Washington National Cathedral

The Sunday Forum: Critical Issues in the Light of Faith

The Very Rev. Samuel T. Lloyd III, host

Walter Isaacson, president and CEO of the Aspen Institute, converses with Dean Lloyd about “Identifying our Common Values.”

After serving as chairman of CNN and editor of Time, Isaacson joined the Aspen Institute to seek opportunities “to be engaged in issues, but in a non-polarizing way.” He states simply that “if you bring reasonable people together, you can find solutions.”

Isaacson has studied and sought to address seemingly disparate problems, including the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina and the conflict in the Middle East. “I see far too many similarities between New Orleans and the Palestinian territories,” he says. The similarities are found not only in the problems but in potential solutions. His experience in the Middle East causes Isaacson to observe, “It’s so important for us to back the good guys, who are moderates, who want to have a relationship with Israel.”

The Aspen Institute is trying to bring economic opportunity to the Middle East; in that region the institute avoids politics. Isaacson expresses the view that educational and economic opportunity, democracy, and an established middle class will reliably stabilize societies and reduce the likelihood that violence and radicalism will emerge or prevail.

Speaking of the rebirth of New Orleans, Isaacson comments, “To me the lesson is good leadership, people with character, courage, and an ability to put aside their own personal ambitions and try to do good for their society. That’s the most crucial thing you’ll find in any situation.”

Isaacson has published books about Benjamin Franklin and, more recently, Albert Einstein. As a non-scientist, Isaacson wanted to learn more about science. He believes that Franklin was not a doddering old guy flying a kite in the rain, but was the foremost scientist of his day, conducting the most important scientific experiments of the era. Isaacson has researched Einstein’s religious views and concludes that, contrary to widespread opinion, Einstein had a deep faith, in “a God whose spirit is manifest in the harmonies of the universe.”

About Walter Isaacson

Walter Isaacson is president and CEO of the Aspen Institute. Isaacson previously served as chairman of CNN and editor of Time. He has published books about Benjamin Franklin and, more recently, Albert Einstein.