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Prominent pastor calls on Indy's faith leaders to step up

Posted at 8:51 PM, Aug 10, 2016
and last updated 2016-08-10 20:51:01-04

INDIANAPOLIS -- The Rev. William Barber returned to his native Indianapolis Wednesday to urge faith leaders to get more involved in the political process.

Barber is a prominent Protestant minister and activist who currently serves as the president of the North Carolina NAACP.

He told a room of Indianapolis faith leaders this week that now is the time to stand up and stand together.

"I work to conserve a divine tradition that teaches us to do justice, love mercy and walk humbly with our God," Barber said. "I saw to you tonight, some issues are not left versus right, liberal versus conservative – they are right versus wrong."

Barber said faith leaders need to get into the public square and bring their "deepest moral values" from their faith traditions and from the U.S. Constitution.

He says that starts with a look at poverty, injustice and racism.

Barber says he's urging a "moral revolution."

"Where the poor, the least, the left out, the hurting, people who have differences are all honored and respected as children of God, both in our rhetoric and in our policy," Barber said.