Some young religious voters focus on social justice
April 25, 2008
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April 25, 2008
Beau Underwood is putting his faith in politics. He's a 22-year-old at the University of Chicago Divinity School, an active member of the Disciples of Christ and - in his spare time - he's showing candidates that the path to political righteousness doesn't always veer right.
Underwood and a growing number of other young, left-leaning believers are entering the political arena as campaign aides, lobbyists, grass-root activists and engaged voters. They are trying to expand the focus of faith-based politics beyond the religious right's hot-button issues of abortion and gay marriage. And they are placing social justice issues, like poverty and war, at the intersection of their moral and political decision making.
"The religious voice in politics is not one unified voice," said Underwood, a self-described moderate who has worked as an aide on several Democratic local and congressional campaigns in his home state of Illinois.
"There are times when the media paints a very narrow picture of the religiously minded voter as being very conservative and fundamentalist," Underwood said. "People and groups who don't fit that stereotype aren't given the same amount of attention."
But this election year the tide may be turning. Liberal, religious voters are making their voices heard. And the youngest voices are often the loudest, as a new generation of believers begins to reshape the public discourse on faith in America.
