As Congress debates whether or not America's military should intervene in Syria after chemical weapons killed nearly 1,500 people, a survey of evangelical leaders nationwide reveals how they would vote.

On Tuesday, the National Association of Evangelicals, which represents more than 45,000 churches from 40 denominations, asked its board members: "Should Congress authorize direct U.S. military intervention in Syria?"

The result: 62.5 percent said no, while 37.5 percent said yes.

"I was surprised because I expected the answers would be the other way around," writes NAE president Leith Anderson in announcing the survey results (first to Religion News Service).

He acknowledges the broad agreement on "serious consequences" for the use of chemical weapons, but also notes, "Christians in Syria have been victims during the past two years of civil war. We don't want to make their lives worse."

Geoff Tunnicliffe, leader of the World Evangelical ...

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