Learning How to See with Brian McLaren Loving When We're Not At Our Best with Parker Palmer
17 snips
Dec 11, 2025 Parker J. Palmer, a Quaker elder and author, shares insights on seeing through the lens of love amid anger and division. He emphasizes the importance of listening to others' life stories to bridge divides and foster connection. Palmer reflects on his struggles with depression, offering a transformative view that sees it as a teacher. He advocates for grounded living, curiosity, and community discernment, urging listeners to confront their fears with support and to carry their wounds while seeking authenticity.
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Love As An Attentional Lens
- Love is a lens that directs attention toward light and away from darkness.
- Parker Palmer links this attentiveness to Quaker practice and Buddhist teachings on attention.
Listen Before You Debate
- Do prioritize learning someone's life story before arguing their beliefs or policies.
- Create relational containers strong enough to hold ongoing discourse about truth and falsehood.
Conversation Over Coffee Changed Caricatures
- Parker invited an evangelical pastor for coffee and they spent hours sharing life stories before debating theology.
- The conversation didn't change their positions but softened Parker's caricatures and increased curiosity.
