From “American Idolatry: How Christian Nationalism Betrays The Gospel and Threatens The Church” by Andrew L. Whitehead
Christians can be grateful to the United States for all the opportunities and privileges it provides. We can celebrate the good that exists in this country. We can honor the people and moments in this country’s history that moved us toward a more just and kind world. In the words of Paul Miller, we can oppose Christian nationalism and express “affection and loyalty to a specific part of God’s creation” that encourages us to “do the good work of cultivating and improving the part we happen to live in.”
Being a patriot, though, does not mean Christians should ignore the difficult and at times heinous aspects of our collective history. We cannot truly love something if we are unwilling to tell the truth about it. I appreciate how Kat Armas says it: “We cannot belong to one another if we’re not committed to telling the truth about ourselves and each other. Injustice affects both the oppressor and the oppressed, so we must tell the truth about the past…[to] heal our future.”
I’m not alone or the first one to say it: being a patriot means we tell the truth about our nation’s history and work toward a future in which everyone is able to participate. Doing so “reveals artificial stories for what they are and creates space for truer ones.” We can then fulfill the unrealized aspirations of the founding period, creating a space where all are able to enjoy life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Christians can and should wholeheartedly endorse this project. Only when we recognize the kingdom of God as superior to the nation can we speak truth to power and maintain a prophetic stance advocating for those on the margins.