Christian Love and Patriotism
By Michaela Willi
I am glad I live in the United States. I am frightened when its security is breached. I feel more kinship with Americans than with people from other countries. Yet I wince when a politician implies that American patriotism is something holy. This is because I do not attribute my "patriotism" to my Christianity, but to my self-interested human nature. As a selfish human being, I naturally will prefer to belong to the strongest and most prosperous nation in the world. I will be frightened when the collective security is threatened because my security and that of my family and friends is also threatened. I will feel a greater attachment to the people who share a common language and culture. Christians can certainly be thankful that they live in a nation that enjoys relative security, liberty, and prosperity. Since they will presumably be living with their fellow countrymen, Christians also have the responsibility to act towards them in a loving manner.
However, the absence of national awareness in the New Testament, the division of humanity into believers and non-believers, and Christ's own detachment from nationality, has led me to believe that national identity itself is a-Christian, and its exacerbated form, termed "patriotism," can become anti-Christian.
The New Testament recognizes civil government. In general, the governments that exist are supposed to render justice and order society. Romans 13 is probably the most detailed. Here Paul tells us to "submit" to the government. In other places, Christ tells us to "render unto Caesar what is Caesar's." All of these directives were issued toward the Roman government and sound rather like passive acceptance. Christians weren't the only ones practicing passivity at this time. There are few ways to react to omnipotent emperors who claim they're gods, appoint their horse consul, and murder senators. Submission would have been easy enough, but try to conjure up patriotism for
Tiberius or Caligula. Interestingly, the Bible lays out codes of behavior for fathers and church elders but none for rulers. Of course, it would have been rather futile to sculpt anyone in the Roman senate into something resembling a biblical leader.
1 Peter 2:17 and Matthew 19:19 are amazing verses because they succinctly summarize Christian attitudes toward our brothers, our neighbors, our God, our family and our government. We are supposed to "love," or or/c^ei^etc our neighbor (Mt. 19:19), aycc-Trare our brother (1 Pet. 2:17) and, in another verse (Eph. 5:25), our wives. We are supposed to honor (Tiu.a) our parents (Mt. 19:19) and our king (1 Pet 2:17 - pamAecc Ttu.(XT£). We are also supposed to honor everybody (TiavTCtq TtiraaT£). Thus, the government can claim none of our love and only the "honor" Christians are supposed to show to everybody, including, one might venture to conjecture, the French and the Palestinians.
St. Augustine did believe people were divided in their allegiance. They owe allegiance either to the City of God or the City of Man. God certainly favored one nation, Israel, above all the others in the Old Testament. Nations that threatened the Israelites were destroyed and Israel was used as a tool of judgment against the wicked nations. This changes in the New Testament. Israel is conquered and scattered and the Church is the new recipient of God's revelation and favor. This Church is a supranational entity, extending to all parts of the world. Granted, certain nations have a larger concentration of Christians than others, but this does not sanctify a nation as a whole, nor does a constitution that allows and even fosters religion make a nation "Christian." God's work will be done in the world whether nations persecute Christians or not. In Revelation. God does not divide people to be judged by nations. He divides Christians into churches and everybody else into Jews and Gentiles. Christ himself remained aloof from the fierce battle the Jewish zealots were waging against the occupying Roman superpower, although the Israelites, more than any other national group, seem to possess divine patronage. Both Jewish and Roman officials baited him, but he responded almost evasively. He neither condoned nor condemned either side.
In fact, national identity, like racial identity, can lead to bigotry when taken to the extreme. Love of country should never supercede affection for the people whom God clearly commands us to love: our families, our Christian brothers, and our neighbors. Hatred of other people based merely on their nationality is un-Christian. We are supposed to be globalists, meaning we are supposed to love all our Christian brethren and have compassion on all the lost. Ignoring these Christian principles for the sake of nationalism has caused the tragic wars of the modem era.
I am glad I live in the United States. I am frightened when its security is breached. I feel more kinship with Americans than with people from other countries. Yet I wince when a politician implies that American patriotism is something holy. This is because I do not attribute my "patriotism" to my Christianity, but to my self-interested human nature. As a selfish human being, I naturally will prefer to belong to the strongest and most prosperous nation in the world. I will be frightened when the collective security is threatened because my security and that of my family and friends is also threatened. I will feel a greater attachment to the people who share a common language and culture. Christians can certainly be thankful that they live in a nation that enjoys relative security, liberty, and prosperity. Since they will presumably be living with their fellow countrymen, Christians also have the responsibility to act towards them in a loving manner.
However, the absence of national awareness in the New Testament, the division of humanity into believers and non-believers, and Christ's own detachment from nationality, has led me to believe that national identity itself is a-Christian, and its exacerbated form, termed "patriotism," can become anti-Christian.
The New Testament recognizes civil government. In general, the governments that exist are supposed to render justice and order society. Romans 13 is probably the most detailed. Here Paul tells us to "submit" to the government. In other places, Christ tells us to "render unto Caesar what is Caesar's." All of these directives were issued toward the Roman government and sound rather like passive acceptance. Christians weren't the only ones practicing passivity at this time. There are few ways to react to omnipotent emperors who claim they're gods, appoint their horse consul, and murder senators. Submission would have been easy enough, but try to conjure up patriotism for
Tiberius or Caligula. Interestingly, the Bible lays out codes of behavior for fathers and church elders but none for rulers. Of course, it would have been rather futile to sculpt anyone in the Roman senate into something resembling a biblical leader.
1 Peter 2:17 and Matthew 19:19 are amazing verses because they succinctly summarize Christian attitudes toward our brothers, our neighbors, our God, our family and our government. We are supposed to "love," or or/c^ei^etc our neighbor (Mt. 19:19), aycc-Trare our brother (1 Pet. 2:17) and, in another verse (Eph. 5:25), our wives. We are supposed to honor (Tiu.a) our parents (Mt. 19:19) and our king (1 Pet 2:17 - pamAecc Ttu.(XT£). We are also supposed to honor everybody (TiavTCtq TtiraaT£). Thus, the government can claim none of our love and only the "honor" Christians are supposed to show to everybody, including, one might venture to conjecture, the French and the Palestinians.
St. Augustine did believe people were divided in their allegiance. They owe allegiance either to the City of God or the City of Man. God certainly favored one nation, Israel, above all the others in the Old Testament. Nations that threatened the Israelites were destroyed and Israel was used as a tool of judgment against the wicked nations. This changes in the New Testament. Israel is conquered and scattered and the Church is the new recipient of God's revelation and favor. This Church is a supranational entity, extending to all parts of the world. Granted, certain nations have a larger concentration of Christians than others, but this does not sanctify a nation as a whole, nor does a constitution that allows and even fosters religion make a nation "Christian." God's work will be done in the world whether nations persecute Christians or not. In Revelation. God does not divide people to be judged by nations. He divides Christians into churches and everybody else into Jews and Gentiles. Christ himself remained aloof from the fierce battle the Jewish zealots were waging against the occupying Roman superpower, although the Israelites, more than any other national group, seem to possess divine patronage. Both Jewish and Roman officials baited him, but he responded almost evasively. He neither condoned nor condemned either side.
In fact, national identity, like racial identity, can lead to bigotry when taken to the extreme. Love of country should never supercede affection for the people whom God clearly commands us to love: our families, our Christian brothers, and our neighbors. Hatred of other people based merely on their nationality is un-Christian. We are supposed to be globalists, meaning we are supposed to love all our Christian brethren and have compassion on all the lost. Ignoring these Christian principles for the sake of nationalism has caused the tragic wars of the modem era.
posted by Tim Hoskins at 4:00 PM
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