Support for Israel, the homeland of the Jewish people, has been a defining quality of the American evangelical community for many years. Yet it appears the next generation will not maintain the tradition, as recent polling data show a marked drop in support for Israel among young evangelical Christians.

According to a survey of evangelical attitudes conducted by Lifeway Research, sponsored by author Joel Rosenberg and Chosen People Ministries, young evangelicals do not support Israel as strongly as their elders.

Two-thirds of evangelicals in general have a positive perception of Israel, with only 3 percent having a “negative” or “very negative” perception. This includes an astonishing 76 percent of evangelicals over the age of 65. However, only 58 percent of evangelicals between the ages of 18 and 34 have a positive perception of Israel. This age group is also more likely to have a negative perception toward Israel than any other.

While a majority of evangelical Christians say believers should do more to “love and care for Palestinian people,” younger evangelicals are especially likely to say this, with two-thirds urging more “love and care” for Palestinians.

Support for Israel seems rooted in theology, rather than philosophical or geopolitical beliefs. Fifty-six percent of evangelicals identified the Bible as an influence on their opinions about Israel, more than double those who identified the media. A sizable plurality of 45 percent said the Bible was the biggest single influence.

More than half of evangelical Christians say they support Israel because it is important for fulfilling biblical prophecy, and 80 percent believe the rebirth of Israel was itself a fulfillment of prophecy.

Over 60 percent of evangelical Christians say one reason they support Israel is because the Bible states God gave the land to the Jewish people. A third say the biblical mandate of Jewish ownership for the Holy Land is the single biggest reason for their support of Israel, and more than 60 percent say Bible passages giving Jews claim to the Holy Land are still relevant today. A remarkable 80 percent believe God’s promise to Abraham and his descendants was for all time.

More evangelical Christians also say their support for Israel has increased over the last five years compared to those who say it decreased. For the vast majority, it has stayed the same over the last five years.

Overall, almost 70 percent of evangelicals believe the Jewish people have a historic right to the land of Israel, with 46 percent saying they either somewhat or strongly disagree that Palestinians have a similar right. A third of evangelical Christians are not sure.

The age divisions within evangelical Christianity are especially striking when it comes to the strength of feeling for the Jewish state. Over 40 percent of evangelical Christians between the ages of 18 and 34 have no strong views about the state of Israel, according to the survey.

The age divisions also affect the issue of replacement theology, the assertion the Christian church has fulfilled or replaced the nation of Israel. A plurality of 41 percent of evangelical Christians disagree with this assertion, but younger evangelicals are more likely to agree with it than any other group.

Rosenberg told The Forward, a Jewish newspaper, the findings are a call to action.

“We as a church need to do a better job educating millennials, or else we may see the collapse of evangelical support for Israel,” he said.