Nationalism

[Alex Haig]

You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.

Galatians 3:26-29

Quite clearly Jews and Greeks are still Jews and Greeks: nationalities still exist, yet we all belong to Christ. As Christians, to what extent should we support our own country? We need to submit ourselves to authority but should we be involved in politics (e.g. standing for public office)? Should we be caught up in celebrations of national victories, for example, in sport or on the battlefield?

With love in Christ

Alex

[Olga]

... Should we be caught up in celebrations of national victories, for example, in sport ...

You'll know the answer to that one on Sunday, my friend, should England beat Argentina in the World Cup! :)))

[Owen Jones]

Withdrawal from society is certainly an option for Christians, although it is hard to do when you have a family to educate and support.

Withdrawal doesn't mean: don't pay taxes, engage in civil disobedience, or cynicism and judgmentalism. It is a state of mind.

[Olga]

Did I say Argentina? Oops! I meant Portugal.. (Getting up at ungodly hours to watch matches has taken its toll..) But seriously, I see little wrong with cheering on one's national side during a sporting contest, as long as this does not spill into aggression or a sense of national or cultural superiority against the opposing side/nation/culture, as, sadly, some idiots (the kindest word I can think of) are prone to do.

[Ken McRae]

Quite clearly Jews and Greeks are still Jews and Greeks: nationalities still exist, yet we all belong to Christ. As Christians, to what extent should we support our own country? We need to submit ourselves to authority but should we be involved in politics (e.g. standing for public office)? Should we be caught up in celebrations of national victories, for example, in sport or on the battlefield?

During the "Novus Ordo" Mass I attended on Sunday, the Priest led the congregation in singing O Canada, before the end of the Liturgy, then followed it immediately after with a liturgical hymn, and as their intention(s) appeared clear to me, at the time, (so it seemed,) I sat down during the National Anthem, and did not participate. At the start of the final liturgical hymn, I stood back up. I don't know, but apart from it being a totally secular and liturgically inappropriate hymn, singing O Canada these days seems to me a lot like singing "O Sodom and Gommorha"! It's a godless, godless nation, (in my eyes,) and may the Lord take pity and turn her from her evil ways to the path of the righteous!

[Olga]

I would regard the singing of ANY national anthem during an Orthodox service to be out of line, irrespective of what country we are talking about. March 25 is Independence Day for Greece i.e. the Annunciation (yes, the date was deliberately chosen by those who raised the rebellion to symbolise the "rebirth" of a new Greece, free from Ottoman subjugation). It is not uncommon for a church to be festooned inside and out with bunting made up of little Greek flags, as well as larger national flags flying outside the church. I can't say whether they sing the national anthem during the Liturgy (I sincerely hope not!), however, the presence of the flags, a secular symbol, are, to me, no less a sacrilege than the singing of a national anthem. If this is not phyletism, then it must come pretty close to it.