Citing the Bible, Sen. Bernie Sanders will tell thousands of conservative Christian students at Liberty University on Monday that while they’ll never agree on social issues, “maybe, just maybe” they’ll find common cause on income inequality.
The Democratic presidential contender is venturing onto traditionally Republican territory — the evangelical university founded by the late Rev. Jerry Falwell — in hopes of converting some new admirers.
He’ll acknowledge their differences on abortion and same-sex marriage, saying he knows that those “are very important to you and that we disagree on those issues,” according to excerpts of his remarks provided by his campaign.
“But let me respectfully suggest that there are other issues out there that are of enormous consequence to our country and the world and that maybe, just maybe, we don’t disagree on them. And maybe, just maybe, we can work together in trying to resolve them,” Sanders will say.
“It would, I think, be hard for anyone in this room to make the case that the United States today is a just society or anything close to a just society. In America today, there is massive injustice in terms of income and wealth inequality. Injustice is rampant.”
Sanders will point to the pooling of income growth among top earners at a time of high childhood poverty and lower wages, and without paid family and medical leave.
He’ll cite Matthew 7:12 — or “the Golden Rule. Do to others what you would have them do to you. Not very complicated.”
The self-described socialist from Vermont will even offer praise for the Lynchburg, Virginia, school, which earlier this year hosted Texas Sen. Ted Cruz’s entrance into the Republican presidential race.
Founded in 1971, Liberty is the largest private nonprofit university in the United States. It bans sexual relations outside marriage and asks faculty members to affirm their Christian beliefs.
“Liberty University is a religious school. It is a school which tries to understand the meaning of morality and the words of the Bible within the context of a very complicated modern world. It is a school which tries to teach its students how to behave with decency and honesty and how to best relate to their fellow human beings,” Sanders plans to say. “I applaud those goals.”
