Faith and Freedom
Each year Americans gather to celebrate Independence Day with fireworks, cookouts, parades, and patriotic songs. It is a time to give thanks for the freedoms we enjoy and to reflect on the founding ideals of liberty, justice, and self-governance. In the Episcopal Church, we mark this civic holiday with prayer. The Book of Common Prayer provides a collect prayer for Independence Day, asking God to “grant that we and all the people of this land may have grace to maintain our liberties in righteousness and peace.” This prayer offers us more than a celebration of national pride, it calls us into humble responsibility as Christians and citizens.
As Episcopalians, we live at the intersection of faith and public life. We believe that God is Lord of all nations, but we also recognize the distinct role of the Church in proclaiming the Gospel and not promoting political ideologies. We honor our country and pray for its leaders, but we do not worship the nation. This distinction is vital in our time, as the rise of Christian nationalism challenges both our religious identity and the health of our democracy.
Christian nationalism is the belief that the United States is fundamentally a Christian nation and that its laws and culture should reflect a specific exclusionary vision of Christianity. It tends to conflate faith in Christ with loyalty to the nation, implying that to be a true American, one must also be a certain kind of Christian. In this framework, the flag and the cross are too easily blended, and civic identity is mistaken for religious faithfulness.
This is a dangerous distortion of the Gospel. As followers of Jesus, our primary allegiance is to God’s kingdom, not to any earthly nation. Jesus himself taught that his kingdom is “not from this world” (John 18:36). While we are called to be engaged citizens, we are first and foremost disciples of Christ, who calls us to love our neighbors, welcome the stranger, care for the poor, and seek peace with justice. These values do not belong to one political party or nation; they belong to the Gospel.
This does not mean that Christians should reject patriotism. Love for one’s country, when correctly done, can be a virtue. It is a way of giving thanks for the blessings of community, safety, and shared history. But our love of country must always be shaped and tempered by the Gospel. It is not blind allegiance but a hopeful commitment to the common good.
The Episcopal Church invites us to practice a kind of “critical patriotism”, one that holds our nation to its highest ideals and calls us to repentance when we fall short. In the words of the Baptismal Covenant, we promise to “strive for justice and peace among all people, and respect the dignity of every human being.” This calling transcends borders and political platforms. It leads us to advocate for those who are marginalized, to speak truth to power, and to serve as ambassadors of reconciliation.
Independence Day becomes not just a civic celebration but a spiritual opportunity. It is a chance to give thanks for the freedoms we enjoy, to pray for the healing of our nation’s divisions, and to recommit ourselves to the work of justice and mercy. It is a day to remember that true freedom is not just the absence of tyranny but the presence of love, humility, and shared responsibility.
In a time of political polarization and social anxiety, the Church can be a witness to a better way. Rooted in our Anglican tradition, we value a middle way; seeking unity without uniformity, and truth without triumphalism. We gather at the Communion table not as members of political factions but as the Body of Christ, reconciled to God and one another.
May we remember that the Church does not exist to serve the state, nor to endorse its policies. Rather, we exist to proclaim the love of God, the call to repentance, and the hope of resurrection. We are called to be salt and light (Matthew 5:13-14), to speak out when power is abused, and to serve as agents of God’s healing grace in the world.
This Independence Day, may we celebrate our freedoms with gratitude and humility. May we reject every form of nationalism that seeks to twist the Gospel for worldly power. And may we renew our commitment to the way of Jesus: the way of peace, compassion, justice, and truth.
Kevin+
