Hats off to Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders.

Earlier this week, the U.S. senator from Vermont went into the proverbial lion’s den of religious fundamentalists at the late Rev. Jerry Falwell’s ultraconservative Liberty University in Lynchburg. And like Daniel in the Bible, he came out unscathed.

In fact, he apparently gained the respect — if not the votes — of many students at the college.

In speaking Monday to a convocation of 12,000 people, Sen. Sanders didn’t try to hide or downplay the political and religious beliefs that peg him as the most progressive candidate in the 2016 presidential contest.

In fact, he described himself as a “not particularly religious socialist’ — he is a non-practicing Jew — who supports same-sex marriage and a woman’s right to choose an abortion.

“I understand that the issues of abortion and gay marriage are issues you feel very strongly about,” Sen. Sanders told the gathering. “We disagree on those issues.

“But let me suggest that there are other issues out there that are of enormous consequence to our country and the entire world that maybe, just maybe, we do not disagree on,” he said.

That common ground? The desire to work for a more just world, he told the students.

Based on Jesus’ golden rule from Scripture and the prophet Amos’ warning against injustice, he said it would be “hard to make a case that (America is) a just society.”

“How can we talk about justice when we turn our backs on the children of our country?” he asked, noting that 20 percent of all American children — and 40 percent of African-American youngsters — live in poverty.

He talked about other justice issues, including “the grotesque level of income and wealth inequality in our country, the collapse of the middle class, the high level of childhood poverty and climate change.”

We see a stark difference between Sen. Sanders and many of the other presidential hopefuls, particularly the GOP candidates. It is this: He speaks to people and about people whose views differ from his with respect instead of derision and ad hominem attacks. At Liberty University, where U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz chose to launch his GOP presidential campaign last March, Sen. Sanders was unafraid to step into the gap that divided him religiously and politically from his audience. And he started building bridges from a place of respect.

Would we get that from a President Trump?

It’s doubtful.

What the nation needs now is someone interested in finding common ground, without caving, without pandering, without disrespect, while maintaining the strength of his or her own beliefs and self-respect.

Sen. Sanders is looking better and better.