a potential threat (not unlike today), but we had yet to wield power … or abuse it. In the West today, Christianity is increasingly viewed as authoritarian and coercive, both because of its dark chapters of violence and forced conversion (e.g., the imperial era, the Crusades) and because of its exclusivity and moral demands. Opponents of Christianity are no longer simply arguing that it is untrue or illogical, but also that it’s dangerously oppressive. Many of the ethical commands of Christianity