The Empire Always Strikes Back!

For a long time, I never quite understood Jesus’ statement, “Do you think that I have come to bring peace to the earth? No, I tell you, but rather division!” These days it makes sense.¹

I have come to cast fire upon the earth, and how I wish it were already ablaze! I have a baptism with which to be baptized, and what constraint I am under until it is completed! Do you think that I have come to bring peace to the earth? No, I tell you, but rather division! From now on five in one household will be divided, three against two and two against three; they will be divided: father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law.”

He also said to the crowds, “When you see a cloud rising in the west, you immediately say, ‘It is going to rain,” and so it happens. And when you see the south wind blowing, you say, ‘There will be scorching heat,’ and it happens. You hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of earth and sky, but why do you not know how to interpret the present time? Luke 12:49-56 NRSVue

As always we need to remember the context where Jesus says this. He has been speaking to his disciples and a crowd of thousands about the need to be ready and working for the coming kingdom of God. But then he talks about casting fire on earth. What does he mean?

God’s presence in the Old Testament is often described as fire- a burning bush, a pillar of fire. Perhaps Jesus is imagining a time when the earth is ablaze with the glory of God. I don’t think Jesus means the destruction of earth by fire. Jesus is not saying, “It’s all gonna burn and there’s nothing for you to do”. The fire Jesus brings is the fire that the prophets talked about, the fire that refines, the fire that burns away evil.

After talking about fire, Jesus talks about division.”Do you think I have come to bring peace to the earth? No, I tell you, but rather division!” But wait, isn’t the coming kingdom is where heaven and earth are reconnected? Where God rules with justice and peace? In the coming kingdom isn’t the world is set right? But God does not impose the kingdom upon us. The kingdom of God does not come through crushing the opposition. The kingdom of God is about redemption and reconciliation, even for the current empire. No one and no power or system is beyond God’s salvation. The kingdom of God is a world of peace and flourishing for all creation. At the same time, we would be very foolish if we imagine the empires and kingdoms of the world will give up without a fight.

Many of us now live in spaces of division. Families, workplaces, churches, neighborhoods are deeply divided about things that matter. What kind of nation do we want to be? What does it mean to be a Christian? What does it mean to be a Christian in a diverse nation? What does it mean to be a citizen and a Christian? How does Jesus call us to live our lives?

The old empire of patriarchy, racism, sexism , homophobia/transphobia, and inequality is passing away. The people who benefit from the status quo are not giving up without a fight. Others, even those who may not actually benefit from the status quo but have been enculturated in it, may resist change. They have been told “others’ will take what little they have. Or they have been taught that to challenge the current powers and principalities is to oppose God’s will. We should not be surprised that there is division. We should not be surprised that the powerful use the language and imagery of fear and fighting and wars in their attempt to hold on to power. We should not be surprised that the powerful use force and coercion to hold on to power. So yes, families and communities are divided.

After talking about division, Jesus talks about being able to read nature’s signs about the weather. We need to be able to look around us and see what’s present in our culture. We need to learn to interpret the present time. Years ago I went to active shooter training. It was enlightening and disturbing. There was one thing the trainer told us that I still think about. He told us that in any particular active shooter situation we typically only have a very few seconds to act. Time is not on our side. And then he told us that most people, when they see a person who is holding a weapon and intending to shoot them, don’t believe their eyes. They see and they don’t accept reality. Their first reaction is to deny what is happening. And that denial can get themselves and others killed.

And that’s where many of us have been. Looking at what’s happening and not believing our eyes. Think of all the times you have said or heard someone say, “That can’t happen here, this is the United States.” or “It’s just talk, it won’t actually happen.” “Social Security/ Medicaid/ Medicare/ SNAP will be fine.” “They’re just cutting all that waste and fraud.” “They won’t detain law abiding citizens.” You can add your own concerns to the list. We struggle to accept our current reality.

But now, people are starting to believe their eyes. More and more people are worried about the future of our nation. More and more people are becoming aware and worried about the particular threat of Christian Nationalism. When you start to accept what you are seeing and hearing, after being in denial, it’s frightening. Nevertheless, pretending everything is fine won’t end well. We need to be realistic about what’s happening.

Christian nationalism is a major contributor to our present state of division. Christians bear a particular responsibility to speak out about Christian nationalism. We need to be able to recognize it when we see it. But Christian nationalism² is not a monolith. It would be more accurate to talk about Christian Nationalisms. It ranges all the way from churches that have American flags in the sanctuary and sing “God Bless America” to the New Apostolic Reformation³ movement and similar groups who want a particular kind of Christianity to control and dominate American (and global) society.

Here is a very basic definition of Christian Nationalism from Amanda Tyler: “Christian Nationalism is a political ideology and a cultural framework that seeks to fuse American and Christian identities. It suggests that “real” Americans are Christians and that “true” Christians hold a particular set of political beliefs. It seeks to create a society in which only this narrow subset of Americans is privileged by law and in societal practice….Christian Nationalism is the greatest threat to religious liberty in the United States today. Christian nationalism is antidemocratic, and it is a clear and present danger to our constitutional Republic. Christian nationalism also poses an ongoing threat to the health and vitality of authentic Christian faith and practice in America. Christian nationalism transfers religious devotion from worship of the divine to worship of earthly power.”⁴ What I would add to Amanda Tyler’s definition is that Christian Nationalisms have a theology. They have a particular way they read and interpret the Bible. This particular interpretation reinforces the power and control of the current empire.

I have spent time the past several years reading US history, particularly about the history after the Civil War. But I am no historian. I have spent time reading and listening to political scientists and sociologists. But I am not a political scientist or sociologist. While I talk and write, a bit, about history and sociology and political science, I am very aware of my limited knowledge. But I do have the training and skills to talk about the Bible and Christianity⁵. Myself and others can point us to a better way of reading the Bible. Away from a reading that privileges power and control over others. Toward a way of reading the Bible that invites people into life giving relationship with God and with each other. A way of engaging the Bible that reveals God’s great love for all people and all creation.

We must recognize and accept what we are seeing and hearing. We need to interpret our present time. We need to think seriously about why and how families and communities are divided. It is unsettling. It is frightening. And it is not a surprise. I am angry about what Christian nationalism wants to do and is doing politically. But I am more angry about their gross distortion of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Christian nationalism, in its various forms, is the empire’s last gasp. Christian nationalism is a power that cloaks itself in a facade of the Bible and Jesus.

You may have noticed, this isn’t a happy, hopeful post. This is a “read the signs of the time” post. It is a “think about why households are divided” post. It is a “be uncomfortable, and alarmed” post. We need to be clear about the heresy of Christian nationalism. We need to be clear about what Jesus actually taught. We need to be able to articulate why Christian nationalism is wrong. More importantly we need to be able to clearly articulate and live what Jesus taught.

The empire always strikes back. That’s true. When we read history that’s what we learn. Empires always strike back. That’s where we are right now and where we will be for the foreseeable future. When we read the Bible we also see that empires always strike back. It’s no accident that “Do not be afraid” is such a common refrain in scripture. There has been and is a lot to be afraid about. But remember, the message of the Bible (and history) is that empires don’t last. God does not give up. God is persistent. God continues to call God’s people to a better way of life.

Paul writes, “For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.”⁶

Jesus tells us ‘Remember I am with you always, to the end of the age.”⁷

Look Christian nationalism straight on, with clear eyes. And do not be afraid. Jesus is with us always.

1. I owe acknowledgement for this title to my New Testament professor, Warren Carter who used this statement years ago in class. ↩︎
2. some resources, https://www.christiansagainstchristiannationalism.org/, https://www.pewresearch.org/religion/2022/10/27/45-of-americans-say-u-s-should-be-a-christian-nation/, https://pcusa.org/news-storytelling/news/2025/7/8/general-assembly-committee-publishes-resource-help-presbyterians-confront-christian-nationalism, https://www.umc.org/en/content/what-is-christian-nationalism ↩︎
3. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Apostolic_Reformation. The Violent Take It by Force, Matthew Taylor ↩︎
4. Tyler, Amanda, How to End Christian Nationalism Broadleaf Books, 2024, pages 26-27 ↩︎
5. The very short version: Master of Divinity Degree, Saint Paul School of Theology, 2005, Fifteen years in campus ministry. ↩︎
6. Romans 8:38-39 ↩︎
7. Matthew 28:20 ↩︎