Overview
CFR’s Religion and Foreign Policy (RFP) program serves as a resource for faith leaders and policymakers, and offers a forum for congregational leaders, seminary heads, scholars of religion, and representatives of faith-based organizations to discuss global issues in an interfaith environment. CFR produces a vast array of resources that provide nonpartisan and authoritative analysis to inform the work of religious thinkers and educators and foster dialogue in their communities. For more RFP resources, follow @CFR_Religion on X. To sign up to receive the monthly Religion and Foreign Policy Bulletin, please sign up here.
Religion and Foreign Policy Webinars
Led by a CFR expert or faith leader, the Religion and Foreign Policy Webinar series offers members of the religion community access to interreligious conversations on timely issues at the intersection of religion and international affairs. Video recordings and transcripts of the webinars are available after the fact at CFR.org/rfp-calls.
Recent Webinars
Religion
Amelia Marchand, executive director of the L.I.G.H.T. Foundation, explores the intersection of Indigenous faith and climate action, discussing the role of faith-based Indigenous leaders in combating environmental challenges and advancing sustainable solutions for future generations.
Webinar
with Amelia Marchand and Irina A. Faskianos
April 30, 2025
Religion and Foreign Policy Webinars
Religion
Peter Casarella, professor of theology at Duke Divinity School, and Cecilia González-Andrieu, professor of theological studies at Loyola Marymount University, discuss the geopolitical and cultural influence of the pope, the challenges and opportunities the Catholic Church faces in addressing international issues, and the global religious leadership of Pope Francis.
Webinar
with Peter Casarella, Cecilia González-Andrieu and Irina A. Faskianos
December 17, 2024
Religion and Foreign Policy Series
Religion
Elliott Abrams, CFR senior fellow for Middle Eastern studies, and Elliot Cosgrove, rabbi of Park Avenue Synagogue, will discuss the evolving role of the Jewish diaspora in shaping U.S. policy towards the Middle East, the challenges of fostering unity within the Jewish community, and the broader implications for international relations. Asher Lopatin, rabbi of Kehillat Etz Chayim, will moderate the discussion.
Webinar
with Elliott Abrams, Elliot J. Cosgrove, Asher Lopatin and Irina A. Faskianos
November 19, 2024
Religion and Foreign Policy Webinars
Religion and Foreign Policy Workshop
CFR’s annual Religion and Foreign Policy Workshop brings together leaders from across the U.S. religious landscape at CFR’s New York headquarters for two days of expert panels and discussion group sessions. The 2022 workshop was held in a hybrid format in May, with people attending both in person and virtually. The 2021 workshop was held virtually in May 2021, and the 2019 workshop was held at CFR’s New York headquarters in June 2019.
Religion and Foreign Policy Workshop
Religion
The Religion and Foreign Policy Workshop convenes clergy, seminary heads, scholars of religion, and representatives of faith-based organizations from around the country for discussions with policymakers, CFR fellows, and other experts. The event is a valuable opportunity to engage with colleagues and participate in substantive conversations on international issues of interest to religious communities.
The workshop will include an opening night dinner conversation, plenary sessions, and breakout discussions with choices among a variety of thematic and regional topics.
Access the complete agenda here
Event
with Prashan De Visser, Josefina Echavarría Álvarez, Mohamed Elsanousi, Nazila Ghanea, Samah Norquist, Wai Wai Nu, Ebenezer Obadare, Shannon K. O'Neil, Farah Pandith, Melissa Rogers, Paul B. Stares, Knox Thames, Azza Karam, Peter Mandaville, Simran Jeet Singh and Burton L. Visotzky
February 11, 2025
Religion and Foreign Policy Workshop
Religion
Event
with R. Scott Appleby, Esther Brimmer, Sarah Cook, Susan H. Farbstein, Marc Gopin, Thomas Graham, Lauren Herzer Risi, James F. Jeffrey, Mohamed Magid, Katherine Marshall, Patricia Parera, Orville Hickok Schell, Melanne Verveer, Caitlin Welsh, Mayfair Yang, Mark E. Fowler, James B. Heimowitz, Terrence L. Johnson, Shannon K. O'Neil, Akila Radhakrishnan and Somini Sengupta
May 16, 2023
Religion and Foreign Policy Workshop
Religion
The 2022 Religion and Foreign Policy Workshop is part of the CFR Religion and Foreign Policy program. The goal of the workshop is to advance understanding of the forces shaping international relation…
Event
with Gerald L. Durley, Elise Giuliano, Elise Giuliano, Galen Guengerich, Richard Haass, Lisa Sharon Harper, Daisy Khan, Daisy Khan, Charles A. Kupchan, Charles A. Kupchan, Rosalyn LaPier, Ruth W. Messinger, Yascha Mounk, Kilaparti Ramakrishna, Kilaparti Ramakrishna, Melissa Rogers, Melissa Rogers, Stephen Sestanovich, Stephen Sestanovich, Sunita Viswanath, Chloe Breyer, Felice D. Gaer, Felice D. Gaer, Reena Ninan, Reena Ninan, Simran Jeet Singh, Simran Jeet Singh, Mary Evelyn Tucker and Mary Evelyn Tucker
May 17, 2022
Religion and Foreign Policy Workshop
Religion
SINGH: Hi, everyone. I'm Simran Jeet Singh, senior advisor for diversity and inclusion at YSC Consulting and a visiting professor at Union Theological Seminary. I'm delighted to be moderating today'…
Event
with Sylvester Johnson, Mark Juergensmeyer, Azza Karam and Simran Jeet Singh
May 19, 2021
Religion and Foreign Policy Workshop
Religion
KIM: Thank you. Greetings, I'm Walter Kim, president of the National Association of Evangelicals, an organization that connects forty denominations and scores of Christian institutions and ministry…
Event
with Jacqueline J. Lewis, Melissa Rogers and Walter Kim
May 19, 2021
Religion and Foreign Policy Workshop
Religion
JENKINS: Hello. Welcome, again, to the second day of the Council on Foreign Relations Religion and Foreign Policy Workshop.
I am Jack Jenkins, national reporter with Religion News Service here in …
Event
with Timothy M. Dolan and Jack Jenkins
May 19, 2021
Religion and Foreign Policy Workshop
Religion
FASKIANOS: Thank you and welcome everybody. I'm Irina Faskianos, vice president of the National Program and Outreach at the Council on Foreign Relations. As a reminder, today's session is on the reco…
Event
with Krish O'Mara Vignarajah, Nazanin Ash, Elizabeth G. Ferris and Irina A. Faskianos
May 18, 2021
Religion and Foreign Policy Workshop
Religion
TIPPETT: Well, it is my pleasure to convene this gathering with a few announcements. First of all, welcome, everyone, to this opening session of the CFR Religion and Foreign Policy Workshop. I am Kri…
Event
with Richard Haass and Krista Tippett
May 18, 2021
Religion and Foreign Policy Workshop
Religion and Foreign Policy Events
Organized in New York, Washington, DC, and around the country, the Religion and Foreign Policy Roundtable series provides an intimate setting for in-depth conversations.
Recent Events
Human Rights
Shadi Mokhtari, assistant professor at the School of International Service at American University, and Ebenezer Obadare, the Douglas Dillon senior fellow for Africa studies at CFR, discuss how differ…
Event
with Shadi Mokhtari, Ebenezer Obadare and Jennifer Butler
November 21, 2022
Religion and Foreign Policy Series
Nigeria
Samuel Brownback, ambassador-at-large for international religious freedom, discusses extremism and the decline of religious freedom in Northern Nigeria. John Campbell, Ralph Bunche senior fellow for Africa policy studies at CFR, moderates.
Event
with Sam Brownback and John Campbell
October 22, 2020
Religion and Foreign Policy Series
Religion
Rebecca Linder Blachly, Shaun Casey, and Suhail A. Khan discuss how to best provide policymakers with contextual information as they debate and vote on issues pertaining to religion, with Brie Loskota moderating.
Event
with Rebecca Linder Blachly, Shaun Casey, Suhail A. Khan and Brie Loskota
November 25, 2019
Religion and Foreign Policy Series
Professional Conference Participation
Upcoming Conferences
CFR hosts exhibition booths and distributes resources at professional conferences and association meetings across the country. Look for us at the Religion News Association Annual Conference and at the American Academy of Religion Annual Meeting, where we also hold a luncheon panel discussion.
Religion Advisory Committee
The CFR Religion Advisory Committee is comprised of a distinguished group of religion and congregational leaders and scholars from across the United States.
Contact
For more information about CFR’s Religion and Foreign Policy program, please email [email protected] or call 212.434.9497. Follow us on X at @CFR_Religion.
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