In another thread Justin mentioned: "I guess I'm a cynic when it comes to holy empires. In my humble and absolutely inexperienced opinion, the only Kingdom we should be fighting for isn't going to be found here."
Now I have heard that view expressed often enough, in fact it has been my view to an extent. It is an clean easy view to have. There is no ambiguity about fighting and hostility for temporal kingdoms. Recently however I have been shifting my opinion.
I would never suggest we, or anyone, ought to be fighting for a Holy Empire somewhere. But clearly Christ promoted and protected nations and peoples in the Old Testament. And in Catholic history, the Christian Roman Empire was a tremendous promoter of the Church; it is impossible to calculate the enormous impact on life today.
I don't have time to elaborate much, and I want to make it clear that I am not advocating militant astetics; but I would suggest there could be such a thing as a Holy Empire, not as a nationalistic idol where the purpose of Christianity is to build the ideal state, but as a promoter, facilitator, and defender of Holy things. America is the promoter and defender of aethism, materialism and sickness, the Christian Roman Empire and the Russian Empire was the promoter of the Church.