I’ve been reflecting further on the issues around Christian Nationalism.
It is worth reflecting on the different types of national identity and pride that there can be. First, we may think about patriotism where essentially we mean a love and affection for one’s own country, especially country of birth. Such patriotic affection is sometimes dismissed as “my country right or wrong”though I think this is a misclassification. The real problem is not with a loyalty or affection that acknowledge’s that a place has its faults but is still loved. This is often seen at a local level. I know the bad things about Bradford but you need to earn the right to point them out.
The idea that my country is always in the right and a form of exceptionalism which expects it to succeed at the expense of other countries is what takes us into the territory of nationalism where a country’s standing in the world, culture and prosperity is defended at all costs including military expansion.
This leads us into questions about Christian Nationalism. There are perhaps two forms here. One is simply the christening of nationalism. The thing that makes my nation exceptional is its history and at times mythology. The focus then is on the defence of Britain or America as exceptional Christian nations.
There is perhaps though another form, let’s call it “Christian Nation-alism. There the question is more about how Christian beliefs, values and culture might be the best things with which to shape nationhood.
The question then is which one of these is actually being advocated.
Faithroots 