A Christian Patriot?

You have probably seen the bumber stickers that have become poplular lately toting slogans like "God and Country". This idea that loving God is tied with loving one's country has perhaps been fueled lately by the present administration and the war in Iraq. Many people of Christian faith have apparently seen a connection between their religious beliefs and their political persuasions. Certainly there are Christians who do not support our president or his foreign policy, but the strong conection between evangelicals and the current politicians in power can not be denied.

This relationship between faith and country brings up the question in my mind as to whether patriotism is a Christian value. My sense of history gives me the idea that in the past, say the 1950's for instance, it was an easily confirmed stereotype that the God fearing individuals of our country were the ones that supported our country and even went to war to war to defend our "Christian nation". Is this correspondence though one that is necessary to our faith. Although many Christians may be patriots, is patriotism a value necessary part to the Christian faith.

It strike's me initially that there is a potential conflict between allegiance to one's country (implicit in the value of patriotism) and allegiance to our heavenly home. This conflict was visible in Jesus day in the Jewish leaders who were looking for a messiah that would defeat the injustice of Roman rule and establish his own political kingdom. Jesus called for his followers to embrace instead an invisible kingdom that transformed people's lives from the inside out. As Christians today I think Jesus call is the same to look to the transcendent kingdom to rule in hearts, rather than persue a kingdom that enforces justice from without.

Another aspect of the gospel's message that could potentially conflict with a patriotic commitments is the value to love our neighbor and to break down walls of exclusion withe reconcilliation of Christ's message. Reading the book of Galatians, for instance, one might get the impression that the whole of Christ's message was to bring Jews and Gentiles together by embracing his message of grace. It seems to me that if one is, in any way, committed to love the citizens of one country over the citizens of another country that one runs the risk of violating Jesus emphasis on reconciliation and loving our neighbors equally.

I admit that I am a little unclear about what the values of patriotism involve and certainly their involvement in individuals lives differ, but I am a little concerned that Christian commitment has been compromised by the perceived requirements of patriotism. I was talking to a pastor in D.C. the other day whose comment seemed to support this concern. He commented that several individuals had come to him after his service and asked if it was a requirement to become a republican to join the church. I would imagine that this question did not, in any way, stem from the political nature of my friend's sermon, but rather from the assumption present in our culture that Christianity is more at home with one particular political party than another.

What I am not saying, however, is that the freedom and other perceived goods in one country are not things that find themselves supported the tenants of the Christian faith, but only that one country, does not have a monopoly on theses values, or is not equally guilty of violating values that the Christian faith condemnes, like greed for instance.

So before you go slapping a "God and Country" sticker next the Jesus fish on your car, please think about what you are saying and who holds your allegiance.