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COVER STORY: Flying the red, white and blue: Does it belong in the sanctuary? Mary Jacobs, Jun 29, 2007
By Mary Jacobs Associate Editor
In many United Methodist churches, an American flag stands in the corner of the sanctuary, a silent presence in worship, only rarely acknowledged.
But at the moment, that flag is generating a bit of noisy debate.
A controversy was sparked when a commentary posted by a United Methodist agency questioned whether the U.S. flag belongs in a Methodist sanctuary.
"The presence of a national flag in worship can imply endorsement of national policies which often run counter to the teachings of Jesus Christ and our Christian faith," wrote the Rev. Clayton Childers in a posting on the Web site of the General Board of Church and Society. When United Methodists display a flag in the sanctuary, he reflected, "What does that say about where we place our highest loyalty and love?"
News outlets around the U.S. picked up the story.
Conservative Web sites fired back, with headlines like "U.S. flag ripped by Methodist official" and "Methodists against the flag." Dozens of bloggers at both ends of the political spectrum jumped into the debate.
Tom Carter, a retired Army chaplain and a former staff member with the General Board of Higher Education and Ministry (GBHEM), which endorses United Methodist chaplains, said he doesn't have a problem with displaying a flag in churches.
"I don't see the American flag as out of place in the sanctuary," he said. "The flag is there as a symbol. It doesn't impede my worshipping God."
Officially, United Methodists are free to follow their conscience on the question of whether to display a flag in the sanctuary. "There is no denominational policy concerning the use of flags, including national flags, in the sanctuary," according to Interpreter magazine.
Neither The United Methodist Hymnal nor the Book of Worship suggests using an American flag in worship, according to Dan Benedict, retired director of worship resources for the General Board of Discipleship (GBOD).
Many United Methodist churches, however, do sing patriotic hymns or acknowledge the flag's presence, especially during Sunday worship services near holidays such as the Memorial Day or the Fourth of July.
Worship on Scouting Sunday often involves a procession with a U.S. flag, and in some cases, saying the Pledge of Allegiance.
Ultimately, the argument over the flag's appropriateness in a worship setting boils down to symbolism: What does the flag's presence mean, and what does it say about the congregation's ultimate allegiance?
Those who oppose it say the flag's presence in the sanctuary could signal a divided loyalty, giving God and country equal importance.
But that's not how it's seen by the Rev. J.B. Morris, pastor of Rock Hill UMC, a small church in Joinerville, Texas. Both his son and granddaughter have served as military personnel in Iraq.
"Most Americans... understand and believe that you can have flags in the sanctuary and still maintain that God is No. 1," said Dr. Morris. "Many people will agree that it is proper to display the United States flag in the church sanctuary, because the United States was created on Christian principles."
Dr. Morris said many colleagues in his East Texas district were "appalled" by Mr. Childers' article. "Since the United States Armed Forces historically has marked the graves of its war dead with the cross of Jesus Christ, I think it is entirely proper to display the United States flag in a church sanctuary," he said.
Some assert that having a flag in a sanctuary sends a nationalistic message that excludes members in United Methodist churches overseas.
The Rev. Richard Stewart, a retired United Methodist pastor and a former staff member with the GBHEM, disagrees. He agreed to have his own commentary posted on the United Methodist News Service Web site to counter Mr. Childers'.
"Such a display in no way expresses the notion that God is with us to the exclusion of our brothers and sisters from other lands and other beliefs," he wrote.
"It is not my impression that displaying the U.S. flag during worship means that United Methodists are asking God to favor its citizens over others of God's people."
Retired chaplain Mr. Carter attributes questions raised over U.S. flags in sanctuaries to "a growing swell of anti-Americanism."
"The flag stands for freedom to worship as you choose," he said. "There may be some things that the flag symbolizes that we don't agree with. Does that mean we throw the flag out? That's throwing the baby out with the bathwater."
Honoring the U.S. flag, he says, is comparable to honoring the symbols of the United Methodist Church. Many Methodists, for instance, may take issue with the denomination's stand on one or more issues, but nonetheless remain loyal to the church. The American flag, he said, deserves the same loyal respect.
Whatever individual churches decide, the GBOD's Mr. Benedict believes the debate will serve a valuable purpose.
"Most of the churches I've visited have a flag in the sanctuary," he said. "It's such a fixture in the majority of our churches, that no one thinks about it until someone raises the question, 'Should we have it?'"
He'd like to see more churches involved in Bible study and theological reflection on the topic.
"The pastor shouldn't just go in and take the flag out of the sanctuary," he said. "That would lead to anger. Whether or not the flag remains or is taken out, the conversation needs to take place. What does... [the flag's presence] mean? Is it consistent with our Christian faith? "It's a very important discussion that congregations ought to have."
Like the Bible, the U.S. flag raises emotions -- and tends to divide people. But there is middle ground among United Methodists. Some say the U.S. flag should be displayed in the sanctuary, but only at appropriate times.
The Rev. Bruce Robbins, senior pastor of Hennepin Avenue UMC in Minneapolis, says that while a flag displayed in a sanctuary could imply endorsement of U.S. policy -- and personally, he's not supportive of current policies -- he strongly believes it's important to display the American flag at certain times.
Dr. Robbins has firmly advocated posting the flag during services near Memorial Day or the Fourth of July -- when the church remembers those who died in service to their country -- even though some in his congregation have expressed concern.
But he added: "I feel very strongly against the idea that the flag should be there regularly. We have a cross in the church every Sunday, but we don't have a flag there every Sunday.
"If there's something other than the cross that's requisite for worship, that seems idolatrous," he said.
The Rev. Richard Stewart, a retired United Methodist pastor and a former staff member with the GBHEM, disagrees. He agreed to have his own commentary posted on the United Methodist News Service Web site to counter Mr. Childers'. 
