America, the Beautiful

Michael Spencer has a blog and podcast called Internet Monk that I read/listen to quite often. I’ve always been put off by the melding of Christianity and patriotism and he has some great thoughts on his experience over Memorial Day weekend. Don’t get me wrong, I am very thankful for our veterans and realized that I probably wouldn’t be writing this right now if it wasn’t for them, but there is still something wrong about this.
If you don’t read his whole post, at least read this portion of it:

“God’s people come from every nation, tribe and people. We do not place our hope in any nation, but in Jesus Christ alone. We are a people in the midst of the nations. Our identity comes from our redemption through the blood of the lamb. We are called to live out our continuing identity found in the Word, the waters of baptism and the table of the Lord. This is not our home, and it is not our hope, even with religion added in.

Among many evangelicals, however, there is only the thinnest of memories left of what it means to be the people of God in the midst of America. It is much easier to equate being an American with being the people of God, and that is a significant loss. “

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