PATRIOTISM: CHRISTIAN LOVE? THANKFULNESS TO GOD? IDOLATRY TO CAESAR? SOME OF EACH?

 

At Kingdom Come Festival, June 17, Howard County Vietnam Veterans Healing Fields, Greentown, IN

Is it appropriate for a Christian event to start with a pledge to the American flag?

This was the question raised by a commenter to a post on the Kingdom Come Festival's FB page, which I read a day or two before going to this year's Festival. 

The point was echoed from a blog shared by the Libertarian Christian Institute, "Should Christians Cite The Pledge of Allegiance?" by Laurence Vance. Vance points out how we lead the world in many dubious categories including incarcaration, illegal and legal drug use, and rapes. (At least in abortions we're in second place to Russia.) He concludes that this reality makes it a lie for Christians to say the pledge.

Of course, there are those who say that a Christian should be patriotic. Allow me to add wrinkles to that theory. Should a Christian in Nazi Germany or in Communist China or in Islamic Iran be patriotic to their countries as we are encouraged to be here? For those here, should we be equally supportive to both former President Trump and current President Biden? Could it be that we're inconsistent on what patriotism looks like based on our biases?

Statism is a real problem. I recommend these two books on the subject (I'm including links to my reviews on those books): Caesar and the Church: A Biblical Study of Government and Church by Anthony Forsyth and the Libertarian Christian Institute's Faith Seeking Freedom: Libertarian Answers to Tough Questions. I've seen church services where all the songs sung were patriotic, and special music consisting of a singing (or playing) of the themes for the different branches of the military, and heard a Memorial Day sermon which attempted to justify our American Holiday from Scripture. Could Statism be leavening our church services?

However, are these examples of statism? Is there a positive reason for Christians to say the pledge in a church service or have an American flag on the platform? 

I started this blog with a question about the Kingdom Come Festival's starting with a pledge. But how was that question answered? The person representing the festival, among other things, pointed out that it was being held at the Howard County Vietnam Veterans Grounds. In other words, the Festival organizers wanted to honor their hosts. Could our patriotism be out of love for those around us who love our country? Furthermore, may it reflect a heart of Thanksgiving for us being in a nation where we have freedom to call out our country when it sins? Some Patriotism may have a statist mindset, but not all; quite possibly, not most.

Also, it is true that every nation fits into one of two categories: 1) An enemy of the faith and the Gospel and 2) A potential enemy of the faith and the Gospel. Ours included. We may think the other side of the aisle is antagonistic to Christianity, but is our side of the aisle completely in line? Do we tolerate either racism or abortion? Are both oppression of the poor and the LGBTQ+ lifestyle correctly seen as condemned by God? We need to remember we're Christians first, and our allegiance is to Christ, not our nation; that our kinsmen are not the unbeliever in our nation but the believers in all nations.

Yet God commanded us to honor all men and to honor the King (1 Pet. 2:17). The Bible states that to resist the authority God appointed is to resist His ordinances and to bring judgment on us. When we are questioning whether a Christian should say the pledge in church or have a flag on the platform, is it because we rightly see Christ as our sovereign, or is it a rebellious heart that does not want to submit to others? One is good, the other no where close.

Let me close by reminding us we need to be loving to those around us. That love may be in saying the pledge with the rest of the congregation with a thankful heart, and it may be in listening to those who have problems with our nation.

Okay, one final paragraph. I'm grateful to be here, and show it by praying for those God appointed over me, regardless of party. And wishing you all a Happy Independence Day.

THE REPUBLICAN CLUB BY ANDY THOMAS

PART 4 OF A 17 PART SERIES ON FAVORITE ART AND ARTISTS

 

"The Republican Club" by Andy Thomas

 I originally planned on doing this series on favorite art/artists for the month of June (2022), using Emil Nolde's Pentecost painting on Pentecost Sunday (June 5). But between having several interviews I wanted to post in early/mid June and the time pressure to have this ready on time, I decided to move it back a month.

So this brought up another issue - Independence Day. I didn't have a patriotic favorite for that day... or did I. Then I realized that I do have a favorite painting I forgot to include for what started as a 16 part series, which is appropriate today: "The Republican Club" by Andy Thomas.

The faithful will remember me sharing this on President's Day, with Thomas' "The Democrat Club" also included. Both are great paintings, but I definitely like "The Republican Club" better. Which most people who know me would expect, but not for the reason they expect.

Yes, my politics tend to be Republican. In fact, some of the times I don't vote for the Republican is because I lean Republican. For example, in '96, I voted Libertarian in the 10th Congressional District race (Indiana) because the Libertarian was pro-life and the Republican was absolutely not. A decade later, for a city-council race, I looked at the voter guide where one of the questions was if they thought taxes needed to be raised. As you'd expect, most Republicans said no - there was just one exception - and most Dems mistakenly thought they did - again, with one exception. The incumbent for my district was the Republican exception and the challenger was the Democratic exception. So guess who I voted for?

Likewise, a lot of my favorite presidents are Republican as well. You'll of course recognize the Bushes, Trump, Reagan, Nixon, Ford, and Lincoln in the forefront. Maybe you might notice Coolidge and Grant in the background. A closer look will reveal my favorites: McKinley, Taft, Arthur, Garfield, and Hayes. Also, if you asked me if I had a choice of living President to have lunch with, that would definitely been our 43rd President, George W. Bush (with - believe it or not - Carter and - more unbelievably - Clinton in the next spots.

But the reality is that the reason I like "The Republican Club" better than "The Democrat Club" (left) is because I like one painting better than the other. And the reason I like one better than the other is ascetics. I think (just my opinion) the faces looked more natural in the Republican one than some of the Democrats (I didn't really like the representation of Andrew Jackson, for example). 

I do have one question for Andy Thomas if I ever have the opportunity to interact with him. I notice there a brunette lady in both pictures, in the background, but a little closer up than some of the Presidents pictured. Who is she supposed to be?

As I am typing this, I realize one classic that would have been appropriate is John Trumbull's iconic "Declaration of Independence" (I'll post that below) or his "George Washington Resigning His Commission." But while they are good paintings of historical events, they don't make the top of my list in art.

What is your impression of "The Republican Club?" If you want to look at "The Democrat Club", you can google it or you can see it on my President's Day blog (to go to it, click here) - do you agree with me liking one over the other? Same or different reasons? And since I shared Trumbull's "Declaration of Independence", what do you think of that in comparison to Andy Thomas' work?

One more comment. The next three days, I'll be developing on the theme of where our country is at with three more paintings, none of which are specifically about our country, but still...

WHAT IS OUR IDENTITY? WHERE IS OUR CITIZENSHIP?

 

Declaration of Independence by John Trumbull

Yesterday was Sunday, July 4th, 2021. The last time Independence Day fell on a Sunday was 2010; next time will be 2027. 

I'm in a Facebook Group called the Baptist Review, and one theme of the past week was how much of the service would be a church service on the Fourth of July and how much would be a July 4th Service at church. Should Patriotic songs be included and how many? Should the sermon be focused on Independence Day or should the pastor continue with the next sermon in his series? Should the flag be on the platform and should the pledge be said?

Allow me summarize what some people were asking: Is our views on Patriotism and our country and its freedoms in danger of violating the First Commandment, "Thou shalt have no other gods before Me?"

Let me simply put my view like this: American Christians have an equal responsibility to be loyal and thankful for their countries as do Christians in every other nation in the world, including Communist China, Islamic Iran, Hindu India. I'll take one step farther: the loyalty and thankfulness and stand for truth should be exactly the same this year with President Biden as it was last year with President Trump.

I'll put it another way. As a Christian, my identity is a Christian and my citizenship is in heaven. Yes, I happen to be American, but my Sovereign is infallible and in heaven. If His commandments and the laws of our fallible leaders contradict, I unquestioningly give the former precedence. 

But is that typical, especially nowadays? There are some who identify with Christians on both sides of the political aisle, and both of them would say their political views are an accurate ... no, THE accurate interpretation of Jesus' teachings. In other words, some question if you can be saved and be a Democrat or if you are a true disciple if you are a Republican. Yes, I've heard one person say that Libertarianism and Christianity are incompatible.

How is God going to accomplish His will? Does he need us to defeat His enemy (that is, the OTHER party) through political means? When Jesus said teach all nations and make disciples, did He really mean either to be pro-life, pro-traditional marriage, pro-guns, pro-military, pro-police or to view the government as the means to create equality and diversity and oppose those who would dare consider Scripture more authoritative than their political philosophy?

One book I'd recommend on the subject is John Cobin's Christian Theology of Public Policy. He promotes what he calls the "Liberty of Conscience" view, which views the state as a rival kingdom to the Kingdom of God, but to be active in that view. Cobin includes concise commentaries on Romans 13 and 1 Peter 2.

To be honest, I would rather put up the Christian flag in my home than an American one. I have more in common with a believer in a 3rd world country or enduring persecution in a restricted nation than fellow countrymen here. (It takes about five minutes a day of watching TV to reinforce that belief.) A Christian who disagrees with me on Calvinism/Arminianism, dispensationalism, music, etc. is more at unity with me than an unbeliever who agrees with me politically.

What one item would you call the defining point of your identity? Are there times we need to decide between obedience to God and abiding by the laws of men? Are your political views influencing your theology, or is it the other way around?