Recently, I led a trip to Germany and Switzerland to explore the Protestant Reformation, concluding in Berlin with reflections on the Cold War and World War II. It is a journey I have led many times with students and church members. The overarching question I pose to each group is this: What is the role of the Church throughout history as a prophetic voice both within and beyond its own walls?

As I sat in the church pew listening to stories from those who shared their experiences in Honduras, one truth stirred deeply in me:…