Attendees wave flags as music is performed earlier than then-Vice President Mike Pence made feedback at First Baptist Church Dallas throughout a Rejoice Freedom Rally in Dallas, Sunday, June 28, 2020. Tony Gutierrez, Related Press
Greater than half of Protestant pastors in the USA say it’s essential to acknowledge the Fourth of July vacation throughout worship providers, however a large minority — 38% — worries their congregation’s love for America is usually larger than its love for God, based on a brand new survey from Lifeway Analysis.
The report confirmed that younger pastors, particularly, marvel concerning the knowledge of encouraging patriotism from the pulpit. Practically two-thirds of Protestant leaders youthful than 45 mentioned church providers don’t want “patriotic additions,” researchers discovered.
The survey comes at a time when religion leaders from a wide range of traditions are reconsidering the connection between faith and patriotism. Some have been sounding the alarm about Christian nationalism, a perception system that features the concept you must be Christian to be really American, amongst different issues.
Though Lifeway Analysis discovered that assist for observing the Fourth of July in church buildings has declined barely since 2016, actions similar to recognizing veterans from the pulpit or enjoying patriotic music stay the rule, not the exception.
“Whereas not a date on the Christian calendar, most Protestant church buildings modify their worship providers to acknowledge the start of the USA every July,” mentioned Scott McConnell, government director of Lifeway Analysis, in a press launch. “For many church buildings, it isn’t simply custom. Nearly all of pastors agree it’s essential to include it into the worship expertise.”
Over the identical time interval, pastors grew much less involved about their congregation loving America greater than God. In 2021, 38% of Protestant leaders mentioned worshippers’ love for America typically appears larger than their love for God, in comparison with 53% in 2016.
“Within the final six years, many pastors’ considerations about patriotic idolatry of their congregations have pale,” McConnell mentioned.
Lifeway Analysis additionally discovered that Protestant curiosity in patriotic shows doesn’t finish after the Fourth of July. Most pastors (67%) mentioned it’s applicable for church buildings to show the American flag all yr spherical.
“Pastors 65 and older (81%) and people with no faculty diploma (79%) are among the many most definitely to see year-round American flag shows as acceptable,” the examine mentioned.
General, Protestant leaders usually agree that church buildings can embrace patriotism with out placing congregants’ religious lives in danger. However McConnell famous that additionally they appear to acknowledge that it’s essential to remain on guard.
“Like several idol, the temptation to prioritize, worship or rely upon our nation over God can resurface at any time,” he mentioned.
The survey was performed in September 2021 amongst 1,000 Protestant pastors. The margin of error is plus or minus 3.2 proportion factors.