The "Sermon on the Mount" (Matthew 5–7) is widely recognized as a key statement of Jesus's core principles. It serves as a foundational summary of his moral vision for human life.

And yet a significant number of modern American Evangelicals are distancing themselves from the principles articulated in the "Sermon on the Mount."

Multiple evangelical pastors and leaders, including Russell Moore (former Southern Baptist leader), have noted that many evangelical congregants now react negatively to direct quotations from the Sermon on the Mount, viewing teachings like "turn the other cheek" and love for enemies as overly "liberal" or "weak," rather than as core to Christian ethics.

Pastors report instances where parishioners accused them of promoting "liberal talking points" when simply quoting Jesus, suggesting a growing divide between the political and ethical priorities of some evangelicals and the words of Jesus in Matthew 5–7.