Dietrich Bonhoeffer is a rare example of someone whose faith prompted him to stand up to Hitler.
For much of Western history, the church has been the most powerful player – politically, culturally, even militarily.
From the time of Emperor Constantine in the 4th century onwards, Christians have often sought power and prestige at the expense of the powerless, including women and indigenous peoples.
Yet Jesus set his followers an example of selfless service, and started a “humility revolution” that fundamentally transformed the West and the way we think about power and what it’s for.
Dietrich Bonhoeffer is a rare example of someone whose faith prompted him to stand up to Hitler.
Jesus dramatically changed how Western culture thinks about power and service.
From Emperor Constantine onwards, the church has had a fraught relationship to power.
Jesus accorded women dignity and opportunity. The church hasn’t always followed suit.
Misogyny took a deadly turn in the witch hunts that swept early modern Europe and America.
What happened when “Christian” Europe began to extend its influence globally, in the Age of Empire?
Recent research challenges the stereotype of the imperialist, destructive colonial missionary.
