David W. Swanson

Pastor and Author

preaching on memorial day weekend

FLAG_McWilliams5_CHURCHI have a pastoral question for you: What, if anything, should a pastor say on the Sunday of Memorial Day weekend? We are visiting family in Mason City, IA and, as is often the case, I preached at First Covenant Church on today.  This is the church where my aunt Tammy Swanson-Draheim is the pastor and it’s been a privilege to fill the pulpit during many of our visits.

On Saturday evening I wrote the following on Twitter: “Preaching in the morning; never sure what to say about Memorial Day. Suggestions?”  Here are a few of the responses:

Count your blessing and thank god for all who give up there life for are freedom and the world.

It is a time of reflection…people who were willing to lay their life down for the cause of freedom. Worldy freedom. Worldy causes are complicated but the strength of their convictions is worth admiration. Most of us walk around each day with less passion about the convictions we speak of.

i’m glad you are going to say something. i think it’s miserable when it’s ignored for fear of saying something wrong.

you should honor our troops past and present.

Perhaps it’s silly to spend any time wondering whether to mention this holiday. After all, the purpose of Memorial Day is simple enough, remembering those Americans who have died while in the military.  As far as I can tell, there is nothing improper about a church taking time to remember anyone who has died, including members of the military.  And it is certainly understandable for any nation to honor those who sacrificed their lives defending their country.

Here’s my dilemma: when the church celebrates the nation’s holidays, we may risk sending fuzzy messages about our identity.  Are we primarily American citizens or does our allegiance lie elsewhere?  The church-state relationship is complicated when the church accepts the state’s customs, traditions, and narrative rather than articulating a completely alternative Kingdom citizenship.

And yet.  It seems there ought to be a way of acknowledging the sacrifices made by members of the military- whatever one thinks about the military- while not diluting the alternative citizenship of the Kingdom of God.  When I don’t acknowledge Memorial Day out of concern for our Kingdom identity- as was the case today- there are surely those who feel their sacrifices have been slighted.  My question is pastoral because how we talk about these things publicly matters to those who have been formed by both their nation and the Kingdom.  That would be all of us.

The importance of articulating our Kingdom citizenship while not needlessly ignoring or disrespecting our national identity goes beyond my question about Memorial Day.  This tension probabably should be present in the Christian life most of the time.

So help me out. Should I have said something today?  How do you navigate the tension of your national citizenship and citizenship in the Kingdom of God?

David Swanson

19 responses to “preaching on memorial day weekend”

  1. Keith Avatar
    Keith

    David, I’m going to answer your questions then hijack your blog.
    Yes you should have said something. Would God have been offended if you said something? I doubt it. I recall in Numbers where the military got special privileges upon defeating an enemy. When the spoil was divided, those who fought received a larger portion than those who did not fight. It seems that God has regard for those who served. This is but one example…not a commandment but an example. Would those who served be offended by the neglect? Possibly.

    I first came to the states during the week leading up to Memorial Day. I went to a concert near Pittsburgh on that weekend and drove through many small towns in Western PA to get to the concert. I was at first frustrated by the traffic issues caused by the celebrations then my frustration turned to awe by the continual respect being paid to those who served. The concert I attended was free to people in the military (by the way, this was May 1991, during the first Iraqi war). During the concert I recall the military being honored again. I was moved to tears and I first thought that perhaps I could live in this country.

    Kingdom citizenship versus national citizenship. I’m praying over this presently. I’m faced with the decision to renew my green card or become an American citizen. The US citizenship oath (we’re allowed to solemly affirm since the Bible says not to take oaths) states that we must renounce our citizenship and allegiance to our previous country (that I absolutely and entirely renounce and abjure all allegiance and fidelity to any foreign prince, potentate, state, or sovereignty of whom or which I have heretofore been a subject or citizen). So, if I become American, I can’t be a dual citizen…because I’ll solemly affirm that I won’t. This is a tough decision. A friend pointed out that I’m in America, I’m enjoying the benefits of being in America, I’m being protected by the US military, I’m more and more American every day. It seems to make sense to become an American. Would this offend God? Would he prefer that I not become an American and just focus on Kingdom citizenship? Should I swear allegiance to America? Is that consistent with Scripture? Phil 3:20 says, “Our citizenship is in heaven.” Does it matter if I solemly affirm since that is trumped by Salvation. Would I be lying if I solemly affirmed since my true citizenship and allegiance is with God in Heaven?
    Sorry to hijack David but this is a very practical example of your question. Any guidance you and your readers could impart would be great.

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  2. Karen Avatar
    Karen

    Good insights, Keith. I definitely think we should honor from culture what is honorable within the context of the Church. As an Orthodox, I don’t know that such would have been mentioned per se within the Orthodox Liturgy or homily (unless some aspect pertained to the Gospel or Epistle for the day), but in my parish it most definitely would have been mentioned during the announcements after the Liturgy, and doubtless parish veterans or military personnel would have been acknowledged and honored for their sacrificial service at this point during the assembled body there present.

    Also, from an Orthodox perspective to not continue in continuity within the Liturgical tradition (annual Feasts and Fasts, etc.) of the Church as worked out by the holy people among its number and embraced by the whole Body over the centuries is already to have capitulated to culture in ways that compromise Christ’s purposes for humankind. Here are some further thoughts to ponder on this issue:

    Blue Highways

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  3. Katie Avatar
    Katie

    Good morning David,

    Please look at the picture I posted on my FB page yesterday from Vietnam, 1968. That’s my dad on the right, Ben in the middle, and Victor on the left. Soon after it was taken, Ben was killed during some horrific events. Dad’s 31 year old physical wounds still linger, but it’s his emotional wounds, sustained on this and many other occasions during his tour, that are fresh and painful on a daily basis. I don’t know the other guys that were there that day, but I can assume that they suffer from similar pain. I also assume that Ben’s young wife and his family feel the pain of his death daily as well. I know my dad has often felt forgotten, often by the church. He is spending his life making sure that other guys with similar wounds are not forgotten, on many different levels.

    Doesn’t being in community with someone mean entering into their pain? This is what Memorial Day is to me. Yes, we honor the lives that were given, but we also enter into the pain that those sacrifices have caused. Is it right for the church to leave this pain/illness/injury/scarring unacknowledged? Are there other kinds of pain and suffering that the church is willing to ignore so as to be clear about what the church stands for? (I’m afraid that the answer to that question would be yes, but that’s another conversation altogether.)

    My dad is a patriot. He is proud to be an American citizen. But, he believes above all that his citizenship is in heaven. He, like you and I, longs for a better country- a heavenly one- where his “lowly body,” will be transformed so that it “will be like HIS glorious body.” Until that day, dad’s lowly body is full of scars and wounds, just like yours and mine. Many of dad’s are literal, though, and were sustained during those horrid events in 1968. Just because his wounds were sustained during his decidedly “American” service does not mean that he should be left to suffer alone. Men and women like my dad need to be remembered. Their pain needs to be acknowledged. Their community needs them.

    Katie

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  4. BC Avatar
    BC

    Hmmm . . . interesting question. You said that “when the church celebrates the nation’s holidays, we may risk sending fuzzy messages about our identity.” Really? Maybe, if we are going over the top to engage in some materialistic (in the money sense), idolatrous, hedonistic practices. Some common ways of celebrating Christmas and Thanksgiving come to mind in particular. On the other way there are plenty of ways to observe the Thanksgiving holiday (for example) that are completely in line with kingdom principles, yet at the same time both counter cultural and completely relevant in today’s American cultural landscape.

    Likewise, I think it is possible for a pastor to offer a word of thanks to those who have served in the military and offer a simple prayer for wisdom, strength, protection and ultimately peace for those who have served and continue to serve. Jesus and the early disciples did not seem to call the soldiers they interacted with out on the woes of militarism and difficult moral quandaries that soldiers and armies sometimes find themselves in, but rather spoke to their very real spiritual and human needs. In fact Cornelius’ military background seemed to enable him to understand Jesus in a unique way.

    I guess for me articulating a “completely alternative Kingdom citizenship” is important, but that citizenship does not completely negate our earthly citizenship or cultural heritage. As we consider the global church, or even the diverse expressions of American Christianity, it seems as though there is a dynamic interchange between earthly culture and the Kingdom of God. It’s complicated and messy and sorting it out and continually pointing people towards the “here right now, and still coming” nature of the Kingdom is important, but it will always have a cultural and personal lens.

    In the end I wonder if anyone, besides the readers of this blog (and God of course), got the point that not saying something about Memorial Day was out of a deep-seated concern for cultivating our “Kingdom identity,” you know? Is sticking to principles a helpful way of communicating about those principles when others are not operating with the same grid and probably not clued into the issues at stake?

    What did your Aunt think?

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  5. BC Avatar
    BC

    PS – not Cornelius above – simply the unnamed Roman Centurion of Matthew chapter 8.

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  6. David Avatar
    David

    As always, the quality of the comments have surpassed the original post. Thanks for the insightful responses. I’d prefer to respond to each comment individually, but time won’t allow it.

    It seems the consensus is that I should have acknowledged Memorial Day on Sunday and, more specifically, the men and women of the military who have made significant sacrifices for their country. Katie strongly illustrated the importance this kind of public acknowledgment can have for those who carry painful wounds from their time in the military.

    I’m struck by the thought that all Christianity is culture-bound and so it is appropriate to acknowledge our country’s holidays in our worship services.

    Let me lay my cards on the table: I’m wary of the church celebrating any of our nation’s holidays. I don’t mean to say that individual Christians shouldn’t thoughtfully celebrate their nation’s holidays, just that the church ought to be very careful about such celebrations. Why? Because these holidays ultimately exist to advance the purposes of the state. The traditions and ceremonies of these holidays ultimately contribute to the patriotic narrative of the state’s choosing.

    I’m OK with this reality; it makes sense for a nation to advance its own self-interests. What makes me nervous is when the church too quickly accepts these holidays as neutral celebrations with no bearing on our Christian identity. But like I asked in the original post, there ought to be a way to acknowledge these holidays while not being co-opted by the state’s agenda. Three thoughts have come to mind as I’ve been thinking about your comments.

    1) When celebrating our nations’ holidays, we could ask, “Whose story is not being told?” As Katie points out, it is right for Christians to enter into the pain of others. But in order for this to be truly a Christian ideal, it seems that we must enter into the pain of the non-American others as well. So, is a church willing to acknowledge the sacrifice of members of the American military and those we’ve fought against? Can a church be both sensitive to those who have fought for our country and speak prophetically about the injustices committed by our country?

    2) If we are to celebrate those who fought for their country, it seems we might also celebrate those whose conviction would not allow them to fight. Could we acknowledge the sacrifices of those who- against all public opinion and popularity- refused to bear arms because of their faith in Christ? I’ve yet to see this happen.

    3) If a church believes there are redemptive aspects of certain (or all) of the state’s holidays, then why wait for the official holiday? Could we not celebrate these ideals and individuals in a more holistically Christian way if we weren’t bound by the expectations that come along with the holiday?

    Finally, I should note that my silence about Memorial Day this past Sunday had much less to do with firm conviction and much more to do with my own confusion. I’m clearly “in process” on these issues and am grateful for this conversation.

    I’m hopeful some of you may have time for additional thoughts.

    Reply
  7. Katie Avatar
    Katie

    Thanks David. I’m with you on #3, but obviously it’s not easy to do, or we would. People (myself included) don’t often remember to pray for or encourage someone with a chronic pain or, say, a 31-year-old wound like they do someone who is sick or has just experienced a loss. It’s awkward and uncomfortable and we don’t know what to say. I think setting aside a day to do this helps remind people to remember these folks and their pain year-round.
    I’m curious about how you feel about the church celebrating something like Mother’s Day? 100% fabricated by American culture and commercialism, yet no one seems to bat an eye at handing out flowers on a Sunday morning. Hmm.

    Reply
    1. David Avatar
      David

      Don’t get me started about Mother’s Day Katie. I’ve never been a fan of the church celebrating this day when there are so many women who desire to experience motherhood but, for whatever reason, are unable to. I suppose, like any other “national” holiday, there are ways to celebrate Mothers Day in a way that is more thoroughly Christian in nature. For example, at New Community this year some of the guys organized the worship service so that all the women who normally serve in any capacity got the morning off. From the front we thanked all the women of the church for their faithful service and leadership. From my vantage point, this mad a lot of sense.

      Reply
  8. Andy Roddy Avatar
    Andy Roddy

    I say, you are over thinking this whole thing. If you live in a country that allows you to choose which religion you want to follow without being harassed; then you CAN celebrate the sacrifices AMERICANS have made to get it that way and keep it that way. Simply mentioning the fact that we can worship freely because of these great men and women is absolutely not wrong.
    Ask Dan Finfrock about being a Christian and spreading the word or even being in possession of a Holy Bible in some countries and what they might do to you if they found out. That in its self is a reason to say thanks in church because we are allowed to practice Christianity without fear. Who knows how it could be had we lost WWI or WWII and that did not happen without sacrifice.

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  9. Keith Avatar
    Keith

    The church is not the best place to celebrate your nation. I’ve heard the God Bless America sung in church. That offends me. Honoring the individuals who have served the nation is not offensive to me.

    People of other countries often “hate” America. I had no desire to stay in this country when I first came. Many friends gave me a hard time for coming here. Then you get here and meet American individuals and you realize they’re not so bad. Sometimes you even fall in love and marry one. America isn’t great. Many Americans are great. Those who serve their country have done a great thing.

    I see your point in #2. My father-in-law, a great American, was a concsientious objector during WWII. I didn’t know the term existed back then. While being a conscientious objector, he served as a medic in the Navy in the South Pacific. He didn’t want to go out and shoot people (due to his Christian convictions) but he did want to serve his country. Those who refuse to serve for the cause of Christ are also brave and should be honored…perhaps great will their reward be in heaven, where they are a citizen.

    Finally, if any of you ever go to Mt. Rushmore, attend the night service of lowering the American flag. I have never seen a more honoring ceremony for those who served this nation. I was in tears that night and I’m in tears remembering it. Kinda makes me wanna be an American.

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  10. Jim Avatar
    Jim

    David, as a pastor I have come to the conclusion that the best place to recognize Memorial Day, Labor Day, and all the other ‘days’ is during prayer. This past Sunday this is what I prayed:

    “Lord we lift up to you our fellow brothers and sisters who have gone to battle only to go home to be with you. On this Memorial Day weekend we take a minute away from barbecues and family to ponder the sacrifices that have been made. We pray for all those who have fought and who won our freedom by losing their lives. Lord we pray for our soldiers who are in active battle now and all the innocent people who are in the middle of the fighting. We pray for our enemies, (silence) just as you taught us to. Lord we thank you most of all for setting the example of true sacrifice by giving up your Son for us.”

    Over the years I have always made sure to pray for the innocent and our enemies all in the same breath with our own soldiers. For me it evens the playing field and doesn’t focus our attention on solely on American lives. I do this because we worship a Global God, not one that is constrained to one nation. And worship should always focus on God.

    Thanks for the thought provoking post, I always battle with our national tendency to join up Americanism and Christianity, and to think they are one in the same.

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    1. David Avatar
      David

      I found this quite helpful Jim. Thanks. I particularly appreciate this sentence: Over the years I have always made sure to pray for the innocent and our enemies all in the same breath with our own soldiers. I have to admit that I hadn’t thought about prayer during the worship service as an appropriate time to acknowledge Memorial Day, but I can see how this could be a way to sensitively and holistically address the perspective of the local and global church.

      Reply
  11. Karen Avatar
    Karen

    In reading Jim’s comment I should add that even the prayers in the Orthodox Liturgy are always the same. There are certain points at which the names of individuals can be (and are) inserted into those prayers based on the request and discretion of the Priest(s) and members of each local congregation. One of those prayers based on NT teaching and repeated not only in the Liturgy every Sunday, but also offered by Orthodox families in their homes is:

    “Be mindful, O Lord, of all civil authorities, of our armed forces, of this city in which we dwell, and of every city and land; grant us peaceful times, that we may lead a calm and tranquil life in all godliness and sanctity.”

    There is also a prayer said more specifically in times of war asking for victory for our armed forces.

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  12. Jim Avatar
    Jim

    I think that we can learn something from Orthodox church’s worship as well. From my understanding, in that tradition, worship is stepping into the “real world.” It is the reminder that we are of another world not the one we live in. Protestants like to think we escape the ‘real world’ and go to worship, yet the Orthodox Church would say we enter the real world in worship and then live in the shadows.

    With that said, since it is a peak into the real world, it should be free of this world stuff, like national allegiances and honoring the works of humanity. It should be about God, always. This is why I would love to remove the Flags (Christian one included) from a worship space but there are some battles worth fighting and that is not one of them at my current appointment.

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  13. Andy Roddy Avatar
    Andy Roddy

    As an American, I feel I need to say this. America is great…not perfect….but it is a great nation. I don’t get offended when other people say their country is better because, they should, it is their country. As an American, I feel this country does better than almost every other country out there.
    Our immigration numbers are enough proof because they are higher than any other nation out there.
    Sorry, but I HAD to say…..it was bothering me to read it without replying.

    Reply
    1. David Avatar
      David

      No need to apologize Andy. I think you represent a lot of Christians who seek to balance their love and pride for their country with their Christian faith.

      Also, you may be right in your previous comment about me over-thinking things. I find these types of discussions important to my faith, but I’m sure many of these issues are more simple than I make them out to be. Thanks for the comments.

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  14. Karen Avatar
    Karen

    Thanks, Jim, for the added thoughts about Orthodox Liturgy, where I think you do faithfully touch on what Orthodox Christian tradition teaches. (BTW, I briefly visited your site, and that video “Awkward Questions about Jesus” was absolutely priceless! What a stitch!) Father Stephen, whose blog I have already referenced has a series of posts on the “One- vs. Two-Storey Universe,” which is a metaphor he has coined to attempt to explain how our modern world view conflicts with the real biblical one and how that can distort modern expressions of Christian faith and practice. He also has many excellent posts about the Orthodox Liturgy itself, for those who may be interested.

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  15. BC Avatar
    BC

    Great comment thread everyone!

    Just wanted to throw this into the mix. A couple posts ago, David, you mentioned John Stott’s introductory comments on the Lausanne covenant. Here’s the quote:

    We often go to one of two extremes. Either we are so keen to live in the world that we imbibe non-Christian ideas and standards, and become conformed; or we are so keen not to lose our distinctive identity that we withdraw. The best way to avoid these two mistakes is to engage in mission. We are sent into the world as Christ’s representatives, so we can neither conform to it (or we cease to represent him) or withdraw from it (or we have no one to represent him to).

    I wonder if this speaks a bit to the issue of church and the celebration of national holidays. If the church completely ignores (in public gatherings) the holidays of the nation it is in, does it risk losing its audience? Not that I’m saying the church needs to do something in a Sunday AM service on or near every major holiday – it’s a complex matter as you pointed out with Mother’s Day and those who earnestly desire to be mothers.

    This quote from your previous post just seemed to speak to the tension in this one about coming to grips with ways to engage the culture at large with kingdom values without totally ignoring it.

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  16. Catherine Avatar
    Catherine

    I’m late to this, and haven’t read all the comments, so maybe everyone else has already said this, but…

    I think that those who gave their lives while serving in the Military demonstrated tremendous sacrifice. The Bible says that there is no greater love than a man laying down his life for his friends. Whether or not we agree with the reason for the sacrifice, it is a Christian (or human!) virtue to respect the sacrifice itself.

    When we do so, we show gratitude, another very important part of being a Christian (or human!)

    I’m very very on edge when politics and national holidays and war time decisions get brought up in church. But I think if we don’t mention Memorial – even in the context of how hard it is to find a balance – we risk losing the value of sacrifice and gratitude, things we must manage to hold on to.

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