Carrie Sheffield grew up in a cult. By the time she graduated from high school, Sheffield had attended 17 public schools and been homeschooled. Her father, who believed he was a Mormon prophet destined to become president, passed his trauma down to his children. Sheffield was no exception—she’s been hospitalized nine times for depression, fibromyalgia, suicidal ideation, and PTSD.
Because of her upbringing, Sheffield was closed off to religion for years. She built a career in political journalism and earned material wealth far beyond what she could have dreamed of as a girl living in a shed in the Ozarks. But while her life appeared successful, Sheffield was entering an existential crisis. The chaos of the 2016 election was a tipping point.
Unsure what to do, Sheffield began attending church services and Bible studies. She found real engagement with her anger at organized religion in the thoughtful, intellectual approach of the late Tim Keller. And, eventually, she found a home in the Episcopal Church.
“More than six years since my baptism, I enjoy a healthier relationship to politics,” writes Sheffield at CT. “I still have strong convictions, which I don’t hesitate to share in columns, speeches, or TV appearances, but I know God is far bigger than any puny manmade system.”
As another sure-to-be-volatile election cycle draws closer, may we take Sheffield’s story to heart. While politics has its place and importance, there is one thing it will never do—provide rest for our souls. For that, we can look only to Christ, who longs to heal every broken part of our stories.
