When the Church lost Her Power

In the first few centuries of Christianity, the faith spread rapidly throughout the Roman Empire and beyond, despite no institutional support and persecutions from Jews and Gentiles alike. Most of the apostles, and thus, bishops, were martyred, along with many, many of their followers. Yet still it grew. The Church began to form: writing down the Gospels, electing deacons, have new bishops succeed the apostles. Mass was held in private homes; converts were scrutinized before being given baptism. It was a dangerous, narrow path.

By 300, by some estimates, Christians accounted for around 10% of the Empire’s population: a notable minority. Most lived in the eastern part of the empire. In 301, Armenia, a kingdom within the Roman Empire, made Christianity its official religion. Emperor Constantine converted to Christianity and legalized the faith throughout the empire in 313. In 391, Emperor Theodosius I closed all the pagan temples and made Christianity (as defined at the First Nicaean Council) the official state religion.

And it’s been downhill ever since.

Maybe that’s a little overdramatic, but I do think the Church suffered a lost in the fourth century. By gaining worldly power, Church and empire became intertwined in a dangerous way that remains to be untangled. It was good Constantine converted (if only for his own soul), and it is good that the persecutions ceased and that Christians could worship freely. But when an emperor converts, that leads a lot of followers with political ambitions to convert too—they aren’t seeking the Messiah or struck by the message of Christ; they want to impress and hobnob with influential people. It's a real Faustus situation: gain the world but lose your soul

And for the next 1,200 years or so in Europe, the faith of ruler dictated the faith of the believers. One didn’t choose Christianity or sacrifice to gather for worship. The Church was not the refuge from the world; it was another worldly institution with land holdings and serfs and noble’s-sons-turned-bishop. The Church can’t be countercultural when it is the culture. And while the Protestant Reformation and Thirty Years’ War brought this to a violent head, it did not solve the issue. Yes, maybe now it the Lutheran Church or a Calvinist Church instead of just the Catholic Church. But it still behooved you to follow the church of the leader/state where you lived. Or suffer the consequences.

And many did suffer the consequences, choosing their conscience of how the faith should be over the imposing threats of a church who disagreed with them. The Church, which once was persecuted, with political power had become the persecutor. The Waldensians, Hussites, Antibaptists, and other rejected a political church and were persecuted.

Here and now, persecution isn’t really the danger it once was. But the Church has had a hard time letting go of political power. After all, surely we can use that power for good, right? Isn’t it important that we Christians have a voice in shaping the laws of our country, to ensure that we live in a moral society? And there are certainly debates to be had how where that line is, especially in a country when individuals have a vote and must use make political decisions without compromising their morals. But I think the less the Church compromises her morals, the better. Better to be powerless Church, without tax incentives or legal schools or lobbyists or policy influencers, than be a powerful Church who has compromised the mission. No one has ever found the Christianity more humble, more loving, more resembling Christ when it gained more power within the state.

It’s good to have enough sway to maintain religious freedom and be able to openly worship and even openly evangelize. But the Church is strongest when she is suffering with her people. I don't want the Church, or any Christians, especially me, to suffer. I don’t envy the Christians in China or Nigeria or Saudi Arabia. But I bet their faith is stronger than mine. I bet Christ holds them closer. There is no political or economic benefit to their Christianity. They experience suppression and persecution and still choose Christ.

I’m thinking of this on Fourth of July weekend, when a lot of churches wrap their sanctuaries in American flags and sing patriotic songs. How unnerving to have your patriotism and your faith be indistinguishable and inseparable. The early martyrs could never. Countries come and go. Political power is gained and taken away. But the kingdom of God and power the Christ is above and beyond all that.