Public Forums are a variety of lectures by well-known speakers whose lives reflect moral courage in the political arena. The speakers come from very diverse political and religious backgrounds and have life experience in areas that fuse spiritual values with politics.

One of the annual forums offered for members of Congress, congressional staff and the public is the Walter Capps-Bill Emerson Memorial Lecture, given in honor of the late Congressmen Walter Capps and Bill Emerson and their valuable presence in the political arena. These two individuals were known in Washington for their compassionate spirits, which have been kept alive through the service of their wives, Lois Capps (D-Calif.) and Jo Ann Emerson (R-Mo.).

In the past, The Faith & Politics Institute has hosted speakers such as Alex Boraine, Vice-Chair of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission with Archbishop Desmond Tutu and former Senator George Mitchell (D-Maine).Other speakers have included The Venerable Thich Nhat Hanh (pictured at right), Dr. Carolyn T. Brown, Dr. Gerald G. May, and Jacob Needleman. These lectures are frequently co-hosted by other institutes that have a vested interest in an open forum and discussion on the given topic.

Recent Capitol Forums