By Jenna Ellis for TOWNHALL
American conservatism stands at a crossroads — not merely political, but moral and spiritual. The growing divide on the Right is not simply about tactics or personalities; it is about purpose. Is conservatism ordered toward truth and the preservation of liberty under God, or is it merely a vehicle for winning power in an increasingly hostile culture?
This question is not new. But in 2026, it is unavoidable, because the moral consensus that once restrained power has largely collapsed. When truth is abandoned, power rushes in to take its place. Scripture warns us that this exchange never ends well.
First, truth exists.
Scripture is unequivocal on this point. “Your word is truth” (John 17:17). Truth is not created by human will, nor defined by political success. It exists independently of us and judges us. The American founding reflected this biblical reality by recognizing rights as pre-political — derived not from government, but from nature and nature’s God. Liberty could only exist because truth was assumed to be objective.
When truth is treated as malleable or subordinate to political ends, liberty becomes conditional. A movement that no longer believes in objective truth will eventually justify any means necessary to retain power. Scripture cautions against this temptation: “What does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul?” (Mark 8:36). The same is true of movements.
