Faith, Politics, and Media: Rethinking Christian Political Involvement (Kaitlyn Schiess) Ep. #191

Are we mistaking media consumption for political engagement? In this episode, Kaitlyn Schiess joins The Biblical Mind Podcast to challenge the way Christians think about politics, faith, and media. She explains why binge-watching C-SPAN or endlessly scrolling Twitter doesn’t make us politically engaged—but actually forms us into people less capable of real advocacy. Dru and Kaitlyn discuss the modern obsession with national politics, why Christians ignore their local communities, and how the church provides a model of meaningful engagement. Instead of trying to "change the world" through social media outrage, Kaitlyn argues that real political involvement means knowing your neighbors, understanding local government, and prioritizing embodied relationships. They also explore the role of Christian media consumption, asking whether 24-hour news, partisan social feeds, and political influencers have become a form of secular discipleship. How can Christians discern which voices are trustworthy? And how can the church offer a healthier alternative? We are listener supported. Give to the cause here: https://hebraicthought.org/give For more articles:https://thebiblicalmind.org/ Kaitlyn Schiess' Content https://www.holypost.com/https://www.facebook.com/kaitlyn.schiesshttps://www.instagram.com/kaitlynschiesshttps://twitter.com/KaitlynSchiess Social Links:Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HebraicThought/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hebraicthought/X: https://www.twitter.com/HebraicThought/Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/hebraicthought.org Chapters 00:00 Misunderstandings in Political Engagement03:45 The Impact of 24-Hour News Cycle07:13 Agency and Exhaustion in Political Involvement09:46 Local vs. National Political Engagement13:52 The Role of Community and Church16:17 Listening to Trustworthy Voices25:02 Understanding Local Politics Through Community Engagement26:14 The Importance of Recognizing Underlying Narratives28:18 The Challenge of Political Discourse in Faith Communities31:09 The Role of Stories in Shaping Political Beliefs34:44 Navigating Conspiracy Theories in Faith Contexts37:12 The Need for Meaningful Conversations in Churches40:00 The Impact of Media Consumption on Relationships41:51 Reality TV and Its Moral Implications