White Horse Inn How Instagram and TiKTok Are Replacing the Church
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Mar 8, 2026 Mary Van Weelden, content manager at Sola Media with dual masters in biblical and theological studies, explores how Instagram and TikTok shape women's beliefs. She maps online movements like trad-wife and deconstruction. She discusses what teen girls encounter, why short-form theology appeals, and the need for local church care and more trained women teachers.
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Algorithms Are Replacing Pastoral Gatekeeping
- Social media algorithms amplify whatever users already watch, shaping women's theological intake without truth filters.
- Mary Van Weelden notes feeds serve content based on engagement, so untrained creators can become primary catechists for women instead of pastors.
Women Seek Practical Relational Theology
- Women seek theology that addresses relational, daily-life struggles rather than abstract nitty-gritty topics.
- Mary explains busy caretaking rhythms make short, applied theology on Instagram/TikTok feel more relevant and accessible than many church offerings.
Trad Wife Turns Good Practices Into Law
- The 'trad wife' trend repackages common-grace domestic practices into prescriptive Christian law.
- Mary warns sourdough, homeschooling, and homemaking virtues become burdens when declared the sole biblical standard for women.
