Around the turn of the third century, an African bishop named Tertullian mused about the relationship between Christians and the state. The previous century had seen a large number of Christians martyred for refusing to recognize Caesar as divine. A few seemingly small compromises with the empire could have relieved some of the pressure on this young religious movement that worshiped a man crucified under Roman authority. But Tertullian would have none of it: "Shall [we] make an occupation of the sword [as soldiers], when the Lord proclaims that he who uses the sword shall perish by the sword?…Shall he carry a flag, too, hostile to Christ?"
Tertullian would not be a good candidate for patron saint of Christian nationalism, if there were such a thing. But his questions arguably lead directly to Christian anarchism.
