Should there be a separation?
The extent to which churches and their leaders should involve themselves in public policy matters has long been a topic of debate among Evangelicals, with a majority holding a consensus on only two issues they believe warrant significant attention: abortion and the public expression of faith. According to a recent report by Infinity Concepts titled “Evangelicals in The Public Arena,” the remainder of policy issues remains open to discussion. Interestingly, the report reveals that the more religious Evangelicals are, the more inclined they are to support public engagement by churches and church leaders on various issues.
Based on data collected from 1,039 Evangelical Protestants between late 2023 and early 2024, it was found that 54% of Evangelicals believe churches and church leaders should engage publicly on the topic of abortion, while 51% support their involvement in discussions regarding public expressions of faith.
Jason Yates, the CEO of My Faith Votes, emphasized the importance of Christians participating in the electoral process as a means to contribute positively to society. He framed voting as an opportunity to enact positive change, citing Galatians 6:10 to underscore the Christian duty to do good.
However, when presented with 11 different public policy issues, Evangelicals showed division regarding the extent to which churches and their leaders should engage publicly on them. While 22% of respondents preferred no public involvement from churches and leaders on any of the 11 issues, 78% supported public engagement on at least one issue. Furthermore, politically conservative Evangelicals were more likely to endorse active involvement by churches and church leaders across all 11 issues examined in the study.
The study categorized the 11 issues into religious, political, and social domains based on Evangelicals’ perceptions. While issues such as election integrity, gun laws, and free speech were predominantly viewed as political, topics like racial justice and transgenderism were seen as social issues. Abortion, however, was perceived as both a religious and social issue by a sizable portion of Evangelicals.
Additionally, the study revealed insights into the political leanings of Evangelical Protestants, with a majority identifying as politically conservative. Regardless of political affiliation, however, Evangelicals exhibited similar religious practices, such as prayer, church attendance, Bible study, and consumption of Christian media.
Moreover, the study highlighted the nuanced perspectives within the Evangelical community, noting differences in views between conservative and liberal Evangelicals. Despite these differences, both groups shared common beliefs regarding the sinfulness of certain behaviors, such as premarital sex and pornography. However, conservative Evangelicals tended to hold more negative views of liberals compared to the relatively limited sample of very liberal Evangelicals included in the study.