Understanding a Christian Approach to Political Advocacy
Last month, Transform Minnesota continued our Beyond Voting webinar series by exploring a Christian approach to political advocacy. Michelle Ferrigno Warren, President of Virago Strategies and adjunct faculty at Denver Seminary, expanded on the themes of the first webinar by explaining how Christian public engagement needs to emphasize leveraging public resources for the good of others.
“You need to continue to be faithful, to use your voice and use your conviction to work for the public good of others.”
The first step into this work is not directly into engagement. Warren described how the cycle of advocacy begins with awareness and education. “You cannot repair problems you don’t understand,” Warren said, “and you will never understand them from a distance.” She encouraged participants to get proximate to the issue by building relationships and following the leadership of people who are close to the pain.
“It’s not just about a vote, and getting the vote that you want. There’s elements of listening to the community and building power within the community, and doing it as a Christian.”
Warren also discussed the need to build relationships with representatives. She encouraged participants to “know your people so they can know you” by inviting them to events in the community and contacting them when they do something you appreciate, not just when they do something you don’t. Warren concluded the webinar by responding to participant questions during a time of Q&A.
The Beyond Voting series will conclude April 22 with Part 3: How Spiritual Formation Informs Engagement as we focus not just on personal formation, but ways you can learn to disciple a congregation to lean into their spiritual formation rather than partisan political formation.