Voting by Faith in the 2026 Midterms
Our faith tells us that the world matters very much. When we talk about “the Catholic vote,” often we mean being pro-life or perhaps we are thinking about an orientation toward social justice. When we think in those ways, we usually mean that somebody else is wrong about an important issue so we have to win. But faith should tell us something different. We should be a little suspicious about the idea that politics holds the key to ending abortion or addressing poverty. Worse, thinking that way tends to cause divisions more than it solves problems.
Prof. Steven Millies explores the idea of incorporating our faith into our civic lives by considering how we vote instead of how we vote. It seems wrong to think in terms of party, or a particular issue, or any expected outcome to define “the Catholic vote” or even the vote of a person of faith. There is no party that should suit the faithful. Weighing issues and the most effective ways to address them is a matter of prudence, and people of faith almost always can reach different judgments about them. There is no election outcome that will bring forth the reign of God once and for all. Elections do not solve our problems. They do something else.
Our attitude about voting, politics, and citizenship deserves more attention. Every election is our opportunity to renew our community and our commitment to the values that make us who we are. To focus on this is the most faithful way to think about voting. We come together as a people and we decide who are today, which will hold until we do it again tomorrow.
Steven P. Millies is professor of public theology and director of The Bernardin Center at Catholic Theological Union in Chicago. His most recent book, A Consistent Ethic of Life: Navigating Catholic Engagement with U.S. Politics, was published by Paulist Press in 2024.
Wednesday, October 21st, 6:30-8pm CST
In-person and on Zoom | Cost: $35
