What does it mean to be patriotic, and is this something that Christians can or should embrace?
Patriotism is love for, or loyalty to, one's country. We are not citizens of all nations, but of our nation! We are "one nation, under God." and as the Boy Scout oath says, "On my honor I will do my best to do my duty to God and my country..." The term, "American Christian," is an adjective followed by a noun. We are Christians first, and Americans second. We have a duty to live as dual citizens of the "City of God and the City of Man" (St. Augustine), and should keep that goal in the foreground as we live our lives and witness to our country. Our true home is not here, but as we journey through life, we are called to be salt and light to our family, community, country, and world.
It wasn't that long ago that most American Christians were proudly patriotic, but recent cultural and progressive changes have greatly influenced the Church. There is now a secular progressive movement that not only decries patriotism, but in fact demonizes our country's founding principles, structure, and values. In fact, some younger believers and pastors have been influenced by theologically liberal interpretations of biblical teachings about how justice relates to the relationship between church and state. As our civilization has moved away from our shared theistic worldview, we have seen major decay in our moral societal fabric. I've discussed this at length here.
The United States was founded on Christian principles and religious freedom. The Christian worldview grounded our founding. In reference to the people of Israel, the psalmist wrote "Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord..." Time and again we see that moral behavior by a corporate nation can be favored or rewarded by God, and immoral behavior punished. God has blessed us for that faithfulness. But in the last 50 years, or so, we've radically abandoned that worldview. There is wholesale rebellion against God and his principles in the hearts of people and in the societal mores.
To be proud in something, it should be in reference to some accomplishment of virtue that can be celebrated. It should exhibit some act or trait worthy of praise and honor. Without these, it can just be called arrogance. So, are there reasons to be proud of our country? Taken as a whole, we can be proud of the good our country has done and continues to do. We are proud of the world leadership our country has displayed against evil, even when it was not in our best interests to do so. We can be proud of the innovative technological advancements our free capitalistic markets allow us to create. We can be grateful to live in a country founded upon sound moral principles. Frankly it is faulty thinking to assume the worst of our country and to claim that it represents the distorted picture claimed by progressives. Is America a defective nation needing redemption or is it a shining light on the hill? We don't celebrate the faults. What rational person would? That is why we can, and should, respect the historic characters of our nation for what they accomplished that was noble, and not for their character flaws.
It is okay to be proud of the things that are good and noble. Are you proud of your family? We want to praise them when they do virtuous things and we want the best for them. The same can be said of our fellow citizens. We can have pride in Judeo-Christian culture, as a whole. One lie told today by the relativists is that all cultures are of equal value. This clearly cannot be the case, since they often have mutually exclusive values and truth claims. Once again, we celebrate what is noble and praiseworthy, such as bravery and self-sacrifice, but not things like greed and selfishness, even though both can be found in any group of people.
Does a flag displayed by a church give a bad message?
Would a reasonable person be offended by a Swiss flag if visiting a church in Switzerland? Would we interpret that to mean that Christianity is married to the Swiss society? Would we misunderstand that they are claiming the superiority of Swiss Christians over all others? Of course not! This should be no more the case than if we have a banner in the sanctuary with the name of our city or local congregation. If that is considered offensive and misunderstood, then perhaps the problem is with the "offended" party? These icons symbolize our association with a community of people in which we are jointly embedded. In fact, Paul was proud of being a Roman citizen and also an Israelite from the tribe of Benjamin. He didn't deny his national identity, even though he clearly said that we are all viewed as equal in Christ.
So what about public endorsements or displays in or by churches? Is is objectively "wrong" to have patriotic displays or events? Is it allowed to honor military service men/women in a church service? Is it morally objectionable for Christians to identify also as citizens of their nation or community? Can a Christian in good conscience say the Pledge of Allegiance? On what basis would such claims be valid? If it is objectively the wrong thing to do, then it is wrong for all. But if it is just preference or personal conviction, then that is different!
It does makes sense to consider the reasons for such identification or promotion. Churches, and their leaders, should be clear about the purpose behind their choices, doctrine, and actions. For instance, why does a congregation display a flag in church? What are their reasons? What are the reasons to make a change at this point in time? One would hope that it is not because of caving in to current cultural demands or perceptions. I really have a hard time thinking that many churches are promoting white nationalism or some sort of nationalized Christianity. I suspect that many do it out of respect for the sacrifices made to keep the freedoms that we have, including the freedom of worship and expression. We rightly should thank God for our country and the freedoms we have here. We should recognize the peace, health, safety, relative prosperity, and freedom it has brought to many here and throughout the world. There is a big difference between giving thanks for a nation and worshipping the nation.
‘I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession, and thanksgiving be made for all people—for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness.’ (1 Tim 2:1-2)
The song "America the Beautiful" is a inspirational example of the praiseworthy aspects of our country and its heritage. It praises sacrifice, liberation, pioneers, courage, nobleness, beauty, awesome vistas, patriot dreams, and goodness. These we celebrate, not the failings or mistakes. The flag can serve as a reminder that God is at work in both kingdoms, that we should pray for our country and leaders, of our duty as citizens of this nation, and appreciation for those who served and currently serve in the defense of our freedoms.
Some thoughts about symbols and activities that could "offend" people in the church might be in order here. We do need to be sensitive to the spiritual walk of others, since not everyone is at the same level of maturity. We need to consider the discussion Paul gives about the "weaker brother" in Romans 14 and 1 Cor. 8. On the other hand, this has to be balanced with opportunities to teach, explain, and grow disciples. We don't always do that by acceding to the lowest common denominator. For instance, what if a small minority of people or a visitor finds the American flag to be offensive? Does that immediately mean that it needs to be taken down? As followers of Jesus we should not easily take offense and should be quick to forgive perceived offenses.
Before we answer that, let's take the roof off. For example, if there is one vegan man in the congregation who wants to attend the men's breakfast, but feels he can't fellowship because they have promoted it with "BACON", should it be banned (or potlucks with meat for that matter)? If some people think that the Christmas tree is a pagan symbol and has no place in the church building, then what? Taken to the extreme, we clearly see the flaws in a one-side reaction. This is closely related to the rotten core of the left's cancel culture of today. We need to model real tolerance, and teach by example when needed. Sometimes this can be done publicly, while sometimes we need to take people aside and have more personal discussions.
It is claimed by some that displaying a flag promotes flag worship, or at least confusion about what we worship. This is a very simplistic view that few reasonable people would really conclude from seeing a flag in church. At a minimum, they should not assume the worst motives for the display. Does a flag display harm our ability to reach non-Americans or illegal immigrants? Maybe, but in the same way that a guilty person may feel uncomfortable in a small group with a police officer. Again, unless there is evidence to the contrary, imputing poor motives to the church is the wrong thing to do. Well, doesn't this put needless obstacles to the worship of those visiting from other countries, whether as citizens or immigrants? Not anymore than we would feel in another country. It seems like the right attitude to have is to respect your host country and their traditions. None of these objections hold up as valid, reasonable objectives to displaying an American flag in a Christian church in the United States.
George Washington said “While we are zealously performing the duties of good citizens and soldiers, we certainly ought not to be inattentive to the higher duties of religion. To the distinguished character of Patriot, it should be our highest glory to add the more distinguished character of Christian.” We might do well to take his advice, instead of the opinions of progressive Millennials. While Christian duties are a higher calling, it does not have to conflict with patriotic character as well.
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Note on Flag Etiquette - "When used on a speaker’s platform, the flag, if displayed flat, should be displayed above and behind the speaker. When displayed from a staff in a church or public auditorium, the flag of the United States of America, should hold the position of superior prominence, in advance of the audience, and in the position of honor at the clergyman’s or speaker’s right as he faces the audience. Prior to the Flag Code changes in 1976, the display procedure was somewhat different. Now the staffed flag should always be placed to the right of the speaker without regard to a platform or floor level."
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