“If you want to influence the world, you cannot do that from a position of routine,” said nationally acclaimed radio talk show host Hugh Hewitt to audience members in Sutherland Auditorium on Tuesday night.
Hewitt, speaking at an event hosted by AS called “In, But Not Of,” discussed opportunities for Christians in the political sphere. Hewitt gave advice for college students ready to enter the public arena and answered questions from listeners on related topics.
“If you want to influence the culture, you cannot take a day off,” he said.
Hewitt provided listeners with ten practical tips for finding success in the politics, two of which included moving to the cultural centers of the country like New York, Washington D.C. or Los Angeles and joining a national political campaign.
“There is so much anti-Christian thought in the political arena,” said sophomore Carolyn Caldwell, who attended the event because of her interest in local politics. “It’s nice to see that there are Christians who are making a difference.”
According to a 2008 survey performed by Pew Research Center, which studies the relation of politics and religion in America, 52 percent of Americans agree that churches should withhold their views regarding politics and government.
“Either a pastor or a politician be. You can’t be both,” Hewitt said. “On the other hand, politicians can have a great deal of impact on the religious freedom that allows missionaries to prosper.”
In Hewitt’s opinion, Christians willing to enter politics have a great opportunity to affect the world for Christ.
Hewitt advocated setting long term goals for oneself while using flexible everyday tactics to reach them. One tactic, very applicable for Biolans, is to push outside the bubble.
“We all live in bubbles,” he said. “Always keep in mind that there is a bubble that you’ve got to push out through, and there’s an amazing, extraordinary set of experiences out there.”
Hugh Hewitt, best known by the public as the host of the nationally syndicated radio talk-show, the Hugh Hewitt Show, has authored many books including “In But, Not Of,” which gives advice for Christians interested in politics. Hewitt graduated from Harvard University in 1978 with a B.A. in government and later earned a degree in law from the University of Michigan.
Hewitt regularly conducts interviews with government officials on his talk show and provides commentary of current events on his blog at HughHewitt.com.
