This episode examines Christianity's complex relationship with political power, tracing its evolution from Jesus's teachings of equality to Paul's alliances with empires. Host Tina Johnson and guest Mark Wallace discuss how the divergent paths carved out by Jesus and Paul still influence religious and political landscapes today. Modern Christian nationalism is seen as a continuation of Paul's tradition, using religion to legitimize political authority. This raises crucial questions about the role of religion in democracy, as it often challenges the integrity of democratic principles, pushing for an alignment of religious and political aims in contemporary American and global contexts.