2027 Dates Forthcoming
The Oxford Colloquy is not a conference—it is a space of formation for leaders called to meet this moment. This Colloquy convenes leaders to engage the pressing question of our time:
How is faith to be lived and led in the public square?
Description
The Harris Institute’s Oxford Colloquy is a weeklong, invitation-only gathering of senior faith leaders convened at the University of Oxford. Set within one of the world’s most consequential intellectual traditions, the Colloquy brings together leaders whose decisions shape institutions, movements, and public life. Its central concern is both urgent and enduring: What is the future of faith in the public square?
For centuries, faith has exercised a formative influence on public life. Yet today, that witness is being renegotiated under complex and often competing pressures—religious pluralism, multiple forms of secularism, emerging post-secular questions, and the global diversification of Christian expression. These shifts do not merely challenge the presence of faith in society; they call for deeper discernment about its integrity, credibility, and contribution to the common good.
The Oxford Colloquy creates a space for leaders to think with clarity and depth about how Christian witness must be embodied in this moment. Through rigorous lectures, sustained dialogue, and shared reflection, participants engage the theological, cultural, and institutional questions that will shape the future of faith in public life. The aim is not simply to analyze the times, but to cultivate wise, Spirit-attentive leadership capable of bearing faithful witness to Christ in ways that are both credible and consequential for the world.
This is where leadership meets discernment. This is where faith is reimagined for the sake of the common good.
Resident Delegates
The Harris Institute invites scholars, senior religious leaders, and ministers from around the world to take part in a distinctive annual colloquy designed for those shaping institutions and public witness. Convened at the University of Oxford, this gathering brings together a carefully curated cohort of resident delegates for rigorous discourse, high-level lectures, and meaningful peer engagement.
The Colloquy is not simply a forum for ideas; it is a space for strategic reflection and leadership formation. Participants gain sharpened insight, tested perspective, and practical wisdom they can carry back into their organizations, teams, and communities—strengthening their capacity to lead with clarity, credibility, and impact.
This is where thoughtful exchange becomes consequential leadership.
Goals & Objectives
- Engage in intellectual discourse on topics related to the role of faith in the public square.
- Network with influential Christian leaders and professionals across different occupations.
- Build institutional connections with other churches, businesses, and nonprofits represented at the colloquy.
- Discover new frameworks to address church, culture, community, and workplace challenges.
The Experience
- Wrestle with these challenges through presentations, lectures, and discussions to propose opportunities and frameworks for reevaluating their roles at the intersection of faith and the marketplace.
- Room in Oxford’s on-campus housing and enjoy three-course dinners catered inside the famed Oxford dining halls.
- Enjoy tours of Oxford sites and participate in delegate socials at local restaurants and pubs.
- Participate in daily worship and devotional services.
- Receive a frame-worthy, lifelong learning, not-for-credit Resident Delegate diploma at the closing, elegant candlelight gala.