The Presidential Prayer Team

The bedrock of informed participation, accountability, and shared responsibility in a vibrant democracy.

PRAY FIRST for God to give us wisdom and insight so we might understand the foundations of our government and steward our freedom well.

Make me to know your ways, O Lord; teach me your paths. Lead me in your truth and teach me, for you are the God of my salvation. Psalm 25:4–5

In a democracy, the strength of self-governance depends on more than just casting a ballot. It depends on a populace that understands what government is, why it exists, and how its institutions function. Civic education is not a luxury. It is the bedrock of informed participation, accountability, and shared responsibility. This leads to a larger question about how we stay grounded as citizens in a noisy and divided time.

Foundations of Civic Knowledge

First, every citizen should try to grasp the basic structure of the U.S. government: its constitutional purpose and structure. The United States was founded as a constitutional republic with democratic principles, meaning citizens govern through elected representatives rather than direct mass voting on every issue. The Constitution divides authority among three branches—legislative, executive, and judicial—each designed to check the others and safeguard liberty.

Even with these foundations in place, public understanding of these basics remains uneven. According to the Annenberg Public Policy Center’s Constitution Day survey, in 2025, about 70% of adults could correctly name all three branches, up from 65 percent a year earlier. Nevertheless, prior data shows that many Americans cannot identify more than one branch. At the same time, knowledge of the First Amendment remains uneven: while nearly 79 percent named freedom of speech, far smaller percentages named freedom of religion, assembly, the press, or petition.

Civic literacy is more than trivia. It shapes how well a society functions. Studies show that people who understand basic government structures are more likely to vote, participate in public life, and express trust in civic institutions (Peverly et al., 2013; Schulz et al., 2024).

Understanding Institutions and Processes

To be effective, civic education needs to explain not just the branches, but how they work together. The legislative branch writes laws; the executive enforces them; the judiciary constrains both through judicial review. These interactions are deliberate. It is how power is checked and balanced.

It’s also critical for citizens to understand how elections, legislation, and court decisions actually play out. Knowing how a bill becomes law or how a federal judge is confirmed gives real context to headlines and helps people assess when governance is working or failing.

Civic education should likewise highlight federalism: the distinct but overlapping roles of federal, state, and local government. While the Constitution grants specific authorities to the national government, others belong to states or cities. Recognizing this helps citizens know whom to hold accountable for local schools, policing, zoning, or social services.

Rights, Responsibilities, and Participation

A strong civic education stresses not only how the government works, but also what protections and duties citizens have. Key rights under the Constitution (especially the First Amendment) deserve particular attention, because they empower citizens to speak, assemble, petition, and press for change.

Alongside these protections come responsibilities more than simply voting. Civic education should encourage practices like serving on juries, paying attention to public issues, volunteering, and engaging respectfully with people of differing views. These habits strengthen civic culture.

Another important lesson is distinguishing between lawful dissent, civil discourse, and misinformation. Education can help citizens discern when protest is legitimate, when disagreement enriches debate, and when false information threatens trust in democratic institutions.

Improving Civic Literacy

Strengthening civic awareness is a shared effort, and it reaches far beyond the classroom. Schools, community groups, faith communities, workplaces, and households all contribute to how people understand their government. Formal instruction provides a foundation, but informal conversations about public issues help root these ideas in real life and encourage people to think about their roles as citizens.

Civic learning is ongoing. Many people discover gaps in their knowledge later in life or want to understand current issues more clearly. Public forums, library programs, nonprofit workshops, and community discussions offer spaces to revisit essential concepts without assuming prior expertise.

Experiential learning deepens this understanding for people at any stage of life. Activities such as mock trials, debates, community service, and public meetings allow participants to see how civic processes function in practice. These experiences turn abstract ideas into something tangible and help people connect government decisions to their own communities.

In a digital age, civic literacy also depends on the ability to sift through constant information. Evaluating sources, recognizing misinformation, and understanding how online platforms influence what we see are now essential skills. Strengthening these habits equips individuals to participate thoughtfully in a complex and crowded information environment.

Access and Engagement
Civic learning works best when people can relate to it. Resources should speak to real experiences and local needs so they feel useful, not disconnected.

Challenges often come down to everyday obstacles such as limited time, few nearby programs, or not knowing where to find reliable information. Community spaces like libraries, colleges, and nonprofits can make a big difference by offering flexible, easy-to-access opportunities.

But access is only the starting point. A healthy civic life depends on ongoing engagement, starting with asking questions, staying curious, and adapting as issues evolve. Lifelong civic literacy isn’t about memorizing facts; it’s about building habits that keep people informed and involved.

Government Boosting Education

This year alone, the federal government placed a renewed emphasis on civics education, most prominently through the launch of the America 250 Civics Education Coalition. This initiative, coordinated by the U.S. Department of Education, brings together more than 40 organizations to strengthen civic knowledge, encourage patriotism, and deepen students’ understanding of America’s founding principles. The coalition reflects a national effort to address declining civic literacy and prepare young people to engage meaningfully in democratic life.

Alongside coalition-building, the government expanded investments in civics programs and teacher training. Educators are being offered new professional development opportunities to improve how civics is taught in classrooms, with the goal of equipping students not only with historical knowledge but also with the skills and habits necessary for democratic participation. These efforts were motivated by troubling data from the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), which showed that nearly one-third of eighth graders scored below the basic level in civics.

The broader policy context in 2025 also shaped these initiatives. At the beginning of President Donald Trump’s second term, the Department of Education shifted more control of education to the states, but civics was singled out as a priority area for federal involvement. This balancing act to reduce federal oversight in some areas while actively promoting civics education underscores the government’s recognition of civic literacy as essential to national unity and democratic resilience.

At the same time, the initiatives sparked debate. Supporters argue that emphasizing patriotism and civic knowledge is a necessary corrective to decades of declining engagement, while critics worry that the coalition may be easily exploited by partisan and special interest groups. These tensions highlight the challenge of designing civics programs that both inspire pride in the nation and foster the analytical skills needed for informed citizenship. Ultimately, 2025 marked a turning point in federal efforts to revitalize civics education, with both promise and controversy shaping its trajectory.

Why It Matters and How We Can Respond

As society changes, so will the ways people learn about their government. Emerging technologies offer new tools for engagement—interactive simulations, personalized learning platforms, and AI-driven explanations can make complex processes easier to grasp. However, these same tools can also deepen misinformation or create echo chambers when used without oversight. Thoughtful design and clear ethical standards will be essential to ensure that technology strengthens civic learning rather than distorting it.

Looking forward, we will need a blend of knowledge and discernment to meet the challenges of a rapidly shifting political and informational landscape. Critical thinking, historical awareness, digital literacy, and the ability to engage across differences will help communities stay grounded even when debates are heated. These competencies prepare us not only to understand our government but to participate in shaping its future.

Democracy doesn’t sustain itself by accident. When we know how the government works, we can hold leaders accountable, defend rights responsibly, and contribute to the common good. As Christians, this knowledge is not only civic but spiritual: God calls us to be good stewards of the societies in which we live (Jeremiah 29:7). A well-informed citizenry honors God by building institutions that reflect truth, encourage reconciliation, and protect the dignity of all.

HOW THEN SHOULD WE PRAY:

— Pray for God to shape us into faithful participants in public life—people who serve, listen well, discern truth, and show up consistently, not only on election days. And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works. Hebrews 10:24
— Pray for us to speak with humility and patience when we disagree, so our conversations reflect God’s character even in moments of tension. Behold, how good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell in unity! Psalm 133:1

CONSIDER THESE ITEMS FOR PRAYER:

Pray for insight to understand issues with clarity rather than fear or assumption.
Pray for wisdom to speak carefully and listen with openness in our civic conversations.
Pray that those who create and share civic resources will act with integrity and wisdom so that their work promotes truth and serves the good of our nation’s future.

Sources: Department of Education, USA Today, University of Pennsylvania Annenberg Public Policy Center, American Federation of Teacher, American Academy of Arts & Sciences, U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation, Hover Institute, American Bar Association, The Journal of Social Studies Research, Tufts University, The Journal of Social Studies Research, Large-scale Assessments in Education