Why Younger Evangelicals May Feel Uneasy In A Patriotic Church Service
Why Younger Evangelicals May Feel Uneasy In A Patriotic Church Service
The church transcends the state, a truth that should be proclaimed clearly in a worship setting.
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[JJ Hoban]I’m glad you agree that if exegeted properly, Romans 13 can be preached at any time. I considered “praising America” to be the red herring when you first responded, since Romans 13 says nothing about praising America. It talks about God’s institution of government and how a person should respond to government. Those are things that are especially relevant during the time of year that America is celebrating it’s founding.Oh, I didn’t know praising America was exegeted from the original languages in Romans 13 and 1 Corinthians 13. It must be lost in translation…. I suppose if you eisegete Scripture it would only make sense to preach those texts during those times. But if you Exegete God’s word, you can preach those anytime to people of every tribe, tongue and nation.
- What is patriotism? Definition: “devoted love, support, and defense of one’s country; national loyalty.”
- I’m not an American “exceptionalist”, but born and raised here, it’s a pretty great place.
- As this past century’s most powerful nation, we won WWII (and probably WWI). The great and wicked dictators fell before us. We defeated the great evil of Nazism and crushed communism by out producing it.
- We have been the great defender of Israel.
- Our freedoms (Freedom of speech, religion, and assembly) has enabled Christianity to flourish
- That richness of Christianity has enabled the gospel to go forth around the world.
- It’s got many problems: abortion, pornography (the very freedom of speech protects this as well!), adultery, fornication & the gay agenda
- I see in Romans 13 and other passages a respect for and an honoring of institutions. Our country is one of them
- Frankly I am appalled at the lack of patriotism among young adults. I have one of my three kids who is a true patriot. He put his life on the line after 9/11 in the USMC (serving in Iraq) and recently serving in Afghanistan.
A few points:
- In the last four years, the United States has sanctioned the murder of just about as many babies as Hitler killed Jews.
- We torture our enemies for information.
- Our leaders in both parties enforce and apply our laws capriciously.
- We are ever more approving of pornography and perversions.
- We are decadent in the proper sense of that word.
I do not see how we can separate what we are from what we ideally would see our nation become. And I certainly do not see in Romans 13 (or elsewhere in scripture) any justification for exalting our nation in the service of Jehovah’s worship. I do see (especially in the OT prophets) reasons to pronounce condemnation upon her.
Patriotism is not a Christian virtue.
Are there any examples in Church history of Christian patriotism? Victorian England? Wales? Scotland? Germany?
"Some things are of that nature as to make one's fancy chuckle, while his heart doth ache." John Bunyan
Ron,
Roman Catholicism comes to mind.
XD
Discussion