At its semiannual meeting on October 5, the Board of Directors of the National Association of Evangelicals (NAE) affirmed the value of representative democracy and highlighted challenges that need to be addressed in the United States. “Today our democracy faces threats as the quality and tenor of political discourse continues to coarsen, increasingly untethered from a shared factual basis,” the resolution states.
“As public discourse has declined, trust in our institutions, leaders and even the rule of law has reached a dangerous low,” said NAE President Walter Kim. “This trust breakdown leads to a fragile society, not a flourishing one. As church leaders, we have played a role in this crisis by what we have done and left undone, and we resolve to advocate and demonstrate a positive, biblical vision for our common life together.”
The resolution states, “The Bible teaches that government, though marred by sin, is a blessing from God for the common good (Romans 13:1–7, 1 Peter 2:13–14, Psalm 72:1–4) …. While we affirm that God can work for his purposes through all forms of political organization, we believe that representative democracy offers the best potential for honoring the fact that every individual is made in the image of God (Genesis 1:27–28).”
The resolution commends the NAE publication, “For the Health of the Nation,” as a critical resource for churches, schools and citizens to cultivate thoughtful civic engagement among Christians. “We urge congregations to facilitate discussions in their small groups and adult education classes. We encourage schools to incorporate this resource into their curriculum,” the resolution states.
“In these deeply polarized times, we want to point to Jesus who, as Ephesians 2:14 says, is himself our peace and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility,” Kim said. “We are not fearful at the state of our democracy, but we are deeply concerned, especially as we seek to protect the vulnerable people in our communities who are most impacted by unstable societies. We pray diligently for our leaders and our nation in this crucial moment.”