The repercussions of the horrific terror attacks in Paris last week appeared to have divided the ranks of the evangelicals.
Some believe the terror attacks were a clear sign that Islam is now at war with the world. For others, however, peace must be upheld above all things, according to Charisma News,
French President Francois Hollande described the Nov. 13 attacks as "an act of war" after the terrorists sent by the Islamic State (ISIS) killed 129 innocent people and wounded hundreds more.
Reverend Franklin Graham, head of Samaritan's Purse and son of legendary evangelist Billy Graham, could not agree more. He wrote on Twitter: "Islam is at war with us — we've witnessed its evil face firsthand over and over."
This sentiment is echoed by Trevin Wax of The Gospel Project. In an online commentary, he wrote: "We are in a war. An unconventional war, of course, but a war nonetheless. When future generations look back in time, let us hope they will see that we met these challenges with courage, not fear."
However, some evangelicals believe that the thought of waging "war against Islam" is just plain wrong.
"We need to be more radical than ever fighting for peace," said Andrew White, author of "The Vicar of Baghdad" and president of the Foundation for Relief and Reconciliation in the Middle East. His goddaughter was actually in Paris when the attacks occurred, but thankfully, she was safe.
White believes that the world should not be distracted by the Paris terror attacks and should also be mindful of the other tragic occurrences in the other parts of the world. "We obviously heard about the terrible attacks in Lebanon and Paris, but the huge attack on Baghdad never even got mentioned and over 20 people were killed," he said.
Meanwhile, Chris Seiple of the Institute for Global Engagement called for the inclusion of U.S. troops in a Sunni-led rapid reaction force to establish a safe haven in the Nineveh Plains in northwestern Iraq for Christians and other religious minorities.
"Such a safe haven would not only protect minorities (among which are Sunni), stemming the refugee flow. The safe haven would (also) delegitimise the (theological) identity of ISIS, which attracts global wannabes through its military success pursuant to a territory-based caliphate," he said.
However, other evangelicals such as Mae Elise Cannon, author and former Willow Creek Church staff member, said military presence is not the answer and people should focus instead on investing in local refugee aid organisations.
"The allied bombing campaigns have had devastating effects on civilian populations, who are viewed as collateral damage, while only further motivating ISIS and terrorist recruitment," she said. "As Christ followers, we absolutely should be bold and courageous in our speaking of truth, but we also should pursue a sacrificial love that will compel others to want to follow the Lord of the universe."
