Patriotism, Nationalism, & the Gospel

Recently I read a passing comment from someone who wondered about the patriotism and nationalism which leads to people to give up their lives for ideologies and causes even though where we are born is something over which we have no control. This grabbed me because for many years I've felt that my response to being born in Canada should be the source of humility and gratitude, not hubris or arrogance. 

As a white, male, Baby Boomer I've led a life of privilege and even though we've been members of the often penny-pinching middle class we are actually wealthy compared to most of the world's population. One of my grandmothers was American while the other grandparents emigrated from Britain when my mother was three. Their offspring and subsequent generations could have been residents of those countries rather than Canada, and my mother's sisters lived most of their lives in the States and raised families there.

Add into this religion, which is often interwoven with nationalism to the point that the two are indistinguishable. Religion has often been used to support colonialism, as we've witnessed in Canada. I grew up in a fairly left-leaning denomination, the United Church of Canada, and served as a minister of the gospel for nearly four decades. Yet over the years I had to unlearn aspects of racism, homophobia, sexism, and other assumptions which were really contrary to the teachings of Jesus and often upheld by both church and state.  

I see the steady rise of so-called populism and nationalism around the world, including here in Canada, and how it is metasticizing into white supremacy. When certain Americans claim to be Christians the response of some discerning folk is "is that Jesus Christianity or Trump Christianity?' because of the toxic mix of right-wing politics and flag-waving "faith". Lest we be smug, how did swastikas and Confederate flags end up on Parliament Hill during the "Freedom" rallies earlier this year? 

I'm not sure why I'm musing about this today other than that this saddens me. When Jesus was before Pilate he said that his kingdom was not of this world. The early church thrived across borders with a healthy distancing from the evils of empire. It seems that the separation of church and state is a principle we're ready to abandon. either consciously, or through indifference, or in mindless cultism. As Christians we can be vigilant to bear witness to the truth of the gospel, even when that is unpopular.