Ep. 5 | How Should Christians Engage Politically?

Difficult Conversations

Neither political idolatry nor political disengagement make for peace. What does?

If we’re all reading the same Bible, why do Christians disagree when it comes to politics? If we worship the same God, how can we come to such different conclusions? And why have so many Christians in America given up on voting altogether?

This episode of Difficult Conversations opens with stories from pastors on what this election season has been like for them. It also features an in-depth conversation between Brent Leatherwood, president of the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission, an organization that helps Southern Baptist churches apply Christian principles to questions of public policy, and Kaitlyn Schiess, author of “The Ballot and the Bible” and co-host of The Holy Post podcast.

Though Kaitlyn and Brent often speak to different populations of Christians, they come to some surprising areas of agreement on political idolatry, political disengagement, and the biblical mandate for our participation in politics.

This episode also brings in important insights from leaders like Dr. Christina Edmondson and Agustín Quiles on how different lived experiences yield different decisions at the ballot box. Plus, Pastor Derwin Gray of Transformation Church shares his perspective on political idolatry and what we can do to be peacemakers in our country.

Show Notes: https://www.nae.org/ep5-christians-politics-brent-leatherwood-kaitlyn-schiess-difficult-conversations-podcast/

Resources

• For the Health of the Nation
• Full conversation with Brent Leatherwood and Kaitlyn Schiess on YouTube
• Full interview with Pastor Derwin Gray on YouTube
• How to Live Well With Enemies edition of the NAE magazine
• Spiritual Formation for Public Life, NAE podcast with Kaitlyn Schiess
• “The Bible and the Ballot” by Kaitlyn Schiess
• The Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention