Saturday 28 August 2010

Patriotism in the Church

JL:

What role does Patriotism have in the church?

John Edwards:

What role does patriotism have for indigenous nations, and for Palestinians?

JL:

John, not following....please explain.

John Edwards:

I mean, is there a role for native Americans, Australian aborigines, or Palestinians for example, to be as patriotic in their churches about battles fought for their lands as there is for say American, Australian or Israeli patriotism? It's the same question as yours, only with the spotlight on a few specific instances of patriotism.

JL:

I like the way you are thinking about this, rather than including only America which is what so many use as the "measuring rod" of what a country and a "christian" should look like. Which is FAR FROM what the bible declares the church ACTUALLY looks like. There is only ONE body...and they are scattered all over this world in every nation....so is there a place for being Patriotic in the body of Christ...or is this something that is extremely American? That is an interesting question John. Something tells me that believers in China (who have NO FREEDOM) - - are NOT patriotic.

Let's look at Webster's dictionary:

"Patriotism" is love and devotion to one's country. The word comes from the Greek patris, meaning fatherland. Patriotism, however, has had different meanings over time, and its meaning is highly dependent ...upon context, geography, and philosophy. The act of being loyal to or fostering positive and supportive attitudes towards one's country, especially in periods of national turmoil, such as war.

"patriotic" - inspired by love for your country.

Interesting how patriotism and love are linked in the defnition given by our dictionaries. Should followers of Jesus Christ LOVE their country? Should we be devoted to nationalism or to individual souls? Some would say both....I'm just not seeing it in my bible.

Please help show me in the scriptures where I should be patriotic and I will gladly renounce my outlandish questioning on the issue.

John Edwards:

The Church in China is deliberately patriotic. The reason for this is because a major cause of the Communist Party's suspicion of the Church in China has been its perception that the Church could be an outpost of an American nationalist agenda. Therefore the Church in China, in an open letter to the Communist Party, has openly asserted its autonomy from Western churches and its loyalty to all things Chinese - in order to alleviate unneccessary suspicion and persecution from the Party.

JL:

"The Church" in China that you are referring to is the one setup by the government, correct? There is a Chinese version of Christianity that is not persecuted (which may have some true believers) and then there is an underground persecuted church which I would submit is NOT patriotic.

John Edwards:

I refer to the underground Church. They are openly patriotic. In the past, arrested Pastors had a policy of silence when questioned by their persecutors about the extent of membership in the house churches. But a couple of years ago, whe...n membership had grown so much, the house churches changed their policy. Now they desire that the government acknowledge how big membership in the house churches has become. They want the government to acknowledge the existence and legitimacy of the house-churches. They said they won't stop no matter what. But they desire the government to see that the Church in China is not an insurrectionist movement. It has no formal ties to the West. The Church is loyal to the People's Republic of China. It has no intention of overthrowing Chinese government. The Church desires to be loyal to Chinese government in China. The government need not fear the Church. Leaders of various house-church movements got together and penned an open letter to the Communist Party to that effect.

JL:

Interesting John, thanks for sharing. I'm not sure I agree that there stance is Patriotic (at least in the same sense as American patriotism), but I do see your point. It is the same point true believers in America would communicate to ou...r government: We are not here to overthrow or resist politics OR to rebel against authorities...but we are after the hearts and minds of lost sinners and we seek to follow Jesus into a spiritual kingdom...not a worldly one.

In other words "that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour; 1 Tim 2:2

John Edwards:

Yes, it is patriotism in the sense that the Church honours the role of delegated authorities; the Church refuses subversiveness and insurrection from inside the Republic and has no links to it from outside the Republic; the Church in China ...is comletely Chinese and completely autonomous - and it would never do anything other than seek the welfare of the people, the Republic and the government of China.

I think we can all be like that. A nation is simply people. We are commanded to love people. And we are commanded to obey authorities. In that sense therefore we can be patriotic towards a nation.

Under the Old Covenant, Israel lifted-up banners in the name of the Lord God: "We will rejoice in thy salvation, and in the name of our God we will set up our banners..." (Psalm 20:5).

In the New Covenant, the Church shows forth "the praises of Him who hath called you out of darkness into His marvellous light" (I Peter 2:9).

But God has also ordained other institutions besides the Church: for example, the family, and government, and nations. Patriotism is simply the acknowledgment of the institution of national identity. The New Testament acknowledges national identity - not because nationality impacts upon salvation but, like the institution of the family, nationality is an institution in which God has ordained that humanity lives.

To be patriotic about nationhood is to thank God for the grace of life. There is a basis upon which we can be patriotic towards a nation even when its history has been unrighteous - even when its policies still need to improve in many aspects. And that basis is this: simply that God has granted life, ordained nationhood and ordained government.

An individual can still love and feel loyalty to his or her family even if his or her hasn't been the best behaved and most functional family on earth. He or she can still be 'patriotic' towards his or her family, as a way of honoring God who created families; and as a way of honouring his or her parents - and as a way of keeping the framework together in which God can work.

Similarly, the Church can be patriotic towards its nation as a way of honoring God who ordained the national identity; as a means of honoring the nation's God-ordained leadership; and as a means of creating a positive, encouraging, empowering, equipping, faith-filled atmosphere which instills hope for the nation's future on the basis of what God has potentially provided for the nation through Christ on Calvary.

Just because your son may have an injury, or a handicap, doesn't mean you don't cheer him on on athletics day. You still cheer him on because family is family. It's the same with national patriotism!

JL:

Well said. Something I will prayerfully consider. Thanks.

John Edwards:

I should add: it doesn't mean national patriotism at the expense of another nation - to the disadvantage of the other nation. God has ordained all nations and He sets the boundaries of their territories. Therefore we should honor each and... every nation. And its only natural that each of us has a special emotional patriotism towards our own nation - just as we would toward our own family - irrespective of the areas in which we still have room for improvement - while at the same time honoring other nations and families and the institution itself.

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