Dr. Edgar discussed how he has spent his political career advocating progressive issues on behalf of people of faith. His book argues that the religious right has effectively utilized political tools, as well as both traditional and modern media outlets, to dictate the definition of morality to the American people. The talk focused on responding by reframing issues where religion and politics intersect to focus on universal moral imperatives, such as fighting extreme poverty and global warming, rather than abortion, gay marriage, and other issues of “personal piety.”

While Dr. Edgar makes a compelling case for progressive morality, and is an inspirational voice for both religious leaders and Americans of faith, his speech left me wondering how we appeal to the vast population of Americans who are unconnected, or at least not politically motivated by, concepts of faith and religion. As a college student, I constantly encounter young people from across the political spectrum who are simply uninspired by or disinterested in organized religion. While Middle Church may be an effective call to action for the American faithful majority, we must not forget about our allies in the non-religious community as we work to end global poverty, stop global climate change, and promote non-violent conflict resolution.