Thursday, July 03, 2008

I'm not an American

Well, actually I am an American by citizenship and birth- of the United States of America, I mean. I guess I don't quite see eye to eye with C.S. Lewis on this, and more in the line of Anabaptist thinkers and others that my identity as a Christian is at the heart of who I am and the nationality part is an aside, particularly when we consider that in Jesus, we're in the world but not of it.

I don't post this to diminish my country or any country of which we Christians are citizens. For all our faults there is still much good America has done and still is doing in the world. All nations have their place in God's working, and we need to render to them their due. Always remembering that the true King of kings and Lord of lords to whom all will answer in the end is Jesus.

What thought might you like to add to this thought?

2 comments:

Craver Vii said...

National pride is a tricky thing. I have no reason to be ashamed of my national heritage, but should it be a source of pride, as if I paid for or earned citizenship? I don't think so. I love being an American. I'm thankful for a lot of things. Pride is a whole other issue, and as I have already stated, it's a bit trickier than other sentiments like appreciation of fondness.

Ted M. Gossard said...

Craver, Yes. I appreciate the way you put it. There are alot of God blessed aspects of America and of being an American. So we do have plenty to be thankful for.

But I just make my point from my more Anabaptist view on this, though theologians like Karl Barth and Dietrich Bonhoeffer shared in this concern as well.

But you put it quite well, Craver. And there are many aspects of our country that I'm certainly fond of.

It's just that we're pilgrims or strangers here essentially I take it, in Jesus.