I’m concerned that many American Christians confuse patriotism with nationalism to an extent that borders on idolatry.
Patriotism is love for one’s country. People who are patriotic place their hand over their heart while the national anthem is played and use that time to reflect on the men and women who sacrificially served so they can enjoy the freedoms they enjoy. Being a patriot makes you thankful you’re from where you’re from when an Olympic athlete from your country wins a medal. But nationalism, as someone once said, is “patriotism on steroids.” It is an idolatrous view of country that mixes in celebration of nation with worship of God. It makes you believe you’re “better than” or “more valued than” those from other lands, and your country is “more favored than” any other country. As a result, nationalism rejects all criticism of country, viewing it as treasonous. Patriotism holds the country morally accountable and challenges it to live up to its highest ideals because it loves it, but nationalism exempts the country from moral accountability altogether.
One of the most glaring forms of nationalism in our day is the belief in “American exceptionalism” (in fact, I’ve often heard it referred to as the “doctrine of American exceptionalism” … a moniker that is almost frightening in its irony)—the notion that America is particularly chosen by God and, as a result, not accountable to anyone or anything except Him. The problem, of course, is that none of us has a direct line to God. To think we can fully and completely ascertain the ways of God is pretension and hubris of an unbelievable proportion.
Some years ago, when I was in transition between congregations, I attended the Sunday morning service of a large, reputable church in the community where I lived. It was the Sunday closest to the 4th of July and virtually the entire service was given over to militaristic displays of nationalism with people dressed in costume as founding fathers and color guards marching down the aisles to the various anthems of branches of the military. Each attendee was handed a small American flag to hold so they could stand and wave it at various times during the service. It made me so sick I almost had to leave, for I sensed what was really being worshiped that day was not God but country.
Don’t get me wrong … I think honoring those who serve in our military at the baseball game is a great thing, and I’m glad some restaurants and businesses recognize our veterans and give them a discount in appreciation for what they’ve done. I love my country and thank God I was privileged to be born here. But at the same time, my Bible teaches me that God got out of the nation-building business almost 2000 years ago and He’s now about building a people of every nation, tribe, tongue, and language. At the end of the day, it is to that enterprise that I am to devote my ultimate allegiance. And our places of worship should likewise give utmost preference and importance to a Kingdom that is not of this world.