The Michael J. Gerson Memorial Prize
On November 19, 2025, the Trinity Forum will award the first annual Michael J. Gerson Memorial Prize for Excellence in Writing on Faith and Public Life.
Honoring the Legacy of Michael Gerson
Michael J. Gerson was a White House speechwriter and senior policy adviser, a Washington Post columnist and one of America’s most influential and eloquent commentators. He also possessed one of the most important consciences of his generation. That conscience was shaped by his deep Christian faith, and his work relied on the Christian tradition to call America to greater justice. His faith touched almost every aspect of his work.
“I think the reality here is that scrubbing public discourse of religion or religious ideas would remove one of the main sources of social justice in our history,” Gerson told The New York Times in 2005. “Without an appeal to justice rooted in faith, there would have been no abolition movement, no civil rights movement, no pro-life movement.”
In November 2022, Gerson died from complications due to cancer, leaving a huge void.
The Prize
The Trinity Forum, with support from the College Board and the Bill and Crissy Haslam Foundation, will honor and extend Michael Gerson’s legacy through an annual prize to emerging writers whose work on faith and public life embodies his conscience and courage.
The first honoree of the Michael J. Gerson Memorial Prize will be named at a public event on November 19. The event will take place at the National Cathedral, which held a special place in Gerson’s life.
Each year’s awardee will be given a cash prize of $10,000, funded by the College Board. The Trinity Forum and its 30 Senior Fellows will continue to engage with the prize winners as their careers progress. The goal is to provide support and mentorship as they deepen their focus on faith and public life.
The Michael J. Gerson Memorial Prize will benefit: the awardees, both from the increased visibility of their work and from relationships with and support from Trinity Forum Senior Fellows; the profession of journalism, by elevating insightful new writers within its ranks; and Americans who will find encouragement and inspiration from those who write incisively on faith and public life.
The Selection Committee consists of:
- Peter Wehner, Chair, Trinity Forum Senior Fellow, contributing writer at The Atlantic and contributing opinion writer for the New York Times.
- David Brooks, New York Times columnist and best-selling author.
- Christine Emba, Senior Fellow, The American Enterprise Institute and contributing writer at the New York Times.
- Russell Moore, Trinity Forum Senior Fellow, Editor-in-Chief, Christianity Today.
- Karen Swallow Prior, Trinity Forum Senior Fellow, contributor, Religion News Service.
The Selection Committee will rely on submissions from a wide network of individuals, including journalists and writers, public intellectuals and those in the faith community. Committee members will consider candidates whose work is featured in a wide range of outlets, from established media to Substack and other online journals.
The Trinity Forum
Founded in 1991, the Trinity Forum is committed to keeping the Christian intellectual tradition alive and fostering its renewal for future generations. It works for the renewal of society by cultivating, curating and disseminating the best in Christian thinking for the common good, and by helping leaders to think, work, and live wisely and well. Its work focuses on three areas: Faith and Public Life; Arts and Humanities; and Spiritual and Character Formation.
Its programs include the Trinity Forum Conversations Podcast, episodes of which are downloaded 7,000-8,000 times, biweekly Online Conversations which routinely draw 1,000-2,000 registrants, and Evening Conversations conducted for live, in-person audiences.
Please reach out with any questions here.
Sponsor the 2025 Michael J. Gerson Memorial Prize
2025 Michael J. Gerson Memorial Prize Sponsors
$25,000 sponsors:
President and Mrs. George W. and Laura Bush
The Gates Foundation
More Perfect
The Honorable and Mrs. Joel and Laura Kaplan
$10,000 sponsors:
The Honorable and Mrs. Josh and Ann Bolten
The Rockefeller Foundation
$5,000 sponsors:
David Campaigne with BlueTrust
Professor John DiIulio, Jr.
The Honorable Ari Fleischer
The Honorable Karl Rove
Greg Shaw