Tag Archives: nationalism

Nationalism

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In discussing my post on Hugo Chavez and Jesus, a friend of mine defended the term nationalism, saying that it merely meant “having loyalty and devotion for….” He went on to speak of his loyalty and devotion for the Tennessee Vols and for his family. My friend asked if there was anything wrong with that.

I responded:

“Obviously, loyalty and devotion can run on different levels. The difference between what you feel for the Vols and what you feel for your family is great. One is relatively superficial, while the other reaches to the core of your being. You would probably be willing to die for your family, but I doubt you’d be as quick to die for the Vols.

“But let’s follow that line of thinking. How would you feel about singing the Tennessee fight song and school song during a church service (Aren’t there some hymnals that have “Rocky Top” in them)? Have church members prepare care packages for the athletes? Have regular prayers for “our Vols”? Hang a University of Tennessee banner in the front of the auditorium? Does any of that seem out of place?

“What if you did the same with pictures of your family? Sang songs praising your family? Regularly asked all of the church members to pray prayers of thanks for your family, “the greatest family in the world”?

“Those sorts of things happen in churches around the United States, not out of loyalty and devotion to the Vols or your family, but out of nationalism. That’s the scary thing to me.”

What do you think? Would asking everyone in a congregation to share in a show of devotion for my family or for my sports team be out of place during a church service? If so, why do we not find similar displays of nationalism to be out of place?

Yesterday I discussed the meaning of the term “allegiance.” In its most literal form, it refers to lordship. A man can’t serve two lords. Nationalism and Christianity do not mix.

Remembering Rwanda

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Yesterday, in the Christianity in Culture class that I teach at ACU, we read the first part of Lee Camp’s Mere Discipleship. At the beginning of his book, Camp discusses the horrendous civil war that took place in Rwanda in 1994 (the triggering event occurred 16 years ago yesterday, April 6). In a period of 100 days, over 800,000 people were slaughtered during tribal warfare between the Hutus and the Tutsis. What made this butchery all the more disturbing is the fact that over 90% of the population of Rwanda claimed some form of Christianity.

I wrote a few posts about tribalism in the past. While this tribalism is more apparent, with Hutu Christians and Tutsi Christians murdering one another, it exists in many forms around the world. Until our first loyalty is to Jesus Christ and His Kingdom, we will allow ourselves to mistreat brothers in Christ in the name of politics and nationalism.

None of that is possible when we recognize that we are one body. We are members of the same holy nation. Our allegiance is to her and her alone. (Remember that allegiance comes from the Old French liege, the term a vassal used to address his lord. When we pledge allegiance to someone or something, we are recognizing their lordship over us.)

May there never be another Rwanda, not only from the point of view of humanity in general, but from the perspective of God’s Kingdom. May His subjects come to see that we belong to Him, with all human loyalties falling far behind. May we truly be the body of Christ, the holy nation, the people of God.

Hugo Chavez and Jesus

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During my trip to Cuba two weeks ago, one sister gave me a poem. Here are a few translated lines to give you an idea of the flavor:

Long live my Venezuela
That was saved from the empire.
Long live Hugo Chávez
And the countries of Alba.*
My dear Venezuela
That is today the light of the world
Along with my beloved Cuba
and our beloved Jesus.

When she gave it to me, I glanced over it and expected the worst. After all, I’m from “the empire.” I was ready for her to chastise me for things that the United States has done in Latin America.

However, she merely wanted to give me this poem (given to her by the Holy Spirit, she said) so that I could share it with others. It was so obvious to her that any Christian would agree with the ideas she was expressing that she never stopped to think that I might see things differently.

Nationalism and Christianity don’t mix. Not in Cuba. Not in the United States. It’s no more wrong for her to write what she did as a Christian poem than it is for people to salute the American flag during a church service. But neither one is right either.

Nationalism and Christianity don’t mix. I was told that this sister has some issues mentally. What excuses do we give?

Nationalism and Christianity don’t mix.

*Alianza Bolivariana para los Pueblos de Nuestra América — Bolivarian Alliance for the Peoples of Our America. “Alba” in Spanish means dawn. This alliance is meant as an alternative to the U.S.-sponsored Free Trade Area of the Americas.

Photo by Victor Soares