A member of President Trump's faith council is defending his decision to stay on after the president’s controversial remarks over the violence in Charlottesville, Va.

“To retreat during the challenges of a national leader is not the Christian way, nor what Jesus called us to do; Jesus did not turn away from those who may have seemed brash with their words or behavior," Southern Evangelical Seminary President Dr. Richard Land said in a statement on Thursday.

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"He did not cease praying for and ministering to those who were struggling. Jesus attempted to walk alongside those who needed Him at all times, and as Christians, we must do the same, especially when they reach out for our counsel and ask for our advice," he added.

Land's comments come after New York megachurch pastor the Rev. A.R. Bernard resigned from the council, citing a “deepening conflict in values" with the White House.

"In a social and political climate such as ours, it often takes a gathering of unlikely individuals to shape the future of our nation on issues of faith and inner city initiatives," Bernard said.

"I was willing to be one of those individuals, and that is why I agreed to serve on the President's Evangelical Advisory Board."

Trump has faced intense criticism for his response to the violence in Charlottesville, where white supremacist groups held a rally to protest the decision to take down a statue of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee. One woman died when a man with ties to hate groups allegedly drove his car into a crowd of counterprotesters.

Trump initially said "many sides" were responsible for the violence. He later specifically criticized racist groups including the Ku Klux Klan, and neo-Nazis, before again doubling down on his remarks that both sides were at fault.

The president defended his response to Charlottesville during a contentious rally in Phoenix on Tuesday, accusing the media of not reporting his statements accurately.

“These were my exact words — ‘I love all the people of our country. We are going to make America great again. But we are going to make it a great for all of the people of the United States of America,’ ” Trump said.

“And then they say, ‘Is he a racist?' " he continued.