3 Ways Churches Can Help Prevent a Second American Civil War

It’s worse than you think.

Much worse.

Before we begin, however, I want to apologize for the inflammatory nature of this article’s title. I’m not, typically, an alarmist or prone to hyperbole. I’d charitably describe my disposition as “cautious optimism.”

Many may dismiss the central idea in this article as “irresponsible,” “needlessly inflammatory,” and “implausible.” To be honest, I actually hope that turns out to be the case.

But, in the time it takes you to read this article, I aim to convince you that — while not inevitable — the looming threat of a Second American Civil War is legitimate, and pastors may play a surprisingly pivotal role in the battle for our nation’s future.

The Likelihood of a Second American Civil War

The phrase “America has never been more polarized since the beginning of the Civil War” has become overused to the point of cliche, and I fear our over-familiarity with the sentiment has numbed us to its terrifying real-world implications.

For the record, the United States is probably not on track for a sequel to the nation-shattering conflict that left over 620,000 Americans dead between 1861 and 1865. And thankfully, most American…