Orthodox Patriotism

Oswald Chambers (1874-1917) was a Scottish minister and teacher whose teachings on the life of faith and abandonment to God have endured to this day.


"The first thing that happens after we have realized our election to God in Christ Jesus is the destruction of our prejudices and our parochial notions and our patriotisms; we are turned into servants of God's own purpose. The whole human race was created to glorify God and enjoy Him for ever. Sin has switched the human race on to another tack, but it has not altered God's purpose in the tiniest degree; and when we are born again we are brought into the realization of God's great purpose for the human race, viz., I am created for God, He made me. This realization of the election of God is the most joyful realization on earth, and we have to learn to rely on the tremendous creative purpose of God. The first thing God will do with us is to "force through the channels of a single heart" the interests of the whole world. The love of God, the very nature of God, is introduced into us, and the nature of Almighty God is focused in John 3:16 - 'God so loved the world. . .'"

- Oswald Chambers - "My Utmost for His Highest"

When Oswald Chambers composed those words he was living at a time when the British Empire was an awesome force in the world. So, I'm thinking that perhaps his words might have caused quite a stir among his peers because to speak in terms of a greater humanity above the values of Queen and country was viewed as revolutionary. In some ways his words, if you consider them carefully, may be just as controversial these early days of the 21st century in the United States.

According to a large majority of Americans, to be Christian is to be a national patriot - they see no distinction between believing in Christ and believing in the constitutional republic. However, like Oswald Chambers, and his Master, the Lord Jesus Christ, I see things very differently.

John 3:16 begins "God so loved the world....." Therefore, as Christians, we should have the same kind of love that the Lord demonstrated - a love for the whole world. The Apostle Peter wrote: "fear God, honor the king." (1 Peter 2:18). By not linking the two together he purposefully placed them on two different levels - one of reverence and one of compliance.

Christians are to worship God, respect the government, and love the whole world, regardless of how the world might regard us.

Christian patriotism is to be world embracing, at the level of humanity - not at the level of a particular government or ethnic philosophy.

So, when it is proposed that the words "under God" be taken out of the pledge of allegiance - I don't see it as a negative - I just see it as being honest. We are not "one nation under God,"we are "one nation with liberty for all." That's the part that I like. Being one nation with liberty demonstates the true freedom that God intended when he gave us free will - Only Christians can claim to be "one nation under God" - and so it is. Through Christ we are to be a new creation, a new generation of people that live in the world but are not of it - we are called to be "ambassadors" of the Kingdom of God on earth - our patriotism is to the Kingdom of God that unites everyone into their true humanity as God's children.

The separation of church and state is a good thing - but it should work both ways. Christians should not expect special treatment from the government and the government should not expect Christians to always agree with them.

The Ten Commandments should not be displayed in government buildings - and national flags should not be displayed in churches.

Now my last point is a criticism of many Orthodox churches that still cling to a national heritage. According to the Nicene Creed, that is recited almost daily by Orthodox - the church is universal (catholic). This means that it is not based on a nationality or exclusive ethnic group - so there shouldn't be Russian Orthodox, or Greek Orthodox Churches - there should just be Orthodox churches that might conduct services in Russian or Greek. It might sound like I'm being too specific, but I really feel that if there is a universal church it has to start acting that way right in our neighborhoods.

God bless America, and the whole world!