Webinar discussion with Justin Giboney, Michael Wear & Cherie Harder

In the leadup to the 2020 Presidential Election, the North Carolina Study Center invites you to join us for a discussion about the nature of Christian witness and political engagement in our contemporary context. This conversation will flow out of the conviction that people of faith need not--and, indeed should not — strictly separate their Christian faith from political (or, at the very least, “public”) engagement. But, how we engage matters greatly. This conversation will explore the various challenges to faithful Christian presence in politics today, including the difficulties of loving our neighbors across lines of partisan difference and the challenges of our increasingly polarized political culture. This event will aim to offer a hopeful vision of political engagement and to prepare participants for living together through, and beyond, the election season.

This event is being hosted in partnership with The AND Campaign, AEI, Anselm House, and other Christian Study Centers around the country.

Speaker Bios

Justin Giboney: Justin Giboney is an attorney and political strategist in Atlanta, GA. He serves in an executive leadership role for the AND Campaign, a movement of urban biblical Christians spreading the Gospel through civic and cultural engagement. In 2012 and 2016, Georgia’s 5th congressional district elected him as a delegate for the Democratic National Convention and he served as the co-chair of Obama for America’s Gen44-Atlanta initiative. A former Vanderbilt University football player and law student, Justin served on the Urban League of Greater Atlanta Board of Directors. Additionally, Justin has participated in LEAD Atlanta, Outstanding Atlanta and the Georgia Bar Association’s Leadership Academy. He’s written op-eds for publications such as Christianity Today.

Cherie Harder: Cherie Harder serves as President of The Trinity Forum. Prior to joining the Trinity Forum in 2008, Ms. Harder served in the White House as Special Assistant to the President and Director of Policy and Projects for First Lady Laura Bush. Earlier in her career she served as Policy Advisor to Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, advising the Leader on domestic social issues and serving as liaison and outreach director to outside groups. From 2001 to 2005, she was Senior Counselor to the Chairman of the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH), where she helped the Chairman design and launch the We the People initiative to enhance the teaching, study, and understanding of American history. Prior to that Ms. Harder was the Policy Director for Senator Sam Brownback and also served as Deputy Policy Director at Empower America.

Michael Wear: Michael Wear is a leading strategist, speaker and practitioner at the intersection of faith, politics and public life. He has advised a president, as well as some of the nation’s leading foundations, non-profits and public leaders, on some of the thorniest issues and exciting opportunities that define American life today. He has argued that the spiritual health and civic character of individuals is deeply tied to the state of our politics and public affairs. As one of President Obama’s “ambassadors to America’s believers” (Buzzfeed), Michael directed faith outreach for President Obama’s historic 2012 re-election campaign. Today, Michael serves as Chief Strategist and member of the executive team for the AND Campaign.