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Rise in patriotism causes tension for some
November, 2001
By Tiffany Vail
Rendering of the communion table at the First Congregational Church, UCC, of Rowley at services following September 11th. In the wake of September 11th, patriotism is running high. Old Glory flies not just on top of government buildings but on people’s homes, car antennas – even suit jackets. God Bless America is posted in the windows of homes and businesses.
But the patriotic fervor that has flourished in the wake of the terrorist attacks has led some to debate whether these same symbols are appropriate inside the church.
For some, it is concern over whether the American flag belongs in worship space. For others, it is disagreement on what hymns are appropriate for worship.
“There have been questions about the use of flags or national symbols in the sanctuary, and questions about what pastors are and are not doing,” said Marilyn Rossier, Interim Associate Conference Minister for the Northeast Area. “What I heard early on from pastors was that if they had done things like pray for ‘the enemy,’ or if they had not sung patriotic songs in worship, they had parishioners who were upset with them, or who felt they weren’t doing what they should be doing.”
One pastor who found himself in such a situation was Harvey Joyner, pastor of the First Congregational Church, UCC, of Haverhill.
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“There seemed to be this attitude immediately following September 11th, this thought that I would begin the service by marching down the aisle with the United States flag, singing God Bless America,” Joyner said. “I would have none of it, and there were grumbles behind the scenes from those who thought I was less then patriotic.”
Instead, Joyner left the stars and stripes where they were – in the rear of the sanctuary, alongside a United Church of Christ flag.
“Some people approached me afterward and said they were very disappointed that I didn’t use patriotic music, and some said they were very disappointed that I didn’t move the flag to the chancel.” Joyner said. “But others quietly came to me to thank me for not jumping on the ‘war wagon.’” Joyner feels that patriotic music does not belong in worship.
“It tends to wrap the Bible in the flag. It tends to put God’s seal of approval on the federal government,” he said. “We need to be careful not to confuse decisions of the country with God’s will. That is why we need prayer life – to understand God’s will through the Jesus story.”
Robert Hagopian, pastor of the First Congregational Church, UCC, of Rowley, said he appreciates the feelings of those like Joyner, but said he does not share them. Not only does his church display a U.S. flag in a front corner of the sanctuary, he placed flags on the communion table in the chancel for services in the wake of September 11th.
“The flags are there, and I wear a flag pin on my suit jacket, because the flag for me represents the lives of those who were lost. They were our fellow countrymen and women,” Hagopian said. “Especially having had people lost from our community in the attacks, I see their family’s faces when I see the flag. The flag represents the hopes and dreams of those people.”
Hagopian said even before September 11th he felt the flag was appropriate in the sanctuary, because it represents the country’s veterans who gave their lives in the cause of freedom.
“I don’t worship the flag, I worship God,” he said. “And yes, there are many things our nation has done that I’m not proud of. But as imperfect as we are, it is the ideals of freedom that the flag represents.”
Hagopian also believes patriotic hymns can be a meaningful part of worship. America the Beautiful, for example, he sees as a prayer to God, in which the congregation asks for God’s grace on the nation.
“When we sing these songs, we’re not saying that America is right and everyone else is wrong, we’re saying that we have these ideals and we don’t want to get this wrong,” he said.
Like Joyner, Hagopian said reaction has been mixed.
“I’ve had people who have said the flag and the music meant a lot to them, and I’ve had some concern that we would become ‘flag-wavers’ here,” he said.
John White, pastor of the First Congregational Church of Dudley, said his congregation has felt comforted by singing patriotic hymns.
“Following September 11th, I felt the need to put the Pilgrim Hymnals back in our pews for a while,” he said. “We needed the traditional words. We needed the patriotic hymns. They were like a soothing balm.”
Judy Hanlon, pastor of the Hadwen Park Congregational Church in Worcester, however, has avoided patriotic hymns. She said she has tried to encourage her parishioners to think about the sentiment that a song like God Bless America conveys.
“I have tried very hard to explain that I do not say, ‘God bless America,’ I say ‘Peace on earth’ or ‘God bless the world,’ which includes America but does not exclude blessings for other countries,” she said.
Instead of choosing a patriotic song, Hanlon has been ending worship by asking parishioners to join hands and sing Jesus Loves the Little Children.
“We pray for the children in Afghanistan. It is impossible to hate children, so we begin there to talk about international peace and prosperity for all,” she said.
Andover Newton Theological School President Benjamin Griffin said that conversations surrounding patriotic symbols in the church are important, but said he hoped they could be had without a sense of divisiveness.
“This is not something we need to fight about in church,” he said.
Griffin teaches a class on liturgics, and said discussing the appropriateness of the U.S. flag in the sanctuary always elicits a variety of opinions. He encourages students to think about the symbolism of every object in their places of worship.
“In some churches, you can always find the flag, but you can’t find the baptistry. My God – that is a symbol we should be concerned about,” he said.
“It seems to me that the church of Jesus Christ is universal. The national symbol, which is what the flag is, is not appropriate in a Christian liturgical space,” Griffin said. “The church of Jesus Christ transcends nationality, ethnicity. What we need is a more universal symbol, like the cross.”
Griffin and Hal Worthley, head librarian at the Congregational Library, both said the tradition of having a flag in the sanctuary most likely began in New England during the Civil War. The flags became more widely seen during World War I, at which time many congregations – particularly in the Evangelical and Reformed tradition – held services in German, and felt flags would address doubts about their loyalties.
Many churches have a U.S. flag in one front corner of the sanctuary, and a Christian flag in the other. The Christian flag – a white flag with a red cross on a blue field – was developed in New York in the late 1800s and has never officially been adopted by any denomination or agency. Alternatively, some churches have a United Church of Christ flag, which can be ordered from the national office in Cleveland.
Worthley feels custom dictates that the U.S. flag is perfectly appropriate in church.
“Custom says ‘yes’ although there are some that say we shouldn’t have Caesar and God in the same room. I think that is ridiculous, when you realize that people also bring money into the sanctuary for offerings,” he said.
But Worthley echoed Griffin in saying the debate over flags should not be a divisive one.
“Both customs have been followed at one time or another. One must listen to the whole of the congregation, not just part of it, when deciding,” he said.
