Sanna Wilber, a senior studying political science at Binghamton University–SUNY, was deeply impacted by her internship experience at the Center for Public Justice this summer.
Along with their assigned projects, CPJ interns participate in a weekly educational seminar—Public Justice 101—to learn the historical and theological foundations of a public justice perspective. Through this experience, Sanna gained a new framework for understanding politics—and she’s excited about it!
She shared,
“On my bus ride, I talked with a woman from California who was surprised to learn that there could be a combination of Christianity and politics that wasn’t Christian nationalism. She ended up googling CPJ, and even though she wasn’t a Christian, she was really excited by what we are doing! From creational norms to the different forms of principled pluralism, I now have a framework rooted in something greater than reactionary politics. I look forward to carrying the vision of Christian civic engagement and public justice into the years to come. I don’t want public justice to be just another concept among the rank and file theories of my educational career—I want to steward this knowledge and the ways the staff here at CPJ have poured into me.”
How often have you seen justice at work in your community?
Three years ago, I felt I had reached the end of my childhood faith. I was disillusioned by what I saw of Christians in politics, even as I felt called to pursue a career in that very sphere. The message I received from society was to conform my faith to one of two political parties. The message from my faith community was to avoid politics altogether, as it could be of no benefit to the Kingdom.
My departure from Christianity seemed imminent.
Yet I discovered CPJ’s mission when I stumbled upon a podcast in which Justin Bailey from Dordt University interviewed Stephanie Summers, CPJ’s CEO, about public justice. For the first time, I was offered another option,a vision of society where Christians are harbingers of peace, hope, and justice in the church, the marketplace, and yes, even in politics.
Listen to the podcast Sanna heard.
Through my internship, I saw how faith can inform politics for the good of all, while still upholding the separation of church and state. I learned the beauty of principled pluralism—that our differences are not a threat, but a reflection of God’s grace. At CPJ, I saw Christians working across divides to pursue the common good. It expanded my vision from fleeting, isolated acts of justice to a breathtaking example of the faithful joining together for flourishing.
Three years ago, I thought peace existed somewhere outside the faith of my childhood. Now I see that my childlike faith was actually sensing a deeper truth—that there must be another way beyond partisanship. Through learning about and witnessing principled pluralism, CPJ showed me that such faith can be the very force that transforms our public life. For that, I am deeply grateful and prayerfully expectant as I return to college, trusting that I will continue to witness and participate in advancing public justice in the years ahead.
Thank you for making my internship possible! Your generosity ensures that young leaders like me can encounter a different vision of Christian political engagement—one that resists partisanship and instead pursues justice for all through the love and grace of God.
