feature section | intellectual engagement
Q and A with Cherie Harder
The Trinity Forum: Examining Life’s Greatest Questions
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hristian Union: The Magazine re-
cently interviewed Cherie Harder,
the president of The Trinity Fo-
rum, a Washington, D.C.-based non-profit
organization that seeks to “engage leaders
with the great ideas of civilization in the
context of faith for personal and societal
renewal.”
The Trinity Forum was launched in
1991 by author and social critic Os Guin-
ness, who saw a great need for “an Aspen
Institute with a Christian perspective.”
Today, The Trinity Forum hosts various
seminars, discussions, lectures, and evening
conversations in the United States, Europe,
and Asia, connecting renowned speakers
with influential networks of leaders. The
organization has also published dozens of
book-length curricula and short Trinity
Forum Readings.
Prior to joining The Trinity Forum in
2008, Harder served as a congressional
aide and as special assistant to the president
and director of policy and projects for
former First Lady Laura Bush. She earned
an Honors B.A. (magna cum laude) in
government from Harvard University (’91)
and a post-graduate diploma in literature
from the University of Queensland in
Brisbane, Australia, where she was a Ro-
tary Scholar.
How has The Trinity
Forum evolved over the years and why
is that mission relevant today?
for thoughtful reflection on and discussion
of the great ideas and questions of life is, if
anything, more urgent and acute.
CU: You have a distinguished list of se-
nior fellows. What is their role with The
Trinity Forum?
CH: Thanks – we think so, too! Our senior
Cherie Harder
pursuit of that mission have adapted over
time. For example, a few years ago, we
began hosting “Evening Conversations”
to “connect leading thinkers and thinking
leaders.” Our initial programs were small
– designed to be a discussion between
thinkers and leaders. But there’s clearly
a hunger for such conversation, and our
fellows advance the mission of The Trini-
ty Forum through their scholarship and
thought leadership, and frequently serve
as speakers, moderators, and authors for
The Trinity Forum. For example, Senior
Fellow Dana Gioia, who is the current poet
laureate of California and the past chairman
of the National Endowment of the Arts,
has written the introduction to two of our
Trinity Forum Readings, which featured the
poems of John Donne and Gerard Manley
Hopkins. Gioia has also spoken at several
of our events on topics such as “Poetry and
Beauty in a Fallen World.” Other Senior
Fellows – such as historians Bill McClay
or Joe Loconte – have served as forum
moderators. And just last week, Senior
Our faith has implications for all of life, and provides
a framework for making sense and thinking through its
biggest questions.
christian union :
cherie harder : The Trinity Forum remains
committed to and excited by its founding
mission of “contributing to the transfor-
mation and renewal of society through the
transformation and renewal of leaders.”
Some of our initiatives and strategies in
audience has grown to the point where we
have had 500 people or more participate
at times. We have adapted some of our
programs to offer more opportunities for
a broad swath of professionals to hear from
Christian thought leaders. Although many
people are less able or willing to take time
out for a long, Socratic-style discussion now
than they were twenty years ago, the need
Fellow and visual artist Mako Fujimura
served as our keynoter at our launch ini-
tiative in Indianapolis.
CU: The Trinity Forum recently hosted
“An Evening Conversation with World
Bank President Jim Yong Kim.” What
were some of the highlights?