I recently had the pleasure of visiting one of my granddaughter’s schools for Grandparents’ Day. It is a Christian school. The experience was, by and large, encouraging and impressive in a positive way. I was unhappy, however, when and energetic choir culminated its presentation with songs of national patriotism and recognition for those in the military. Christians need to care for the boundaries that separate it from the politics of nations.
Christianity is not American civic religion. The school visited is in the United States, certainly, and Christians are called upon to be good citizens. But it is important that Christian students are taught that their lasting citizenship is in God’s Kingdom, while U.S. citizenship is transient and relatively unimportant. Neither should we lose sight of the fact that God’s kingdom is made up of people from all nations of the earth. Most people concede that patriotism is a natural impulse, no matter what country people live in. This alone makes it clear that civic patriotism is more about culture, familiarity, and political self-determination than it is about religious faith.
Jesus seemed little interested in nationalistic sentiments. When in conversation with the Samaritan woman he stated: “Woman, believe me, the hour is coming when neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem will you worship the Father…the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him.” (John 4.21-23). Jesus made the point that the true Israel was not a political entity but, rather, a nation united by God’s Spirit.
He also said “give unto Caesar what is Caesar’s and give to God what is God’s.” This is not exactly flag-waving. A careful look at the passage should lead us to consider Jesus’ question: “Whose image is on the coin?” The image was Caesar’s and Jesus’ question implied that it was appropriate to pay the tax to Caesar. But it implied something else, as well: Caesar, a man, was created in the image of God. Therefore, whatever might rightfully be given to Caesar ultimately must be given to God. After all, Caesar is only Caesar by God’s permission.
Paul makes it clear that Christians are to be subject to civil authorities. Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. (Romans 13.1). But, again, the Bible distances itself from nationalism, as we can see in John’s writing. Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great! She has become a dwelling place for demons, a haunt for every unclean spirit, a haunt for every unclean bird, a haunt for every unclean and detestable beast.For all nations have drunkthe wine of the passion of her sexual immorality and the kings of the earth have committed immorality with her, and the merchants of the earth have grown rich from the power of her luxurious living. (Revelation 18.2,3).
Christians may argue that John didn’t know of the United States and that he would have treated it differently, since it is a Christian nation. Perhaps John would have looked at the U.S. differently, but it is not true that the U.S. is a Christian nation. The United States is certainly profoundly influenced by Christianity, but it is also influenced by Enlightenment ideals, humanism, pluralism, capitalism, and socialism, to name a few of its defining isms. Thus, while the United States benefits from such Christian concepts as the rights of individuals to freedom of conscience and to just treatment, it is also a country in which the treatment of aliens is arbitrary and exploitative, where educational opportunities remain profoundly unfair, and where more than a million young ones are aborted every year.
When Jesus was being examined by Pilot, Jesus stated to him: “My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would have been fighting, that I might not be delivered over to the Jews. But my kingdom is not from the world.”
If we want to make our children into cynics, we will equate Christianity with the United States, or suggest that the the two are inextricably intertwined. If we want to provide Christian education to students, part of our project must be to help them understand absolute submission to Christ, with the logical consequence of a national patriotism that is hedged on every side. We should honor the U.S. but we may not worship it. We should extol its virtues but we must also be clear and open about its sins. If we wish to consider ourselves Christian educators, our teaching must insist that only the Triune God is worthy of worship.
Perhaps a counter-suggestion would be of help. Consider establishing a Constitution Week at our Christian schools. The American Constitution is one of the most brilliant documents of human history as well as being the constitution that has endured the longest. Wouldn’t it be good to make sure students understand it? There could be exercises in re-writing it in the vernacular. Or students could study how it has been amended since its first writing. They could research the impact of the Constitution on Supreme Court decisions. They could analyze how its assumptions align with Christian thought. They could consider the ways that it distinguishes itself from Christianity. Such activities would go a long way towards making students good American citizens, as well as mature citizens of the Heavenly kingdom. This approach is a far cry from American’s current habit of shoehorning an emotionally charged patriotic song between tailgate parties and sporting events.
Thinking more broadly, America as a whole would do well to adopt a Constitution Week in their school calendars. There really ought to be a national holiday for the Constitution. Whoops. There already is, but who has heard of it. No, this national holiday needs much more attention. It should be a day off of work. Not that George Washington is unworthy of honor, but if the calendar is already too packed with days off, let Constitution Day take the place of Washington’s Birthday (Presidents’ Day).
Every person in our country should make a habit of reading the Constitution every Constitution Day. It can be read in a half hour; this is no major sacrifice. Little doubt, if everyone in the country was familiar with the document, there would be more gratitude for what this country provides, there would be a greater connection among citizens, and there would be a greater sense of how injustices can be addressed through lawful and edifying means.
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