Presbyterian Panel Summary

Peacemaking, International Conflict, and Related Issues
The May 2002 Survey

Just War and Terrorism

Just War

• Majorities view as just a war waged by the United States government to protect our country after foreign attack, to protect an allied country that is attacked, or to live up to treaty demands.

• Somewhat fewer panelists view as just a war begun to pre-emptively destroy weapons of mass destruction (members, 43%; pastors, 39%).

• Ministers are more likely than laity to view as just a war to protect human rights of people in another country (members, 33%; pastors, 56%), while the reverse is true for a war to protect U.S. economic interests abroad (members, 22%; pastors, 14%).

Terrorism and September 11

• Few think the U.S. campaign against terrorism is going very well (elders, 11%; specialized clergy, 6%). Most think it is going fairly well (74%; 54%).

• Almost all panelists are either greatly concerned (elders, 41%; specialized clergy, 36%) or somewhat concerned (51%; 54%) about the possibility of more major terrorist attacks in the United States.

• Large majorities in all samples think the events of September 11 have changed this country in a lasting way. While more think that change is for the better (elders, 48%) than for the worse (20%), a large number are not sure (31%).

Peacemaking in the Church

PC(USA) Peacemaking Program

• Around one in five ministers but only 1% of members and 4% of elders are very familiar with the PC(USA) Peacemaking Program. Overall, 44% of members, 57% of elders, and 98% of pastors have some level of familiarity with this program.

• Similarly, 78% of pastors but only 14% of members are aware that the Peacemaking Program has an office at the United Nations.

• Almost all pastors (96%) but only 28% of elders are aware of the "Commitment to Peacemaking," a tool through which sessions are asked to make a promise to do peacemaking by integrating it into the life and mission of their congregations.

• Of pastors aware of it, 46% report their congregation has adopted the "Commitment to Peacemaking."

• Most pastors are either very familiar (45%) or somewhat familiar (38%) with the resource "Seeking to Be Faithful Together: Guidelines for Presbyterians During Times of Disagreement."

• Among the 60% of pastors who report a conflict in their congregation in the last five years, a third report that "Seeking to Be Faithful" was used by the session in addressing the conflict, and 77% of those report the resource was of help in resolving the conflict.

Other Resources and Opportunities

• Four in ten pastors and one in seven elders report that their congregations have used a Bible study or other printed resource of the Presbyterian Peacemaking Program.

• A quarter of pastors report that a member of their congregation has attended a PC(USA) peacemaking conference, while half that many, 11%, report their congregation has hosted an International Peacemaker.

• 6% of members, 8% of elders, 24% of pastors, and 23% of specialized clergy have visited the Web site of the Peacemaking Program.

• Half of pastors, four in ten elders, and three in ten members recall that their congregations took the Peacemaking Offering in 2001.

• Three-fourths of these elders, pastors, and other clergy contributed to this offering, as did 64% of members who recall congregational participation.

• 79% of members and 62% of elders are not involved in congregational peacemaking activities. Only 1% and 2%, respectively, are very involved, and another 4% and 9%, generally involved.

• Most pastors (82%) report that their congregation's involvement in peacemaking since September 11 has stayed about the same, but of the rest, more report an increase (15%) than a decrease (<0.5%).

• Peacemaking activities, and the percentage of congregations that have had each one in the last two years, according to pastors, include:
  • Passing the peace, prayers for peace, other peace-related worship activities (90%)
  • Recycling, energy reduction, and other "making peace with the earth" activities (56%)
  • A study of international conflict (32%)
  • A study on peacemaking in the Bible (27%)
  • Teaching non-violent conflict-resolution skills to children and youth (27%).

Opinions on Peacemaking

Peacemaking and the Gospel

• At least 82% in every sample strongly agree or agree that peacemaking is a central declaration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

• Even larger numbers (members, 87%; pastors, 93%) strongly agree or agree that Christians are called to be peacemakers wherever they encounter brokenness and injustice.

• Three in four members, elders, and pastors, and 85% of specialized clergy, strongly agree or agree that it is important that peacemaking be central to the ministries of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) .

• Majorities (elders, 52%; pastors, 59%) strongly agree or agree that Presbyterian congregations need to be more involved in peacemaking.

• Few panelists (elders, 16%; pastors, 22%) strongly agree or agree that the PC(USA) devotes too much attention to peacemaking issues.

• Half of pastors report their congregations took part in an interfaith gathering over the last two years, including 40% who report participation in an interfaith worship service.

• Large majorities, ranging from 79% of members to 95% of specialized clergy, believe the peacemaking ministry of the PC(USA) should encourage and develop interfaith dialogue between Christians and followers of other religious groups.

• Most panelists (elders, 65%; specialized clergy, 85%) would like to see the PC(USA) take a more active role in providing news stories on war-torn areas of the world by collecting and disseminating information provided by our partner churches.

• Other possible church actions regarding armed conflict, and the percentage of elders and pastors who favor the PC(USA) taking them, include:
  • Praying for affected peoples (98%; 100%)
  • Encouraging humanitarian efforts (87%; 95%)
  • Advocating basic human rights (86%; 92%)
  • Supporting the peacemaking work of our partner churches in the area (76%; 82%)

• Only a minority of panelists favor the PC(USA) supporting the positions of the U.S. government in armed conflicts (elders, 38%; pastors, 14%). Most choose depends on the situation (55%; 81%).

• Most panelists (elders, 57%; specialized clergy, 86%) strongly disagree or disagree that the church should quit trying to influence the government on matters of war and peace.

• More members strongly disagree or disagree (40%) than strongly agree or agree (31%) that war is a necessary evil in an unjust world. Pastors split the other way-30% disagree; 49% agree.

• Most (82% or more) agree the church has a role in defending faith communities that are targets of hate crime.

International Issues

Middle East

• Large majorities favor a "two-state solution" in the Middle East, with both a state of Israel and a state of Palestine. That view is held by 71% of members, 72% of elders, 82% of pastors, and 92% of specialized clergy.

• Large but slightly smaller majorities favor a proposal to have Israel withdraw from occupied Arab lands in exchange for Arab nations recognizing Israel's right to exist as a nation.

• Panelists split on whether the U.S. should lessen its military support to Israel, Egypt, and other Middle East governments. A few more members strongly agree or agree (33%) than strongly disagree or disagree (31%), but large numbers are not sure (18%) or neither agree nor disagree (19%). Pastors and specialized clergy tilt by larger margins toward agreement on this issue.

• Similar results obtain for the issue of reducing U.S. military support to Colombia.

• Large majorities of 82% or more strongly agree or agree that the U.S. should do more to prevent nuclear bomb materials from the former Soviet Union getting into the hands of terrorists or rogue governments.

• Majorities, ranging from 55% of elders to 75% of specialized clergy, strongly agree or agree that it would be unwise for the U.S. to unilaterally back out of treaties that limit the testing of nuclear weapons.

• Among laity, more strongly agree or agree (elders, 34%) than strongly disagree or disagree (23%) that the potential long-run benefits of developing a missile defense shield for the U.S. outweigh any short-run problems from breaking the ABM Treaty with Russia. But many respond not sure (26%) or neither agree nor disagree (17%).

• Ministers lean the other way on the ABM Treaty question. For example, more pastors strongly disagree or disagree (48%) than strongly agree or agree (20%), although here also many respond not sure (15%) or neither agree nor disagree (17%).

	Members	Elders	Ordained Ministers<
Number of surveys mailed	898	945	1,299
Number returned	451	487	800*
Response rate	50%	51%	61%

*Of the 800 returned surveys, 623 came from pastors and 177 from specialized clergy.

For more numbers and interpretation of the May 2002 Presbyterian Panel results, a longer report with additional charts and graphs is available for $6. Contact PDS at (800) 524-2612 and order PDS# 65100-02273. It includes a data appendix with the percentage responses to each survey question separately for members, elders, pastors, and specialized clergy.

The last Presbyterian Panel on the topic of Peacemaking was conducted in November 1995. Results from that survey are also available on-line: November 1995 Peacemaking Survey

The Panel is administered by the Office of Research Services of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). Reach the Panel Administrator at: Jack Marcum