It’s tempting, amid a flurry of recent cultural wins, to think we’re finally turning the tide. From the Olympic Committee reaffirming the integrity of women’s sports, to the University of Pennsylvania issuing an apology and legal settlement over its transgender policy, to major corporations quietly dismantling DEI initiatives, many are calling it a “vibe shift.” But we’d be mistaken to spike the football too early.
Kristen Waggoner, CEO of Alliance Defending Freedom, recently made a crucial observation. Many of the legal victories we’re celebrating are merely defensive maneuvers. They’re important, but they are not the same as real, enduring cultural change. A “vibe shift” may reflect a change in public mood, but that’s not the same as building a culture where objective truth and virtue essential to human flourishing are once again honored.
Consider this: Thanks to the Mahmoud Supreme Court case in Maryland, parents in all states now have the legal right to opt their children out of radical gender ideology in public schools. But the harmful, sexually explicit material is still there. Thanks to the Skrmetti decision, all states can now protect children from chemical and physical mutilation. But many others continue to allow it. Thanks to the Medina decision, all states can now remove Planned Parenthood from Medicaid funding. But the abortion giant still profits by ending thousands of unborn lives in many states, including Maryland. The abortion pill reversal exists, but more than 60% of abortions now happen via chemical means, often purchased on the internet, and too often without proper medical supervision.
We must celebrate the wins. But more importantly, we must not lose sight of the goal and press forward. What we need is not just courtroom victories or public policy tweaks. What we need is deep-rooted cultural change. And that requires three long-term commitments.
First, we must re-articulate the beauty and truth of the Judeo-Christian worldview
Many Americans, including many Christians, don’t understand or can’t explain the foundational beliefs that have shaped the best of Western civilization. Biblical truths aren’t just good theology; they’re good for people, families, and societies. They bring human flourishing.
The IRS’s recent clarification that religious leaders may speak freely on political matters should embolden more pastors to proclaim these timeless truths, even when they’re culturally unpopular. Leaders can take inspiration from Nike’s recent ad featuring golfer Scottie Scheffler. The message? His greatest victory isn’t a trophy — it’s being a married husband and father. That’s the kind of narrative shift we need: one that celebrates faithfulness, family, and virtue, and makes it the norm once again.
Second, we must recommit to engaging culture-shaping institutions
Too often, conservatives and Christians have abandoned the institutions of cultural influence and formation — elite academia, the arts, journalism, and corporate boardrooms. We’ve settled for critique from the sidelines, when what’s needed is courageous leadership from within. But if we want long-term influence and cultural transformation, we must raise up and support men and women who can thoughtfully engage these spaces with effectiveness and conviction.
As UVA sociologist James Davison Hunter argues, culture changes through the elite institutions that transmit and amplify ideas. That truth hit home this summer when a friend’s son, a student at a top Baltimore prep school, told me he would be disciplined simply for expressing a traditional Christian belief about sexuality in class. If elite institutions won’t even allow objective truth to be spoken, they will never allow it to shape the culture, and until that changes, neither will the culture.
We must continue the work to change that.
Third, we must embrace a long-term perspective
Cultural renewal does not happen overnight. It’s not a sprint, nor even a marathon. It’s more like planting an orchard: it takes time, patience, and faithfulness across generations.
At the Maryland Family Institute, we are fully aware that we’re operating in a state where the so-called “vibe shift” is often met with fierce resistance. But that doesn’t discourage us — it clarifies our mission. We are committed to the slow and steady work of rebuilding a Maryland, and the nation, where God is honored, life is cherished, families flourish, and religious freedom thrives.
It’s not easy. But if we confuse short-term political wins and social media slogans with long-term transformation, we risk building castles on sand. Now is not the time to relax. It’s time to double down. Let’s recommit to the long game — one that spans generations, stands firm in objective truth, and sows seeds for a harvest our children and grandchildren can reap.
The goal isn’t just to win arguments or elections, it’s to win hearts, form consciences, and build a culture that reflects the goodness and beauty of the objective truths that lead to human flourishing.
Jeffrey S. Trimbath serves as President of the Maryland Family Institute and is a resident of Anne Arundel County Maryland. Learn more at www.marylandfamily.org.
