A new report from the 2026 American Values Survey, conducted by the Public Religion Research Institute (PRRI), suggests that American views on empathy are increasingly split along religious lines. The data indicates that white evangelical Protestants are the only major religious demographic in the United States where a majority agrees that empathy can become dangerous if it distracts from a society guided by 'God's truth.'

This finding arrives during what some observers describe as a period of internal tension within American Christianity regarding the application of empathy in social and political spheres. The debate has moved beyond theological circles into broader cultural discourse, with various conservative figures—including evangelical leaders and public personalities like Elon Musk—arguing that an over-reliance on empathy can weaken a nation's resolve. These critics often cite debates surrounding immigration, racial justice, and LGBTQ+ rights as areas where they believe empathy is being used to undermine traditional values or national security.

While the survey identifies white evangelicals as the outlier in this specific view, it also underscores a broader 'quiet civil war' regarding the definition and necessity of empathy in modern governance. The report suggests that for many, empathy is no longer viewed as a universally positive trait, but rather as a point of contention that reflects deeper disagreements over the role of religion in public life and the priorities of the American state.