Kaitlyn Schiess and Why Everything is Spiritual (Even Politics)
Feb 05, 2024
Kaitlyn Schiess is an author and minister. Her new book is The Liturgy of Politics: Spiritual Formation for the Sake of Our Neighbor. Today, Kaitlyn shares what she learned growing up in a Christian family, choosing to go into ministry instead of law, and how churches can engage the spiritual formation of politics. Kaitlyn shares some key ways churches can engage their neighbors and why they must talk about politics. Kaitlyn’s story reminds us everything is spiritual and forming even if we neglect it.
Listen to Kaitlyn’s story today!
Stories Kaitlyn shared:
- Growing up as a military kid moving around
- Her faithful parents who were highly involved in church
- Changing her perspective on giving her life to Christ
- Feeling God’s peace, comfort, and presence at a camp meeting
- Reading the Bible in a year as a way of developing her faith
- The camaraderie that came from the debate team
- Recognizing what an idol performance was for her
- Serving at camp with middle schoolers and how one week changed her life
- The pastor who began to open doors for her
- Choosing to go to seminary instead of law school
- Why she wrote the Liturgy of Politics
- How churches can engage their neighbors
- Why churches must be talking about politics
Great quotes from Kaitlyn:
You think people in your churches know things but they don’t and it blows their minds.
The political participation that people are involved in is forming them spiritually.
If you’re not talking about politics, you’re not being apolitical. You’re actually just reinforcing whatever bad theology people have.
Start with taking care of your soul.
Resources we mentioned:
- Kaitlyn’s website
- The Liturgy of Politics: Spiritual Formation for the Sake of Our Neighbor
by Kaitlyn Schiess
- Desiring the Kingdom (Cultural Liturgies)
by James K.A. Smith
- The Ordinance
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