黑料不打烊

At The Aspen Institute 

For Josh Good 鈥�08, working in a think tank is about renewal. A Maclellan Scholar and history major while at Covenant, Josh works with The Aspen Institute, a group of business leaders and humanitarians who run policy programs that cover topics like security studies, climate, and philosophy. Aspen has been around since 1953 and is based in Washington DC with satellite offices all over the world, including in Ukraine, Japan, France, the UK, and Italy. The institute formed after World War II as a way to, as Josh says, 鈥渉elp renew society by convening leaders together鈥� so that enduring ideas can help spark the betterment of society.鈥� During his time at Covenant, Josh sat under Professor Voskuil, who introduced him to the idea of religious pluralism, which he interacts with daily as he leads the religion and society program at Aspen. 鈥淲e鈥檙e a very religious country,鈥� he says, 鈥渁nd the religious diversity that exists is just a reality. Government power structures ought not privilege one faith tradition over another, but instead advance equitable public pluralism鈥搄ust as God allows the wheat and the tares to grow up side by side at this stage of redemptive-history.鈥�  This view allows him to recognize the diversity of the world without denying the truth of Christ, build fellowship beyond the borders of the Christian world, see the world truthfully, and treat everyone with dignity and respect. 

From Covenant to Harvard

Though a history major during his stint at Covenant, Josh appreciated studying philosophy and theology under Dr. Davis and Dr. MacDougall alongside his major classes, and also credits Dr. Frank Brock as a major personal influence through his Maclellan Scholar classes. 鈥淐ovenant prepared me by helping me think about ideas and learn how to write,鈥� he says.  He was incredibly grateful for the accountability of his hall life in Carter, and his busy life now reminds him of the community he built at Covenant. After Josh graduated, he pursued graduate studies in Christianity and Culture at Harvard University, and later began working in social policy research with different philanthropic organizations. This was formative for his current work at Aspen, not only by helping him learn to fundraise, but also in having awareness of the philanthropy鈥檚 pitfalls: 鈥淓verybody who comes to see you when you have money to give away will tell you that you and your mission are just the best thing since sliced bread. Money is power, but it鈥檚 illusory.鈥�

For the last seven years, Josh has run Faith Angle Forum, a program that helps foster respect and understanding for religion amongst mainstream journalists. Faith Angle was founded in 2009 by Mike Cromartie 鈥�76, another Covenant grad, who died of cancer in 2017. The community Mike built has been carried on and even expanded by Josh, with annual retreat-like forums in Miami, Napa Valley, DC, and the South of France. 

Merging with Faith Angle Forum

Since June 2024, Faith Angle has become part of Aspen Institute. The larger program includes an interview-based podcast, a religion fellows program, and a philanthropy and religion initiative, in addition to working informally with 36 other policy programs. 

As he continues his work, Josh sees religious pluralism increasing, rather than going away.  He strives to love God through outreach, but also by respecting the backgrounds of others. 鈥淚t鈥檚 funny鈥搃t鈥檚 true in a boardroom, it鈥檚 true at church, it鈥檚 true in a cabinet-level office, and it鈥檚 true at a bar: religion is always in the room,鈥� he says. 鈥淲e should be free in a democratic society like ours to go deep in our traditions, to establish deep roots. And strangely enough, when we鈥檙e able to allow that, we end up with  a secure base from which we can take far more daring exploits.鈥�

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