As followers of Jesus committed to praying for the peace of Jerusalem (Psalm 122:6) and pursuing reconciliation in the Middle East, the Alliance for the Peace of Jerusalem affirms a foundational conviction: Political violence is not only morally wrong but also counterproductive to our mission of peace and reconciliation. Recent trends in political violence underscore just why we must stand firmly against any notion that violence is necessary to achieve social or political change.
A Disturbing Shift in Political Culture
A recent poll conducted by the Edelman Trust Institute in January 2025—consisting of over 33,000 respondents from multiple generations across 28 countries—found that an alarming proclivity to political violence is becoming increasingly mainstream among the younger generations. The results showed that 53 percent of those ages 18–34 view hostile “activism” as an acceptable means of bringing about social change—this includes committing or threatening violence, damaging property, attacking people online, and spreading misinformation.1
Another poll from September 2025 by the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE) discovered that a record 34 percent of American college students now believe it is acceptable to use violence to stop a speaker. This is an increase from 20 percent of students in 2020, and is roughly consistent across political party affiliation, including Democrats, Republicans, and independents.2 What was once an isolated fringe view commonly held by the far left has now become a normalized—but disturbing—mainstream narrative among young adults across the political spectrum.
In a recent article, author Virgil Walker from the Standing for Freedom Center at Liberty University traces a string of alarming events: death threats, doxxing, threats toward public figures, and assassination attempts. The underlying ideology, Walker argues, is a worldview that divides people into “oppressors” and “oppressed,” sanctifies certain political ideals, and justifies violence to achieve them. In this framework, opponents are dehumanized, and violence becomes not just permissible, but virtuous.3 While Walker is referring to the political left, these trends occur across the political spectrum.
Why We Reject Violence
In our purpose statement at the Alliance, we have a list of affirmations and denials. In one of our denials, we strongly oppose suicide bombings and acts of terrorism; we do not see them as heroic or appropriate for followers of Jesus. We maintain that support for terrorism is immoral and counterproductive to the pursuit of authentic peace, justice, and reconciliation (Psalm 34:14; 33:5; Isaiah 61:8; Romans 12:17; 2 Peter 3:9).4
Several key reasons drive our rejection of violence:
- Murder Is Wrong. The sixth commandment reads, “You shall not murder” (Exodus 20:13). To take the life of one’s political opponent is clearly against God’s commands. Walker also echoes this in his article, saying that political violence is the fruit of hearts at war with God.5
- The Dignity of Every Human Being. Modern ideologies that justify violence often rest on dehumanizing rhetoric, like portraying political opponents as fascist or evil. Even when we disagree profoundly with our opponents, we reject political violence because we affirm that every person bears God’s image (Genesis 1:27).
- The Role of the Government. Scripture teaches us that personal vengeance and violence is wrong (Proverbs 20:22; Romans 12:19). We refuse to return evil for evil. Instead, the Lord has set up governing authorities to punish wrongdoers: “[A ruler] does not bear the sword for nothing; for it is a minister of God, an avenger who brings wrath on the one who practices evil” (Romans 13:4). We trust God and the institution He has set up to quell evil.6
- Long-Term Consequences of Violence. Violence begets violence. History has shown us that when assassination is celebrated and when human beings are dehumanized, society accelerates toward breakdown instead of reconciliation.7
- The Spiritual Battle. We understand that we are fighting a spiritual battle “not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places” (Ephesians 6:12). Therefore, prayer—not violence—is our most effective tool when battling spiritual enemies and evil ideas.
- Our Role as Peacemakers. Historically, believers have been a restraining force against political violence.8 In our advocacy for peace in the Middle East, we seek to change minds—not through violence, but through rational arguments, advocacy, and highlighting—showing from Scripture God’s unchanging, eternal covenant with the Jewish people, Israel’s divine deed to the land, God’s love for all people in the Middle East, and the promise of the coming of the Prince of Peace who will bring true and lasting peace.
The Alliance’s purpose statement, in obedience to Scripture, calls believers to be “faithful in prayer” (Romans 12:12; Ephesians 6:10–18) and to “speak the truth in love” (Ephesians 4:15). We are to engage others with compassion, honesty, hope, and the truth of Scripture—not through bombs or threats. Though the notion that violence is necessary for social change is becoming normalized, we at the Alliance reject this narrative and embrace a higher standard: to love our neighbor, to value every human life, to change minds through reason and Scripture, and to trust in the Lord of peace. We refuse to align ourselves with ideologies that glorify political violence.
Instead, we commit ourselves to the patient, prayerful work of reconciliation. We are confident that the gospel, not political violence, is the most effective and enduring path to true peace in Jerusalem and throughout the nations. May we, as Messiah’s body, courageously stand for truth, seek peace, speak in love, and pursue justice, never resorting to the use of terror against our opponents.
by Jennifer Miles
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1 “2025 Edelman Trust Barometer Reveals High Level of Grievance Towards Government, Business and the Rich: Violence and Disinformation Now Seen as Legitimate Tools for Change,” Edelman Trust Institute, January 22, 2025, accessed November 21, 2025, https://www.edelman.com/news-awards/2025-edelman-trust-barometer-reveals-high-level-grievance.
2 Ryne Weiss and Chapin Lenthall-Cleary, “Student Acceptance of Violence in Response to Speech Hits a Record High,” Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression, September 12, 2025, https://www.thefire.org/news/student-acceptance-violence-response-speech-hits-record-high#:~:text=September%2012%2C%202025,better%20—%20everyone%20else%20got%20worse.
3 Virgil Walker, “When Activism Turns Lethal: The Left’s Violence Problem,” Standing for Freedom, October 14, 2025, https://www.standingforfreedom.com/2025/10/14/when-activism-turns-lethal-the-lefts-violence-problem/.
4 “Statement,” Alliance for the Peace of Jerusalem, accessed November 23, 2025, https://allianceforthepeaceofjerusalem.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/APJ-Statement-Formatted-Final.pdf.
5 Walker, “When Activism Turns Lethal: The Left’s Violence Problem.”
6 There are, however, instances where it is morally right to stand up against evil governing authorities, such as when Christians like Dietrich Bonhoeffer fought against the evil rule of the Nazi regime. As Christian author Doug Goodin points out, “The Bible also spells out that earthly powers are given to reward the good and punish evildoers (Romans 13:4). As such, it loses its legitimacy in exercising power once it transgresses those restraints. It is now in opposition to God’s will as opposed to being obedient to it. On the other hand, their appointment is by God otherwise they would not have that authority in the first place. So we should honor them as they are doing their legitimately appointed duties. Resistance to that authority should not be done for light or transient reasons.” R. H. Bryant, “Dietrich Bonhoeffer and the Christian Use of Force,” Cross to Crown Ministries, February 3, 2021, https://crosstocrown.org/dietrich-bonhoeffer-and-the-christian-use-of-force/
7 Walker, “When Activism Turns Lethal: The Left’s Violence Problem.”
8 Walker, “When Activism Turns Lethal: The Left’s Violence Problem.”
