SojoMail - Make elections boring again

View this email in your browser By Betsy Shirley Editor in Chief, Sojourners Normal October things: The squirrels are decimating my neighbors’ decorative gourds. Grocery stores have questionable new pumpkin spice-ified products (pumpkin spice hummus? Umm, no).  And to mark the recent feast day of Saint Francis—the venerable befriender of animals and renouncer of wealth—my church just blessed a dozen dogs, an iguana, and one annoyed cat. Sorry, Louie.   Not normal October things: A president and his administration who, in advance of the upcoming midterms, seem all too willing to “abuse the power of the federal government to overturn the will of voters,” writes Adam Russell Taylor.  We need to take these threats seriously, Adam explains—not so that we become nervous balls of anxiety or harden into cynicism, but to live into our calling as Christians. While others spread lies, we want to be people of truth, who “do good; seek peace, and pursue it,” as the psalms say. And he offers three practical ways we can help ensure the upcoming elections remain safe, free, and fair.   A few more things you need to know this week:    A “good” execution is a myth: Death row inmate Christa Pike recently survived Tennessee’s attempt to execute her by lethal injection. The horrific aftermath shows what is often hidden from the public, writes Stacy Rector.  Three years of catastrophe: Artists, activists, writers, and theologians reflect on the deadly Oct. 7 attacks on Israel three years later—and the ongoing genocide in Gaza that has followed.    Oct. 11 is National Coming Out Day: But, as Georgia Coley writes, her own “coming out” felt more like “inviting in.”  Politics in the pulpit: As midterms near, pastors told Sojourners about their struggle to preach about politics faithfully, clearly, and without further fracturing the communities they serve.  Green behind the ears? The Bible spends a lot of time talking about training mentees and so does HBO’s Lanterns, writes Tyler Huckabee. But why is passing the torch so hard?  False profits: A new documentary takes a hard look at the truth behind the Christian music industry that created a reliable market by branding itself “safe for the whole family.”  How Christians Can Protect the Midterms From Trump’s Interference The headlines can be scary, but we're not powerless. Here are three ways Christians can help keep the midterms safe and fair. Read the full article Advertisement Community Notes Shortly after we published Georgia Coley’s piece, we got this note from a reader in Virginia:  Thank you for sharing this story and approach. I would like to share it with my PFLAG group, where coming out to extended family is a frequent topic, and coming out to “religious” family members is particularly fraught.— E. Fogarty  We love hearing what you do with the stories we write. Let us know when you’re forwarding something to a friend or a group, taking it to a Sunday School class, or adding it to your classroom syllabus — it gives us a better understanding of what’s resonating and how we’re helping you with our storytelling. Plus, it gives us warm, fuzzy feelings to read your emails. Our Latest Stories Tennessee’s Botched Executions Offer No Justice. No Execution Does (by Stacy Rector) Two recent botched executions have laid bare what we are doing in Tennessee in the name of justice. Read more Three Years After Oct. 7, Are There Any Words Left? (by Josiah R. Daniels) Artists, activists, writers, and theologians reflect on three years of catastrophe. Read more My “Coming Out” Felt More Like “Inviting In” (by Georgia Coley) For queer people, sharing our stories can be an invitation into a deeper relationship. Read more From the Magazine: Write the Vision, Make it Plain (by Ken Chitwood) How these pastors preach on politics in a divisive age. Read more Train Up a Green Lantern in the Way He Should Go (by Tyler Huckabee) ‘Lanterns’ is the first superhero show I've ever seen that got me thinking about mentorship and legacy. Why does passing the torch so often become a wrestling match? Read more A New Documentary Shows Why CCM Was Never Safe for the Whole Family (by Allison McClain Merrill) Former Contemporary Christian Music stars are sharing their experiences of the dark side of the industry in ‘Safe for the Whole Family.’ Read more Advertisements How Stories Shape Justice Movements with Margaret Atwood How do stories help us recognize injustice and remain hopeful enough to act? Join Margaret Atwood and Sojourners president Adam Russell Taylor on November 11 at 1 pm ET for a live conversation about faith, power, resistance, and the stories that can move us toward a more just future. Faith Overcomes Fear: Donate Today Authoritarianism relies on an exhausted, fearful public. But faith calls us to action. Give to Sojourners’ fall fundraising campaign to fuel investigative reporting and equip local churches with tools to defend democracy, protect vulnerable neighbors, and organize for justice. Make your tax-deductible gift today! Donate Subscribe Copyright © 2026 Sojourners. All rights reserved. 611 Pennsylvania Ave SE #342, Washington, DC 20003 Email: sojourners@sojo.net | Tel.: 202.328.8842