Good point. I saw “tries.” I’ve always thought the NCR has been consistent on this topic. Way before Christian martyrdon was even noticed (and dismissed) by conservatives.

I think you’ve missed the point. Of course, there are factions within the church, but we try to see what unites us. First Things and NCR can get quite snarky toward each other, but here Schmitz is recommending an article in NCR.

I think you mean *partisan terms*. The cross is about as political as things get, and the body of Christ is the body of the crucified.

Promoting the safety and toleration of Christians and others helps minimize religious extremism; it’s kind of a zero-sum game there.

(Note, BTW, that the linked article lumps together persecution against Christianity itself, and persecution when Christians “take stands against injustice or put themselves in harm’s way on account of the Gospel”. The latter types of persecution can apply even where Christians are the majority. The former isn’t all that common where Christians are the majority, though.)