Evangelical Reverend Jim Wallis spoke of the nation's need for activism and called for a spiritual and faith-based movement concerning global poverty, climate change and the Iraq war in Rollins Chapel on Monday night.
"Kicked out" of his church at age 14 because of his rejection of racial divides within the faith, Wallis preached the importance both of questioning and of spirituality in approaching the world's most significant challenges.
"The great revivals and great movements throughout history have been rooted in people of faith and spirituality," he said. "We need one now."
Wallis promoted the need for a social movement that can "change the winds" of politics, especially in this upcoming election. He argued that "religion in politics has been abused by the right and ignored by the left," and that this must be changed.
As a professor of religion at Harvard University and a traveling activist, Wallis has seen the "new generation" -- which he identifies as current college and high school students -- begin to jumpstart a political movement through faith-based groups at different high schools and universities.
Wallis likened his vision for contemporary faith-based activism to that of the 1960s, but said that he felt today's would rely more on faith. In his speech, Wallis invoked religion, not as a topic to be discussed in politics, but as a forum through which people can help begin a movement concerning the more important global issues of our time.
Wallis said that the American people should not focus political debate on the religious arguments that are currently taking over the media, but instead on issues regarding global well-being.
"Gay marriage and abortion are not the issues that need to be addressed in politics today," he said.
Like his teenage self, Wallis the professor took issue with what he sees as popular culture's views of Christian morality.
He argued that "politics are failing to address the moral issues of our time, such as global poverty, genocide and global warming, a crisis of biblical proportions."
Wallis said that he thought faith should be philanthropic, not political.
"God is not a Republican or a Democrat," he said. "God being on one side or another is silly. People of faith are not a political party and should be the swing vote."
Citing the importance of the N.H. presidential primary, Wallis called on N.H. residents to play a defining role in redirecting the nation's political priorities.
To make this election count, Wallis told audience members that the state must show that it cares not about abortion and gay rights but about issues that he thinks are more important to the global community, such as poverty and war. Sending that message, Wallis argued, could ripple through the country's political climate.
If people start the movement, politicians will follow, Wallis said. And on senators: "They are the men who lick their fingers and stick them in the air to determine which way the wind is blowing."