In today’s political climate, often marked by cynicism and despair, CPJ’s Ink & Impact gathering is designed to help Christian emerging leaders become messengers of hope. In a world dominated by digital distractions that prize clickability and shock value over depth, Ink & Impact develops writers who can articulate complex political topics in an approachable, nuanced way to inform the public.
In January 2026, 17 writers gathered at CPJ’s offices in Alexandria, VA, just a stone’s throw from Washington, DC, for the inaugural gathering. Attendees participated in workshops, attended lectures, and built meaningful friendships with fellow writers.
Since the conference, these writers have developed their own articles, on a policy issue of their choosing. We are thrilled to share their work with you in the coming weeks!
Dr. Vince Bacote is a Professor of Theology and the Director of the Center for Applied Christian Ethics at Wheaton College in Wheaton, IL. He is the author of Reckoning with Race and Performing the Good News: In Search of a Better Evangelical Theology (2020), The Political Disciple: A Theology of Public Life (2015), The Spirit in Public Theology: Appropriating the Legacy of Abraham Kuyper (2005), and has contributed to books including On Kuyper (2013), Aliens in the Promised Land (2013), Keep Your Head Up (2012) and Prophetic Evangelicals (2012). He is a regular columnist for Comment Magazine and contributes to other magazines, including Books and Culture, Christianity Today, Think Christian and re:generation quarterly, and journals such as Christian Scholars Review, Urban Mission and the Journal for Christian Theological Research. He is a member of the Evangelical Theological Society and the Society of Christian Ethics and resides in the Chicago area with his family.
Kaitlyn Schiess is an author, speaker, and perpetual theology student. She is the author of The Ballot and the Bible: How Scripture has been Used and Abused in American Politics and Where We Go from Here (Brazos, 2023) and The Liturgy of Politics: Spiritual Formation for the Sake of Our Neighbor (IVP, 2020). Her writing has appeared at Christianity Today, The New York Times, Christ and Pop Culture, RELEVANT, and Sojourner. She is a co-host and Senior Editor of the Holy Post podcast and the host of Curiously, Kaitlyn. She has a ThM in systematic theology from Dallas Theological Seminary and is currently a doctoral student in political theology at Duke Divinity School. She lives in Wheaton, Illinois.
Kate Schmidgall is founder and director of BitterSweet, a community of conviction-serious, risk-inclined creatives who create for flourishing with a vision to see global humanity brightened. BitterSweet story teams listen to and learn from people creating hope and healing in every context imaginable, usually in the midst of great hardship and suffering. With 20 years of experience serving clients in design and creative strategy, Kate thrives with a problem to solve and enjoys guiding teams through the creative process. She has consulted for global NGOs, nonprofits, and innumerable companies looking to evolve their storytelling and brand. She was named Young Entrepreneur of the Year in 2014 by D.C. Chamber of Commerce and holds an executive certificate from UC Berkeley in Artificial Intelligence: Business Strategies and Applications. Kate and her husband David are based in Washington, D.C.
Michael Wear is the Founder, President and CEO of the Center for Christianity and Public Life, a nonpartisan, nonprofit institution based in the nation’s capital with the mission to contend for the credibility of Christian resources in public life, for the public good. For well over a decade, he has served as a trusted resource and advisor for a range of civic leaders on matters of faith and public life, including as a White House and presidential campaign staffer. Michael is a leading voice on building a healthy civic pluralism in twenty-first century America. He has argued that the spiritual health and civic character of individuals is deeply tied to the state of our politics and public affairs.
