There’s an old pattern that loops through history like a serpent eating its tail — empires rising in the name of order, emperors cloaked in divine favor, and religious institutions anointing their power.
We’ve seen it before.
Rome.
The Holy Roman Empire.
Now, America.
And the question must be asked: Have we crowned an emperor?
An American Emperor Without the Name
Formally, we still have a president.
But functionally?
We have a man elevated by corporate money, installed with media machinery, shielded from accountability, and worshipped in some circles as God’s chosen vessel. He overrides Congress with executive orders, stretches constitutional limits, and faces little resistance from the very institutions designed to keep him in check.
This is no longer the rule of law. It’s the rule of one — backed by the many who have something to gain.
And standing behind him?
A surprising partner: the evangelical church.
The Priesthood of Power
Evangelical leaders in recent years have taken on a role disturbingly familiar to students of empire: the high priests of political legitimacy. They’ve blessed, excused, and defended behaviors that Jesus himself would have condemned.
In exchange, they’ve received:
- Political victories
- Judicial appointments
- A sense of cultural resurgence
But at what cost?
When morality becomes conditional on party, and truth bends to access, the church becomes less prophetic and more performative — a chaplaincy to empire rather than a conscience to the nation.
From Constantine to Now
This is not a new dance.
In 313 AD, Emperor Constantine converted to Christianity and ended the persecution of Christians. But soon, bishops were in his court, theology was shaped by imperial needs, and the radical kingdom of God began to look a lot like Rome with a cross.
Then came the Holy Roman Empire, where emperors were crowned by popes and Christ’s teachings were used to justify crusades, inquisitions, and slavery.
Now, in our own time, the fusion of church and state is returning under a democratic disguise — but make no mistake: when one man wields power unchecked, and the church cheers, we are closer to imperial rule than republic.
The Gospel Was Never Imperial
Jesus rejected power when Satan offered him “all the kingdoms of the world.”
He rode into Jerusalem on a donkey, not a warhorse.
He stood silent before Pilate.
He was murdered by the empire, not empowered by it.
So how did his followers become so comfortable at the emperor’s table?
The early church saw through the empire — they lived in resistance, in house churches and whispers, carrying a faith that threatened thrones.
That’s our lineage.
Not the ones who bless Caesar, but the ones who proclaim, “Jesus is Lord” — and Caesar is not.
What Happens When the Church Forgets?
When the church becomes a tool of the emperor, it loses its power to speak truth.
When pastors defend political violence or justify corruption, the gospel becomes a brand, not a beacon.
And when the people look to a man to save them — whether wrapped in a flag or carrying a Bible — we’re not practicing Christianity.
We’re participating in civil religion, a counterfeit kingdom that uses Jesus’ name but rejects his way.
There Are Still Prophets
But this story isn’t over.
There are still voices crying in the wilderness.
There are still churches that reject the allure of empire.
There are still believers who remember that the cross is not a symbol of domination but of self-giving love.
It’s not too late to return to a kingdom not of this world — one where power is service, truth is not partisan, and every soul matters more than a vote.
Final Thought:
We may not call him emperor.
But if he rules like one, is worshipped like one, and destroys like one,
then perhaps the crown has already been placed.
The question is:
Will the Church kneel before it — or stand as the last voice of resistance?
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