I feel the need to start this post with a little disclaimer: I'm one of the most patriotic people you could ever hope to meet. I'm proud to be an American citizen, thankful for the freedom I enjoy, and participate in our democracy every chance I get.
But as an American pastor, every year on Memorial Day and Independence Day I find myself asking a question that I'm hoping you can help me with: Is it appropriate to sing patriotic songs in a church worship service?
Thousands of churches (including mine) added "America the Beautiful" and "God Bless America" to the music portion of their service this week. Several said the Pledge of Allegiance, and took the offering to the Star Spangled Banner.
And I have to admit, it kind of makes me wince a little.
I understand some of the reasoning. Church is often the only venue outside of fireworks displays that we hear many of those songs anymore. Also, we want to honor those who have gone before us to preserve the freedoms we presently enjoy, one of which we exercise every time we go to church. But I wonder if our message as the Church is not at best confused by a worship team who sings a stanza of "America the Beautiful," changes keys, and begins a hymn or praise chorus?
To me, it's one thing to honor those who have used the gifts, talents, and abilities God has given them to serve in the armed forces during our Memorial Day and Independence Day services much as we would honor a missionary who used his or her gifts, talents, and abilities. It's another thing to pledge allegiance to the American flag, or sing songs about our country during a worship service.
If the Church exists as the Body of Christ, as people who are aliens in this world, with the responsibility to point people to a kingdom that is not of this world, do we not run the risk of confusing that message when we glorify our country in a service designed to glorify Christ?
And what about the people in our churches who are not from the United States of America? What about the exchange student, or temporary worker who is in the States for a contract position and shows up to our church? Doesn't that send them a conflicting message about what the Church is about?
I'd love to hear your comments. Does your church include patriotic music in its services? Do you have an American flag on the stage? As you have thought through the issue, whether or not you're in full-time ministry, what conclusions have you reached?
6 comments:
It made me a little uncomfortable too, Chris.
I think it's dangerous when we start blurring the distinction between being an American and being a Christian — you run the risk of turning away people of other cultures, as you mentioned, as well as people from other faiths by implying they're not as American.
Furthermore, I think that "we support the United States" can mean "we agree with our government" to some people. This is dangerous no matter who's in office ... the relationship between church and politics is a discussion of its own, but it's an area where we must tread carefully.
miss ya in over here bro, hope the new gig is great. DC would've been awesome if you were there, sometimes i wear your sash around the office because it reminds me of your scent.
ps-chris is a communist, i've seen his General Mao doll.
Patriotic Worship - Freeland, can you guess what I think about this? Go ahead, you get 3 guesses and the first 2 don't count.
Yup. You guessed it. And its not just cause I'm Canadian. Truth be told, I know more U.S. history than a lot of American's thanks to my 11 years in a U.S. boarding school while on the mission field. Honestly, it blurs the lines for me. We complain so much about how people don't get worship and don't really focus on the right thing in worship only to confuse the issue by - you guessed it - singing about a country in the middle of the only hour most people give to God in a week.
Don't get me wrong, I'm all for appreciating those who gave us these freedoms (like the free speech one I'm currently exercising) but I struggle to believe that singing "America the Beautiful" is the best way to do that.
Good comments Dan - but the American/Christian distinction is more problematic than simply offending people of other cultures.
I'm done now... I swear.
I agree with you. Nice blog!
No one has been able to tell me why celebrating or drawing special attention to a nation to the exclusion of others is any different from celebrating or drawing attention to one race to the exclusion of others. In other words, why should nationalism be any more appropriate in worship than racism? In Christ don't the distinctions fall (Gal.3:26; Col.3:11).
For those who want to explore this issue ome more, take a look at a reccent article I wrote in the journal DisciplesWorld: http://www.disciplesworld.com/article.html?id=858&v=6&i=7&s=Living%20Faith
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