Many of us will be aware that in recent months there has been a spate of British flag flying, with both Union and St George’s Cross Flags being displayed from lampposts, bridges and other prominent locations across the country. For many this has been a source of patriotic delight and pleasure, while for others it has been a foreboding sign of division and ‘far-right’ intimidation. The truth is as always, more nuanced than this binary description might suggest, for patriotism is not (and nor should it ever be) the sole preserve of the ‘far right’ as many people across the ages and political spectrum have proudly stood under these flags at many a sporting occasion or days of national significance - and indeed a few have fought for them. Equally, many people of immigrant heritage have proudly adopted the Union flag as their own.
Some have suggested that this bout of patriotic flag flying should be seen as a protest to the high levels of illegal migration that we see (which has ballooned since 2020, with last year’s figure of 44,000 illegal migrants exceeding the total number of migrants who arrived each year in the 1990s) which inevitably changes communities and puts a strain upon limited resources, especially if there hasn’t been enough investment. It’s also an attempt to mark out and preserve traditional British culture and values which many seem to think might otherwise be lost. This means that traditional Christian values have inevitably been brought into the conversation and used as ‘markers’ by those who wish to see less immigration, even if they rarely come to church themselves.
So what can the Bible and a proper Christian understanding teach us in such circumstances? Firstly, there is nothing wrong with patriotism and flag waving, if we use it to unite and inspire communities, bringing them together with a common sense of pride and belonging. But we should never forget that God sent his son into the world, to be the ‘Saviour of the world’ (1 John 4.14) precisely because he loves the world. If we therefore use our flags to intimidate and cause division, and not act in a loving or compassionate way to those who are in a very real and genuine need, then not only have we turned our patriotism into an idol, (loving our country more than we do God himself) but we have also devalued our flag and the Christian principles upon which is based.
However, there is no doubt that illegal immigration in such large numbers is a real problem, but we must respond to it in a positive and constructive way, asking ourselves whether cutting the foreign aid budget which might support people in the development of their own countries is actually the wisest thing to do. Likewise attracting employees from abroad, when they are so desperately needed at home might not in a global sense be the best example of ‘loving our neighbour as ourselves’ (Matthew 22.39), however advantageous it might be to us. The trouble is that it is so easy for our patriotism to turn into prejudice, and we should be constantly vigilant that we don’t allow this to happen, choosing instead to prayerfully respond with compassion and kindness. These are the qualities which should feed our patriotism and make our nation proud.
With best wishes. Stephen Thorp
1 John 4.7
Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God.
This article will appear in the October edition of Parish Magazines associated with the Necton Benefice - Parish Link; Moonraker; The Pickenhams’ but is published here on Substack due to the timeliness of the situation.
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