Press Release
Religion & Ethics Newsweekly - "2008 Campaign: Young Evangelicals"
2008 Campaign: Young Evangelicals
Cover Story, Original Broadcast Date: October 31, 2008 (Show #1209):
Evangelicals are the single biggest bloc of religious voters. For more than 20 years, they've largely focused on two main issues -- abortion and the traditional family. And they have overwhelmingly voted Republican. But significant generational changes in the political and social views of young evangelicals could have ramifications for the American political landscape. In the conclusion of a special two-part series based on a new national joint survey for RELIGION & ETHICS NEWSWEEKLY and the UN Foundation, Kim Lawton explores young evangelicals' views on politics and the world. "Young people today are passionate. They see problems in the world around them and they have compassion," says 20-year-old Brett Harris, a student at the conservative Christian college Patrick Henry in Virginia, "And sometimes they have creative solutions . . . . Conservatism speaks to the environment, conservatism speaks to AIDS orphans in Africa, and it speaks to health care and education . . . and I think the understanding is, issues are not political. Solutions are political."
Featured (in alphabetical order):
Bjorn Amundson
Emily Daher
Anna Greenberg, Greenberg Quinlan Rosner Research
Alex Harris, Co-Author "Do Hard Things"
Brett Harris, Co-Author "Do Hard Things"
Julie Kurtz
Caitlin Macintyre, Soul Force Q
Jonathan Merritt, Southern Baptist Environment and Climate Initiative
Ben Myrick
Evangelicals are the single biggest bloc of religious voters. For more than 20 years, they've largely focused on two main issues -- abortion and the traditional family. And they have overwhelmingly voted Republican. But significant generational changes in the political and social views of young evangelicals could have ramifications for the American political landscape. In the conclusion of a special two-part series based on a new national joint survey for RELIGION & ETHICS NEWSWEEKLY and the UN Foundation, Kim Lawton explores young evangelicals' views on politics and the world. "Young people today are passionate. They see problems in the world around them and they have compassion," says 20-year-old Brett Harris, a student at the conservative Christian college Patrick Henry in Virginia, "And sometimes they have creative solutions . . . . Conservatism speaks to the environment, conservatism speaks to AIDS orphans in Africa, and it speaks to health care and education . . . and I think the understanding is, issues are not political. Solutions are political."
Featured (in alphabetical order):
Bjorn Amundson
Emily Daher
Anna Greenberg, Greenberg Quinlan Rosner Research
Alex Harris, Co-Author "Do Hard Things"
Brett Harris, Co-Author "Do Hard Things"
Julie Kurtz
Caitlin Macintyre, Soul Force Q
Jonathan Merritt, Southern Baptist Environment and Climate Initiative
Ben Myrick