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Radical Christian Living  /  When Persecution Comes  /  Discussion Questions
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Question 3
In the Middle Ages example, some Waldensians attended the Roman Catholic state church “going through the motions,” while other conscientious Christians refused and died for it; what do those two responses suggest about early/kingdom-Christian instincts regarding compromise, “participation,” and where the line of obedience is drawn?
Another way to ask: What do these two Waldensian choices—attending the state church just to blend in, or refusing and dying—teach about compromise? Where do you think the line is between “going along” and obeying Jesus?

Direct Answer The transcript suggests kingdom Christians have not always drawn the line in the same place: some saw limited participation in a state church as not violating Christ, while others believed participation itself crossed the line and chose death rather than comply. This highlights that secondary persecution can involve hard conscience decisions where believers must discern what truly violates Christ’s commands.

Support from Transcript:

  • Bercot gives state churches as a historical example of secondary persecution: the state “thought they were supporting and promoting Christianity,” yet it “caused a conflict for many conscientious kingdom Christians.”
  • He says “many of the Waldensians would attend the Catholic Church” and even “receive communion there periodically,” while also meeting privately.
  • These Waldensians “didn’t feel it violated Christ’s law” to attend or participate to that degree.
  • By contrast, “other kingdom Christians…felt like they could not attend the state church or participate in the sacraments there,” and “for many of them, it cost them their life.”
  • He notes secondary persecution may involve issues where “perhaps it’s uncertain exactly where we should draw the line as kingdom Christians.”
Discussion Follow-ups How can a church handle differing conscience judgments without calling compromise “faithfulness” or calling conscience “rebellion”?

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