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For nearly seventeen centuries, Christians have debated the legacy of Constantine the Great. Did the Roman emperor rescue Christianity from persecution? Did he provide the stability the early church needed to flourish? Or did his alliance with the church fundamentally alter the faith that Jesus proclaimed?

In Imperial Christianity, Wayne Lavender asks a question no one has dared to ask so directly:

• What if Constantine didn't simply reshape Christianity? 
• What if he created an entirely different religion?

This groundbreaking work challenges one of the most deeply rooted assumptions in Christian history. Rather than viewing the fourth century as merely another stage in the church's development, Lavender argues that the Council of Nicaea marked a decisive turning point—a moment when the humble, countercultural movement founded by Jesus increasingly became intertwined with the priorities of empire, political power, military strength, wealth, and institutional control.

The result, he contends, was the emergence of what he calls Imperial Christianity, a faith that often bears the name of Christ while reflecting values very different from those found in the Gospels.

Throughout the book, Lavender contrasts two competing visions of Christianity.

• The first is Nazarene Christianity, rooted in the teachings and example of Jesus of Nazareth. This is the Christianity of the Beatitudes, servant leadership, mercy, peacemaking, humility, generosity, and sacrificial love. It is the faith that calls believers to embrace the cross before seeking the crown.
• The second is Imperial Christianity, shaped by the worldview of Constantine and sustained through centuries of political and cultural influence. Here, power replaces service, conquest overshadows reconciliation, wealth becomes a measure of blessing, and the church often aligns itself with the ambitions of governments and empires.

Rather than offering a purely theological argument, Lavender approaches the subject as both a pastor and a scholar of public policy. Drawing from history, political science, theology, and sociology, he examines how institutions evolve and how religious ideas become embodied in political structures and public life. His interdisciplinary approach allows readers to see familiar events from an entirely new perspective while asking difficult questions about the relationship between faith and power.

Each chapter builds carefully upon the central thesis.

Readers begin with parallel portraits of Jesus and Constantine—two men whose lives, values, and visions for humanity stand in striking contrast. The book then explores how religions develop over time before examining four defining areas where Lavender argues the divergence becomes unmistakable:

• attitudes toward war and peace, 
• views of wealth and economic justice, 
• responses to persecution and power, 
• and the relationship between church and state. 

Rather than simply critiquing history, Imperial Christianity continually asks readers to consider what these differences mean for Christians today.

Those questions become increasingly relevant in light of contemporary conversations surrounding Christian nationalism, political polarization, cultural identity, and the church's public witness. Lavender argues that many of today's conflicts within Christianity cannot be understood merely as disagreements over doctrine or politics. Instead, they reflect the ongoing tension between two fundamentally different visions of what it means to follow Jesus.

The result is a book that is as timely as it is challenging.

Yet this is not a book written to condemn the church.

It is an invitation to self-examination.

Throughout its pages, readers are reminded that the struggle between humility and power, service and domination, generosity and self-interest, is not merely institutional—it is deeply personal. The dividing line between Nazarene Christianity and Imperial Christianity, Lavender suggests, runs through every congregation and every individual believer.

That conviction gives the book its pastoral heart.

Rather than leaving readers discouraged, the final chapters offer practical guidance for individuals and churches seeking to recover Jesus' priorities. Lavender proposes concrete ways congregations can embody peace, justice, compassion, generosity, and reconciliation while resisting the temptations of status, influence, and worldly power. 

The included eight-session group study guide makes the book especially valuable for churches, Sunday school classes, clergy groups, and Christian book studies seeking thoughtful conversation around these vital themes. 

Readers will not agree with every conclusion Wayne Lavender reaches. Indeed, many of his arguments intentionally challenge long-held assumptions and invite spirited discussion. But whether one ultimately embraces or questions his thesis, Imperial Christianity refuses to allow readers to remain indifferent.

• It asks whether Christianity is primarily defined by the life of Jesus—or by centuries of accommodation to empire.
• It asks whether the church exists to wield influence or to serve.
• It asks whether followers of Christ are known more for power than for love.

Most importantly, it invites believers to rediscover the radical simplicity of Jesus' call to grace, mercy, peace, justice, and sacrificial discipleship.

Thought-provoking, carefully researched, and deeply relevant to the challenges facing the modern church, Imperial Christianity offers a fresh framework for understanding Christian history while inviting readers into a deeper conversation about the future of Christian faith.

Whether you are a pastor, theologian, church leader, student of history, or thoughtful layperson wrestling with the relationship between faith and culture, this book will challenge you to reconsider what it truly means to follow Jesus—and to ask which vision of Christianity is shaping your life, your church, and the world around you.

What Readers are Saying About Imperial Christianity:

There are no more powerful false gods in the U.S. today than those of the nation-state and capitalism. Major expressions of these idolatries are now found in the Christian Right, White Nationalism, Christian Nationalism, Ethnonationalism, and Christian Dominionism. This book describes these and provides a historical account of Christian idolatry and the violations perpetuated against those deemed “Other.” No Christian and no American should be without this history, especially now.

Tex Sample

Professor Emeritus of Church and Society, Saint Paul School of Theology

The emergence of the Christian Right in the U.S. stunned observers, as if the new political movement had come from nowhere. It didn’t. To understand the early foundations of the rise of this powerful movement that today fuels Donald Trump’s political base, you need to read Rev. Wayne Lavender’s provocative book. Social science studies tell us much about what is happening now. This book tells the backstory, its consequences, and suggests a path forward.

Mark J. Rozell

Dean, Schar School of Policy and Government, George Mason University

Imperial Christianity challenges believers to examine which Christianity they are actually practicing—the way of Jesus of Nazareth, marked by humility, service, and peace, or the imperial religion shaped by Constantine’s power and violence. By tracing how the empire’s values became fused with the church, Wayne Lavender equips Christians with a clear historical framework for discerning how their own faith and community follow Jesus’s teaching. For any believer serious about authentic discipleship, this book is a compelling guide to recover the self-giving life of Jesus as the true center of Christian faith and practice.

Rev. Gaston Warner

CEO, Global North, Zoe Empowers 

Imperial Christianity is a must-read for every pastor, helping us understand how the church has fallen into the cult of Christian Nationalism. Wayne Lavender does a masterful job of uncovering scholarship that shows how Constantine created a radical shift in 325 CE from the “Nazarene” movement of Jesus to Imperial Christianity, where we find the Church today.

Mike Slaughter

Founder & Chief Strategist, Passionate Churches, LLC

Wayne Lavender’s new book, Imperial Christianity, is sure to challenge all of us who have grown up in traditional Christian settings. We value prosperity, personal comfort, and security over things like financial sacrifice, humility, and carrying our cross. This is an important read for Christians across the political and religious spectrums.

Rev. Dr. Vicki Harrison

New Hope Church, Brandon, Florida