American Christianity and empire

02 Mar, 2025

It's striking that many American Christians treat the United States as though it's a special gift to the world from God. Have they actually read the Old and New Testaments?

God doesn't speak kindly of the major empires mentioned in the Old Testament—the Egyptian, Assyrian, and Babylonian Empires come to mind in particular (the Persian Empire and King Cyrus represent an interesting exception). Large portions of the Old Testament consist of prophets predicting God's swift justice against these violent empires who oppressed the Jewish people.

In the New Testament, we find Jesus performing his ministry against the backdrop of Roman occupation. The teachings and values espoused by Jesus were diametrically opposed to those of the Roman rulers (and by proxy, those of Herod). We see this clearly in the Gospel of St. Matthew, where Jesus says:

“You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave— just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”¹

So why do many Christians in the United States think that the American Empire is an exception to this pattern? And why do they support political leaders who primarily seek to enrich themselves and consolidate power?

Jesus clearly stated that one cannot serve both God and mammon². Of all societies and empires throughout history, the United States may be among those that have most idolized wealth. The message seems clear: you cannot follow both God and Empire.

Last modified: 5 months, 2 weeks ago

#faith #note