Good Society

“A ‘good’ society is seen as one in which there is widespread faith as trust that encourages and sustains ordinary good people to become constructive influences in the world as it is: violent, striving, unjust, as well as beautiful, caring, and supportive.” Ways in which we might prepare our children for a life of service in this society would be to encourage “good health, protect the environment, and care for the needy, the aged, and the disabled […].”

These ideas come from Robert Greenleaf’s essay “Religious Leaders as Seekers and Servant” from the book Seeker and Servant – Reflections on Religions Leadership. He goes on to point out that “The challenge to contemporary religious leaders, […] is to establish, […] beliefs that sustain those actions and influences that do in fact rebind, heal alienation in persons, and render institutions more serving.” In other words, we can create a little heaven on earth if we work at it.