Nationalism is distinguished from patriotism. Patriotism is an “expression of devotion to country that is defined by justice” while Nationalism is “tribalistic, triumphalist, idolatrous, exclusivist and violates justice”. By definition then, patriotism leads to open exceptionalism while nationalism fosters closed exceptionalism. Closed exceptionalism inevitably infects theology as it tends to foment idolatrous worship of the nation, leading to a dangerously warped theological understanding.

We see this clearly demonstrated in Nazi Germany and the rise of the Third Reich with its pervasive German nationalism before which the majority of German Protestant churches capitulated. While there were exceptions (i.e., Dietrich Bonhoeffer) most German churches were swept up in the German nationalism that was clearly espousing a form of exclusive, closed exceptionalism and which divided the nation, separating out a “pure Aryan race” from all others. Nazi nationalism viewed Germany as the “chosen” country and German theology was catastrophically influenced. The Anti Defamation League concludes,

“Three main factors shaped the behavior of the Christian Churches during the Nazi reign of terror in Germany and abroad. The first was the theological and doctrinal anti-Judaism that existed in parts of the Christian tradition. (Long before 1933, the anti-Judaism that existed within the Churches — ranging from latent prejudice to the virulent diatribes of people like Martin Luther — lent legitimacy to the racial anti-Semitism that emerged in the late nineteenth century.) The second factor was the Churches’ historical role in creating “Christendom” — the Western European culture that, since the era of the Roman emperor Constantine, had been explicitly and deliberately “Christian.” The Churches’ advocacy of a “Christian culture” led to a “sacralization of cultural identity” (as the theologian Miroslav Volf puts it), in which dominant, positive values were seen as “Christian” ones, while developments viewed negatively (such as secularism and Marxism) were attributed to “Jewish” influences. Moreover, particularly in the German Evangelical Church (the largest Protestant Church in Germany), the allegiance to the concept of Christendom was linked to a strong nationalism, symbolized by German Protestantism’s “Throne and Altar” alliance with state authority. The third factor was the Churches’ understanding of their institutional role. While most Christian religious leaders in Germany welcomed the end of the Weimar Republic and the resurgence of nationalism, they became increasingly uneasy about their institutions’ future in what was clearly becoming a totalitarian state.”

The dark influence of nationalism on theology is certainly not unique to Nazi Germany or totalitarian states; it can manifest anywhere that nationalism reigns as the pervasive political view. But when it becomes the inherent view of the church, the consequences are deadly. As Dr. John Wilsey (Southern Baptist Theological Seminary) notes, “the contest of Civil War between the Southern Confederacy and the Union was a contest between these competing views of [closed and open] exceptionalism”. Both the Confederacy and the Union were convinced that God was on their side in the conflict. The nationalism of the Confederacy reinforced their theological understanding that slavery was not only Biblical, but a “moral good” for both the nation and (astoundingly) even for the enslaved blacks. This country paid a huge price in blood for that distorted theological understanding with more Americans killed during the Civil War than all other wars combined that the nation has fought. The impact of nationalism on theology can be disastrous.

I grew up overseas as an American Citizen in the Philippines in a far different culture than Americans raised in this country. I witnessed first hand the far-reaching global influence of America . . . both good and bad through my formative years. I served twenty years on active duty with the U.S. Army after college and again witnessed the momentous impact of America around the world, both good and bad. I’m thankful for the exposure I’ve had to many other cultures and nations; it moderated my nationalistic understanding of America. I am thankful to be an American citizen and proud to have served the country. However, I have always strived to differentiate my theology from nationalistic ideology. I walk a fine line between patriotism and nationalism. With more than five decades of following Christ, I have become increasingly concerned with nationalism’s growing impact on American Protestant theology and its surging emphasis on America as a “chosen nation” whose special destiny to be a “shining light” to the world, as ordained by God. I’ve always been bothered with American flags in churches, reciting the pledge of allegiance during worship, singing “America The Beautiful” and the National Anthem during praise and worship; all these make me uncomfortable. I’m concerned with the never-ending assault from parts of the well-meaning American Protestant church, that I need to embrace their view of American of closed exceptionalism. I suspect that many members of the evangelical church (which I truly love and am thankful to be a part of) adhere to closed exceptionalism and I see it warping their theological understanding. I see the disturbing emergence of closed exceptionalism among some of the current administration’s almost-fanatical Christian supporters. Their nationalism exerts a powerful negative influence on their theological worldview and inculcates a view of the country that borders on idolatry.

I am concerned over the possible effect that the recent escalating drastic cultural changes (i.e., gay marriage, gender identity, abortion [which is now viewed virtually as a sacrament], open borders, etc.) will have on Christians who have embraced closed exceptionalism and who will inevitably view the unwelcome changes as a frontal assault on God himself, instead of understanding the changes as a wrong turn for a nation led by fallen creatures. In so doing, because of nationalism, they will regard it as their holy duty (like medieval crusaders) to “defend” God’s honor, whatever the cost, instead of recognizing the opportunity to defend their faith and hopefully impel a correction to the culture’s course of direction. After all, we don’t need to defend God’s name or honor; he is perfectly capable of doing that himself (Nahum 1:2-8).