Church and Empire: Free-Church Ecclesiology in a Global Era

In: Political theology, Band 10, Heft 3, S. 471-495

Abstract

Jesus was cruelly executed as the alleged "king of the Jews" because of his efforts for grassroots religious renewal and resistance to Roman rule in Palestine through local religious-political elites. By the fourth century ce, however, Christianity had become the official religion of the Roman imperium. An ambiguous account of both resisting and supporting imperialism has shaped all church history. Today the United States of America is widely recognized as the central power in a new global empire. In this article I wrestle with the huge challenge of engaging the forces of empire in our global era. The free-church ecclesial model of an alternative community offers powerful resources that can inform such efforts. Related tasks include: (1) recognizing how American nationalism often supports imperialism, (2) identifying religious support for imperialism in America, and (3) understanding the democratic forces that resist imperialism. All the above are necessary tools for authentic and effective strategies of religious and social transformation. Adapted from the source document.