Can Christians be Patriots?

During the 2008 Democratic presidential primary, then-candidate Barack Obama found himself in the midst of a controversy over a sermon delivered by his Chicago pastor, Jeremiah Wright. Our country had failed her people, especially minorities, and we should not sing “God Bless America,” he thundered. “No, no, no, not God Bless America. God damn America—that’s in the Bible!” After the Wright sermon was unearthed and caused a media firestorm, Obama was forced to distance himself from the radical preacher and ultimately leave his church.

Distressingly, Wright’s religiously tinged anti-Americanism has only become more prevalent in contemporary politics—and not just on the Left. From theocratic Protestant nationalists to Roman Catholic integralists, increasing numbers of right-wing Christians are joining their progressive counterparts in denouncing this country and her political institutions. Revolution is in the atmosphere. At least on the extremes, it seems that Christians are experiencing a crisis of faith in America.

Daniel Darling’s latest book, In Defense of Christian Patriotism, is a serious tonic for this troubled discourse. He blends a Chestertonian sensibility with a Baptist preacher’s commonsense reading of Scripture to provide a thoroughly convincing case that believers are called to love their country. Taking his case a step further, he also provides compelling reasons why Christians should feel a special sense of loyalty for the American Republic. In our age of doubt and discontent, this bold vindication of conservative wisdom deserves acclaim.

To take one particular example, Darling’s treatment of the place of national flags in sanctuaries is representative of his general argument. Some Christians object to the presence of the star-spangled banner on the grounds that it is idolatrous to place it alongside the cross. But Darling argues this is misguided. “It’s true that Sunday mornings shouldn’t be a civic pep rallies for America,” he writes. “Still, a flag can serve as a reminder of the location in which God has called us to serve Him. Juxtaposed with a cross, it helps us put our love of God, love of our country, and love of our families into the proper order.” Darling does not mistake the nation—let alone the state—for the divine, but he does recognize its place in the contract of eternal society.

Read more in Providence.