Over the centuries, small Christian groups were outstanding in standing against the prevailing church going culture

Over the centuries, small Christian groups were outstanding in standing against the prevailing church-going culture.  The Mennonites and the Amish Community and the Quakers understood the non-violent Christ was just that.

Over the centuries, Christian culture and practice saw imperialism and slavery - twin evils that anyone of integrity should have kept well away from regardless of the age in which they lived.  Some truths, like the Ten Commandments never change over time.  I think, Christ's teaching too is applicable for all of the 2,000 years since His teaching and for the 2,000 years before Christ.

Yet, at a time when church attendance was at its highest point, so was empire-building and slavery.

So entrenched were these practices, it would have been difficult to avoid them completely, I know.  However, the very minimum that I would have expected was the blindingly obvious fact from Christ's life and teaching, that you have nothing to do with warfare and you profit as little as possible from it. And, of course, from the equally iniquitous cotton and sugar plantations. But much more difficult, of course to exist without those products.  Violence was an integral part of slavery and colonialism.  Another reason for the Church to distance itself from as much imperialism and slavery as possible.

Still today, the state Church is so bound up with the State. Hopeless!  But wonderful for tradition, ceremony and pomp!

Yet, for about the first 300 years after Christ's revolutionary life and teaching, followers of 'The Way' were noted for keeping out of the army.  The tragic conversion of Emperor Constantine saw the rot truly set in with the watering down of non-violence and, gradually, more and more followers of the Way of Jesus became tainted by warfare and obedience to the State rather than God.