U.S. must not appease the enemies of democracy. This is our Chamberlain-Churchill moment.

Neville Chamberlain was British prime minister from May 1937 to May 1940. Fair or not, Chamberlain is best known for his appeasement policy toward Hitler. The Munich Agreement was signed by both Hitler and Chamberlain on Sept. 30, 1938. It would bring peace and global instability.

Yet Germany invaded Poland in the early morning hours of Sept. 1, 1939. Chamberlain had underestimated Hitler’s diabolical plans. Conversely, Winston Churchill, who could not abide Hitler’s violent protestations against liberal democracy, nearly single-handedly rallied a demoralized Britain and a reluctant world to make war against the enemies of freedom. Chamberlain underestimated the threat, Churchill did not.

War is at our doorstep once again. It appears to be a war between one nation and another, between one religion and another. It’s that, but much more. It is a war between Western civilization and barbarism.

It is a war between the best of the liberal traditions of the West and a small, but lethal group of radical terrorists. It is a war that transcends political parties and the liberal-conservative divide. And to our great surprise the enemy has imbedded itself on some college campuses, in a small but vocal caucus in the U.S House of Representatives, and in a variety of media outlets.

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Five steps to ensure that America defends liberty successfully

We are at war. And we cannot appease the enemy this time. This is our Chamberlain-Churchill moment. Western civilization cannot underestimate the sinister motives of those who seek the deconstruction of Western, democratic traditions, with their focus on freedom and democracy.

But how do we make war against the enemies of liberty and truth?

First, there may be times when armed conflict is necessary, qualified by the parameters of a robust and well-considered “just war theory.” This is true in Israel’s case. But armed conflict will not solve this issue long term.

Second, we must unapologetically renew our commitment to our cultural institutions, i.e. faith, family, education, and citizen-centered government. These institutions must be infused with a fresh commitment supported by re-establishing time-honored Constitutional freedoms and liberties exercised in responsible ways.

And this must be done with an unapologetic commitment to America as a beacon of liberty and freedom. Warts and all, politically speaking, America is the world’s last best hope. Political differences will remain, but destroying the system itself is counterproductive.

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Spiritual and education systems are key to keep citizens free

Third, the Church and other spiritual institutions must reform themselves not only for the sake of their members, but for the sake of a nation whose form of civic life is made only for, as second U.S. President John Adams intoned, a moral people. Spiritual reformation is essential to national renewal.

Fourth, the nation’s educational systems must be revamped top to bottom. Rather than bastions of indoctrination in ideologies meant for the dismantling of Western social norms, educational systems must be revived around the core values of citizenship, an honest, but positive version of history but that doesn’t view America as a colonizing evil empire.

Finally, we must renew our commitment to America as a nation. America is not perfect. But we have a system of government, given enough time, can lead us to be a more perfect union where human dignity and freedoms are fostered and protected. One can be a proud of one’s nation without being an isolationist.

War is here. The things we have so cherished – the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness – are under threat.

We cannot appease the enemies of liberty. Yet, with a determined commitment to freedom, democracy, and if it might be added, a renewed devotion to spiritual truth and moral excellence, we can and will win this war. If we don’t, we will have met our Chamberlain-Churchill moment and failed.

Kevin Shrum is a pastor and author. He serves Inglewood Baptist Church in Nashville.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Appeasement or conflict? We must defend our democracy from our enemies