In 2016, a number of professional football players began to sit or kneel during the playing of the national anthem. They described their act as one of protest, designed to raise awareness of our nation's failure to live up to its ideals of human equality and equal protection under the law. Public reaction to this protest was mixed, but passionate. Some saw it as a disrespectful and deeply unpatriotic insult to the nation. Others saw it differently, arguing that protest in the name of equality was as patriotic as it gets.
Therein lies the challenge of preaching about patriotism. Nearly everyone has a different understanding of what patriotism is, and nearly everyone expresses it in different ways.
Nonetheless, Christians are right to consider what their relationship to their country should be. And, no doubt, these considerations are top of mind this week as we celebrate Independence Day. What does patriotism look like for the Christian?
I hope that you'll spend a portion of your holiday weekend with us. This Sunday, we will have one unified service at 11 a.m. in the Sanctuary. My sermon will explore the relationship between faith and patriotism, and will center around
this text. We'll also enjoy amazing music, highlighted by bluegrass, country and gospel classics. It will be a rich and vibrant time of worship - a wonderful addition to this July 4 weekend.
I look forward to worshiping with you!
Yours in Christ,
Ian
As a pastoral resident at Covenant, Ian Clark leads Young Adult Ministries and supports our wider adult education offerings, among other pastoral responsibilities. The two-year residency program is one way that Covenant helps to develop young clergy. An officer in the U.S. Navy, Ian hopes to serve as a naval chaplain upon completion of the residency program.
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In 2016, a number of professional football players began to sit or kneel during the playing of the national anthem. They described their act as one of protest, designed to raise awareness of our nation's failure to live up to its ideals of human equality and equal protection under the law. Public reaction to this protest was mixed, but passionate. Some saw it as a disrespectful and deeply unpatriotic insult to the nation. Others saw it differently, arguing that protest in the name of equality was as patriotic as it gets.
