“How can we have a pessimistic account of human political institutions — knowing that they are passing away and corrupted by sin — and yet still faithfully participate in politics?”

In this phenomenal book, Kaitlyn Schiess lays out the case for political engagement from Christians who have traditionally wanted to “keep politics out of it.” She makes a passionate, well-reasoned, thorough argument in favor of political involvement for the sake of our neighbors as embodiment of our faith. I honestly thought more than once, Rachel Held Evans would have loved this book.

I can hardly begin to enumerate the things I learned from this Schiess’s scholarship. A particularly interesting part is when she talks about how we are formed by the delivery (tone, emotion, etc.) of information along with the actual content and the implications that has in the midst our media-heavy, politically-charged culture. She argues that politics in the U.S. verge on a idolatry stoked by fear and a demand of loyalty. 

Ultimately, Schiess says: “The line between our political beliefs, our moral beliefs, and our theological beliefs is blurry, if not entirely invented.” Her book outlines the ways that churches can be a training ground for responsible political engagement and that it is indeed our biblical duty to do so. With supporting research and clear-eyed analysis, Schiess covers the ways churches need to reconsider their programming in order to be faithful political participants and similarly how spiritual disciples can be used both positively and negatively for this formation. In a very powerful closing she says, “A theology born out of resistance to political authorities from an oppressed position cannot result in private piety and political quietism unless it is read and practiced by the privileged.”

As further evidence of my appreciate for this book: I originally had an eARC of this book through NetGalley, but three chapters in I realized I wanted to have a physical copy so I promptly ordered one to keep.  

P.S. Schiess’s final chapter is on the Book of Revelation and it honestly blew my mind.