Revolution of Tenderness:
Providing humanities education and free cultural events in Appalachia and beyond.
We invite all we meet to an ongoing exploration of the connections between diverse cultures, traditions, and experiences.
The Borromean rings in our logo are a sign of unity in diversity, and reflect our working hypothesis: Untiring openness, most faithful unity.
In mathematics, Borromean rings offer an intriguing paradox: although each pair of rings is unlinked, the assemblage of rings itself cannot be unlinked. Revolution of Tenderness, which takes its name from an exhortation of Pope Francis, sees in this something fundamentally true about the human condition: we are individual yet bound together in communion.
Through free cultural events, humanities courses, podcasts, and an ambitious slate of publications, Revolution of Tenderness promotes a culture of encounter and dialogue.
An era in need of certainty
Pope Francis has urged all people of good will to fearlessly promote a “culture of encounter.” For the past ten years, Revolution of Tenderness has been doing precisely that, reaching out beyond the usual circles, fostering dialogue and friendship, and making a special point of encountering people who are neglected and ignored by the wider world.
“None of us is an island, an autonomous and independent ‘I,’ separated from the other, and we can only build the future by standing together, including everyone.”
— Pope Francis