When conservative Christians express their unqualified love and appreciation of America and back it up with involvement in politics and the public square, they easily get tarred as Christian Nationalists. In fact, CNN recently feared Charlie Kirk’s massive memorial service in Phoenix was a demonstration in Christian nationalism.
Patriotism by anyone, much less faithful Christians, should never be assumed a threat.
Daniel Darling, pastor and director of the Land Center for Cultural Engagement at Southwestern Theological Seminary, has given the world a very important book on this topic, entitled In Defense of Christian Patriotism. He asks, “Since when does praying to Jesus, loving America, and saluting the flag make you an extremist?”
Darling contends that standing up and publicly loving one’s country as a patriot is essential for Christians, saying, “A healthy patriotism is not only an acceptable posture for a Christian. I believe it is a necessary posture for a Christian.”
Darling explains, “I wrote this book to show Christians how to fight back against the Left’s false narrative with an upbeat, robust defense of how Christians make America better.
“As I speak to ordinary believers around the country, I meet good people who want to love America but are constantly being told that this passion is in direct conflict with their love for God.”
His book explains why loving one’s country is acting in obedience to God.
In the chapter “You Can’t Obey God and Hate Your Country,” Darling warns against the silly temptations to avoid patriotism because we “fear being confused with [our] flag-waving parents and grandparents” or we “equate any form of patriotism with idolatry.”
Darling approvingly highlights Hillsdale professor Wilfred M. McClay’s definition of patriotism.
Patriotism, in the American context, is an intricate latticework of ideals, sentiments, and overlapping loyalties. Since its founding, America has often been understood as the incarnation of an idea, an abstract and aspirational claim about self-evident truths that apply to all of humanity. There is certainly some truth to this view, but to focus on it exclusively ignores the very natural and concrete aspects of American patriotism: our shared memories of our nation’s singular triumphs, sacrifices, and sufferings, as well as our unique traditions, culture, and land.
These ideals are why millions immigrants risk their lives and meager fortunes to come to America legally. They believe in our ideals and a promise of a better life.
Darling explains, “Loving America is not ignoring her flaws, but recognizing the possibility of positive change is more likely” as much of this is “due to the unique influence of Protestant Christianity on our founding ideals – an influence many want us to forget.”
Darling continues to detail how family decline has harmed many of our nation’s most vulnerable populations, which prevents them from fully realizing the rewards of the American Dream.
Darling rightly observes Christian efforts in the fight for family, saying, “Often it is Christians trying to arrest change who are labeled as the aggressors, backwards, weird and retrograde, while the Left, which made the changes in the first place, is the enlightened, fair-minded, justice-oriented cohort.”
He’s not wrong by recognizing that “some evangelical leaders dismiss fighting for families as mere ‘culture wars’.”
He adds, “The truth is [our patriotism has us] engaged in a fight for what is true and good and beautiful, whether we realize it or not. Some political skirmishes are stupid, but championing the family is not one of them. It’s serious and it matters.”
The book concludes, saying, “For our children, for our neighbors, for the glory of God, let’s love this country,” the essential call of Christian patriotism for Americans as a great beacon of hope and freedom for billions around the world.
You can read Daniel Darling’s motivation for writing his new book here.
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