JULY 2024 MAGAZINE

Late last month, while the rest of the nation broiled under scorching weather conditions, three dogs cavorted under the watchful eye of Chris Montoya in the fenced parking lot outside of Dance Conservatory Seattle. In the Puget Sound region, it was a pleasant day with a high overcast, light breeze and mild temperature, allowing Ayla, Taiyo, and Gizzmo to enjoy their break outside before returning indoors to resume their duties as the dance school’s very enthusiastic greeters.

We all want to go home. Even when we leave and go to parts unknown, there is a longing to return to the place where we came from. We can return to our home in our hearts and minds, but it is never as satisfying as actually going home. St. Mary’s Church has been home for many generations for nearly two centuries. The impending closure of St. Mary’s Church has prompted many of us to think about what it means to have a relationship with a Sacred Place.

Welcome to Chapter Three in Dr. Peter Corning's Linked Essay Series Unite or Die. In Chapter Three, Dr. Corning examines our collective survival enterprise that are discussed in his 2011 book, The Fair Society: The Science of Human Nature and the Pursuit of Social Justice.