (Every time a copy of Volume One is claimed on the site, $5.50 goes to each organization). The perspective in this series is the result of the mission we all share to inspire American unity. Today, nine years after the launch of the online journal, we begin again.
-Caleb Paxton, Liberatus Founder
WEEKLY ACTION POINT:
Take a look at the vision overview as we look to produce a biannual publication. Take time to pray in nature about your vocation or calling. Then, you can set up a monthly recurring donation as a Liberatus Advocate at the tab below. You can also write Volume Two with us by responding to a one-question interview. We will compile responses to the question about the future you imagine into a new vision asset to guide the stories that we tell, the research that we include, and the partner organizations that we fund.
Mission: Inspire American Unity
Create a culture of American unity for the next generation by producing content, experiences, and leaders that inspire it today.
Journal Entry #141
ISSUE 021: THE BEGINNING, AGAIN