One Nation under God?

4th December 2007: tonight I went to St Brides in Fleet Street, a historic church (designed by Christopher Wren, architect of St Pauls Cathedral) which has a specific outreach to journalists and the media. The occasion was a forum run by the Theos think tank entitled 'faith in our media?'. Richard Chartres, Bishop of London, offered a thougtful critique of the relationship between church and the press.

Over drinks afterwards I got chatting to Stephen Backhouse of Theos, author of their recent report on citizenship and patriotism. Stephen's basic argument is that the biblical model of loving your neighbour provides a better basis for good citizenship than either nationalism or the civic patriotism favoured by Gordon Brown. On this point I agree wholeheartedly, but my gripe with the report is that it seems to write off the strong sense of national identity that many people feel without giving serious consideration to its origin or value.

On reflection, there seem to be four kinds of response that Christians make when approaching the nationalism debate:
1) Rejection. "Nations were not part of God's original plan, and represent an aspect of the fall of humanity from grace".
2) Subsumption. "National identity is part of a God-given human diversity, but must take second place to our citizenship in the 'Kingdom of God'".
3) Redemption. "There are aspect of national character which are God-given, inherently good, and should be redeemed and celebrated".
4) Election. "God chooses and appoints specific nations to carry out his will at particular times in history".

To me, the story of God's relationship with human beings in the bible is clearly played out at every level from individuals to communities to nations. On this basis, #1 looks like a non starter (even taking the babel story into account, which I read as judgement on nations rather than nationhood as a curse). I am deeply suspicious of #4, in spite of God undeniably acting through nations in history. This fact should surely be a cause for humility, not pride-filled assertion that any particular group are 'God's chosen people for this hour'.

When I read in Revelation of 'people from every tribe, tongue, people and nation standing before the throne of God', I am drawn to a vision which combines #2 and #3. Here there is no sense of division or strife; humanity stands united under the benvolent rule of Christ. However, the diversity of races, languages and cultures remains as testimony to God's lavish creativity.

If this vision is to be taken at face value, I had better start identifying what aspects of my 'Britishness' are God-given and worthy of nurturing and redeeming. Because on balance, it looks like I am still going to be English in heaven.