The church of Christ has long stood boldly in the shadow of Empire. The church does not retreat to a lair and wish the problems of Empire away. It stands in the public square, and declares boldly, “Jesus is Lord. Here we stand; we can do nothing else.”
It’s not an easy place to be in. We as social animals don’t willingly put ourselves in places seeking to lose the affection and approval of our fellow human beings. But it’s into those places of tension and discomfort that the Gospel calls us. And it’s in those places of tension and discomfort that we find Christ.