In this week's Brief: it's midterm season, the ads are everywhere, and this episode is a little different. Conner is joined by Dr. Mark Turman, host of Denison Forum's "Faith & Clarity" podcast, and Dr. Katie Frugé, director of the Christian Life Commission for the Baptist General Convention of Texas, for a special crossover episode. They start with the cynicism so many feel about politics — why it's often just misplaced hope, and why the government's frustratingly slow pace might actually be a feature, not a bug. From there, they walk through how to research candidates and ballot measures before stepping into the voting booth (yes, Conner found a way to work in a movie analogy) and talk through the tension between a candidate's character and their policies. Plus, they address growing doubts about election integrity, why the sheer scale of our system (and a lesson from Watergate) is actually reason for confidence, and a heated debate over whether stew is acceptable in July. Their encouragement: Christian hope has a better address than any ballot, so vote with discernment, not cynicism. Topics(0:00) Introduction(0:35) Culture Brief and Faith & Clarity crossover episode setup(2:02) Midterms and cynicism(8:37) Why government moves slow(13:46) Fear, anger, and invisible government(18:24) How to be an informed voter(28:20) Research candidates directly(30:56) Truthful witness in voting(34:16) Character versus policy(38:20) Election integrity concerns(46:24) How elections actually work(53:39) Responding to fraud claims(56:20) Get involved as poll monitor(56:51) Since You Asked: fall favorites(59:42) ConclusionResourcesSend us your thoughts, questions, and topic ideas: culturebrief@denisonforum.orgCulture Brief InstagramWatch on Youtube Sign-up for a Denison Forum newsletter: DenisonForum.org/subscribeAbout Conner JonesConner is the Managing Editor of Denison Forum, host of the Culture Brief podcast and author of the In The Know newsletter. He graduated from Dallas Baptist University in 2019 and has spent his career at the intersection of faith, culture, and current events. Outside the office, he can usually be found at the movies, watching sports, or traveling with his wife, Raigan, and their sons, Nolan and Nash. About Dr. Katie FrugéKatie Frugé, M.Div, Ph.D., serves over 5,000 Texas Baptist churches as the Director of the Christian Life Commission for the Baptist General Convention of Texas. In this role, she equips pastors and ministry leaders to navigate complex cultural, moral, and political issues with biblical faithfulness and pastoral wisdom. Specializing in the imago Dei and human dignity, Dr. Frugé's work addresses questions of human flourishing and faithful witness, informed by her personal journey as a stomach cancer survivor and parent to children with special needs. She is married to her college sweetheart; together they are raising three daughters in Fort Worth, Texas. About Dr. Mark TurmanDr. Mark Turman serves as the Executive Director of Denison Forum, where he leads with a passion for equipping believers to navigate today’s complex culture with biblical truth. He is best known as the host of the Faith & Clarity podcast and the lead pastor of the Possum Kingdom Lake Chapel, the in-person congregation of Denison Ministries. Dr. Turman is the coauthor of Sacred Sexuality: Reclaiming God’s Design and Who Am I? What the Bible Says About Identity and Why it Matters. He earned his undergraduate degree from Howard Payne University in Brownwood, Texas, and received his Master of Divinity degree from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth. He later completed his Doctor of Ministry degree at George W. Truett Theological Seminary at Baylor University in Waco. Before joining Denison Forum, Mark served as a pastor for thirty-five years, including twenty-five years as the founding pastor of Crosspoint Church in McKinney, Texas. Mark and his high school sweetheart, Judi, married in 1986. They are proud parents of two adult children and grandparents to three grandchildren. About Denison ForumDenison Forum exists to thoughtfully engage the issues of the day from a biblical perspective through The Daily Article email newsletter and podcast, the Faith & Clarity podcast, as well as many books and additional resources. All episodes are produced by Sound of a Rose. For more information, you can visit soundofarose.com.
