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Change of Allegiance  /  What If? Practical Questions About Nonresistance  /  Discussion Questions
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Question 5
Origen claims Christians help kings more than soldiers because “our prayers defeat all demons who stir up war,” and Tertullian piles up massive claims about what prayer does; how would early Christians’ confidence in prayer confront the way many modern believers talk about “realistic” solutions, and what would have to change for us to pray like that?
Another way to ask: How would the early Christians’ strong trust in prayer challenge what we call “realistic” solutions today? What would need to change for us to pray with that kind of confidence?

Direct Answer Dean presents early Christians as believing prayer is not a weak substitute for action but the church’s real warfare—stronger help than soldiers provide. That confronts modern “realistic solutions” talk by challenging whether we truly believe God acts through prayer and whether we see spiritual powers as the real enemy.

Support from Transcript:

  • Origen responds to the accusation “you Christians, you don't do anything” by saying Christians give “divine help,” “putting on the whole armor of God,” through “supplications, prayers, intercessions.”
  • Origen claims: “Our prayers defeat all demons who stir up war… lead persons to violate their oaths and to disturb the peace.”
  • He says this is “a greater help than what is given by soldiers,” and Christians form “a special army… by offering our prayers to God.”
  • Dean ties this directly to “what-if crises”: “do we believe in the power of prayer?” and cites the need to believe God “is” and “rewarder of them that diligently seek Him.”
  • Tertullian lists prayer’s effects: “open prison bars… extinguishes persecutions… repels temptations,” calling prayer “the wall of faith… arm and missiles.”
Discussion Follow-ups If we talked like Origen and Tertullian, what would we stop calling “just prayer”? What habits (regular “stations,” vigil, fasting/self-denial) would need to return for prayer to become our frontline response?

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