One Nation, Under God
A North Carolina Baptist church
created a bit of a firestorm recently for flying, on its flagpole, the American
flag, underneath the church’s flag, rather than at the top of the flagpole. The pastor, Rit Varriale, explained the move,
saying that it was meant to be a visual representation of what we say every
time we pledge allegiance to the flag: that we are “one nation, under
God.” He also wants to remind his flock
that they are Christians first, and Americans second.
Some of the response has been less
than favorable (and rational). He’s been
called insulting, disgraceful, and accused of politicizing his religion. Bear in mind that no one desecrated the flag;
they didn’t even take it down. In fact,
both flags were raised in a patriotic ceremony surrounding July 4.
The crime of this Christian community,
it seems, is that it was being too Christian.
Each of our loves, including love of country, must be subordinated to
love of God. That is true
patriotism. This has been a hallmark of
Catholicism for 2,000 years (though it has earned us much suspicion and scorn
as well over our nation’s history).
Remember St. Thomas More: “I die the king’s good servant, but God’s
first.”
Perhaps that’s never been good
enough. It wasn’t good enough in
sixteenth century England, and it’s not good enough in twenty-first century
America.
When patriotism, which is a virtue,
becomes our religion, it turns into nationalism, which is a sin. These days, when Christians are told our
faith must remain private (and silent), but secular culture feels free to
dictate (quite loudly) how we must live it, I am glad to find allies among our
Protestant brothers and sisters. May we
both stand firm in our common convictions.
