Tom Holland, raised in the Christian tradition, but not, it would appear, a card-carrying Christian today, has written a unique history of Christianity’s journey: Dominion, How the Christian Revolution Remade the World. His book suggests that the main currents working for justice in the world today owe their power to the religion begun by a Jewish rabbi two thousand years ago.

Few today, including devout Christians, would claim a sinless Christianity. Yet the very people, Holland suggests, who malign it may themselves be carriers of the lessons of its founder.

Movements improving the lot of humankind have mostly occurred after Christianity began, and they often were begun by Christians. They include movements against slavery and for improving the status of women and children. They include the building of hospitals and measures to improve the lot of the poor.

Those who call out the sins of some calling themselves Christians—bigotry, support of slavery, and male dominance, to name a few—build on the lessons Jesus taught, also against the sins of religious leaders.

The gospel writer Luke records an incident of someone working in Jesus’ name who didn’t follow with the disciples: “‘Master, we saw someone casting out demons in your name, and we tried to stop him, because he does not follow with us.’ But Jesus said to him, ‘Do not stop him, for whoever is not against you is for you.’” (Luke 9:49-50)

T.S. Eliot wrote in The Rock: “Of all that was done in the past, you eat the fruit, either rotten or ripe.
And the Church must be forever building, and always decaying, and always being restored.”