[MayflowerMadam]

No.

[SubMareener]

The Church is the Body of Christ. As such, it has many members. The flag waving members are an important part of that body.

My right pinky finger often doesn’t understand what my feet are up to, but that is OK. It is not my right pinky’s job to walk me around.

[robroys woman]

Don’t get me started. one of the things I loved about my church when I first joined was that it was the only one I’d been in that didn’t have an american flag anywhere to be seen.

The church is not about politics or countries. It is about our relationship with our creator and our fellow tavellers in that relationship.

Patriotism is for other places.

[Roman_War_Criminal]

Christians know that at the end of the day, this nation isn’t our home or our eternal nation.

That said, I think it’s very important to honor America and our heritage because without it, a lot of people would never have heard the sweet words of Salvation through Christ.

[RegulatorCountry]

Sounds to me as if somebody yet again has a warped understanding of the so-called separation of church and state. Evangelical churches or any other kind of churches encouraging patriotism exert no control over the government at large or over other citizens who may disagree with their religious beliefs. Patriotism is not a negative trait.

It’s actually sort of surprising that anyone would attempt to make an issue out of this with Evangelicals. It’s not as if their religious beliefs are centered to some extent around the US Constitution as is the case with the Mormons.

[DesertRhino]

Russell Moore is an ass. A lifelong preacher and the only job he ever had was aid to a democrat congressfool.
He is for Syrian refugees, wanted the rebel battle flag removed all over, and said Baptists should vote 3rd party instead of for Trump.

Now he fears Trump is bringing patriotism into the church. Fortunately as a Baptist leader he has ZERO power. No Baptist need listen to him at all.

[circlecity]

OH Puleeeeeeze. Politicians have been running on God and Country since the beginning of the nation.

[A_Former_Democrat]

One Nation UNDER GOD

What part of that doesn’t the writer understand?

JSTHU

[Salvavida]

The providence of God has allowed Americans to thrive and propagate the Gospel. We should however, give thanks to God for those men and women who served to provide such a great opportunity.

[MeganC]

I don’t stop being a Christian on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday or Saturday and I don’t stop being an American on Sunday.

Deal with it.

[Jagdgewehr]

But I wonder if any of the congregation felt uncomfortable that all of this took place in the church sanctuary on a Sunday morning.

I'm sure there is a few. However, I'm sure they're likely one in the same who are uncomfortable with some of the teachings in God's Word. I've personally known folks who were riled up when the pastor preached on some of the more convicting passages of the Word.

[TNoldman]

NO.

[stars & stripes forever]

Does Pious Piper follow CHRIST’S edict to be salt and light to the world? Or, does he remain silent on the issues of the day? (Separation of church and state, you know.)

Having a flag in a church reminds the congregation to pray for their leaders and publicly stand for righteousness, liberty, and justice.

[chajin]

One of the songs that the congregation sang was Woody Guthrie's folk song, "This Land Is Your Land." For those who don't know, Guthrie wrote the song as a godless alternative to "God Bless America." The original verses will make your head explode, and even if you don't have a problem with patriotism in the church, the inclusion of "This Land Is Your Land" should make your blood boil.

And the Pledge of Allegiance was written by a socialist who wanted children to do a Nazi-like salute while reciting it (to be fair, it was pre-Nazi, which is why we put our right hand over our heart instead), but was co-opted as a conservative statement of loyalty to the flag and the republic.

And the Christmas tree and wreath were co-opted from pagan religion, and All Saints Day was scheduled to co-opt Samhain. Christ is the Lord of the Universe, and deserves all praise, including and especially that which was meant to be scorn.

And when I pledge allegiance to the U.S. flag in the middle of a sanctuary in the middle of a worship service, I am pledging loyalty to my country as a subset of my loyalty to my Lord. When the country deviates from the Lord, we must obey God rather than man; otherwise, I love my country as part of my love for Christ, because it is by the blessing of God that I live in peace and prosperity in a peaceful, prosperous land.

[Albion Wilde]

bump

[loveliberty2]

As we have begun, of late, to react to the movement in the late 1800's then self-identifying as a "liberal" movement (though not of the classical liberal interpretation), which has become the driving force in American politics under its new and preferred moniker, "Progressive," we have been compelled to recognize it for what it always has been, a deliberate and contrived effort to undermine and overthrow the great principles underlying the philosophy of America's Declaration of Independence and Constitution.

Such a "Liberal/Progressive" undertaking was initiated and has been led by many in the so-called "academic" community from the start, as can be documented easily for any whose interest and concern for preservation of the Constitution and its protections for religious liberty motivates them.

Removing any vestiges of religion from the "public square," or any vestiges of so-called "political speech" from religious spaces seems to have been a pet cause for radical "progressives." Why?

Are such ideological cultists so threatened by ideas conveyed by Judeo/Christian communities that they would exclude them from participation in our Republic's matters of state?

This thread aims at another facet of the discussion. For more perspective on the topic of this thread, readers might wish to review Professor Ellis Sandoz's Volumes on Political Sermons of the American Founding Era . . . ." - here.

Query: if sermons from the pulpit are dangerous to the Constitution, and if they are to be excluded from appropriate political debate, then why were these Sermons which pre- and post-date the Constitution, as published by Professor Sandoz, not criticized by the Founders themselves and/or subsequent Supreme Court decisions?

Just asking.

[tiki]

Um, no, not anywhere but especially the USA. After mass, our priest recognized our veterans and we said the Pledge of Allegiance.

[Lee N. Field]

Do Some Evangelicals Go too Far in Their Efforts to Bring Patriotism into the Church?

Pray for those in authority.

Anything beyond that has no place in a service of Christian worship.

[ealgeone]

Perhaps a better question should be why do Roman Catholics support Left-leaning presidents?

Roman Catholic voting patterns in presidential elections 1952-2016. Red indicates majority of Roman Catholic support for the GOP candidate.

Yr	D	R
1952	56%	44%
1956	51%	49%
1960	78%	22%	Kennedy
1964	76%	24%	LBJ
1968	59%	33%
1972	48%	52%
1976	57%	41%	Carter
1980	46%	47%
1984	39%	61%
1988	51%	49%
1992	47%	35%	Clinton
1996	55%	35%	Clinton
2000	52%	46%
2004	52%	48%
2008	53%	47%	Obama
2012	53%	44%	Obama
2016	45%	52%

Source:

1952-2008 Gallup

2012 National Election Studies

2016 Pew Research Center

[Elsie]

All of this begs the question: what place does patriotism have during a church service?

Every offering plate accepts these items.

They each contain 4 little words; prominately displayed...