Anabaptist Reflections on Patriotism

compiled by Zach Kaufman

"The only Christian nation is the church of Jesus Christ, made up of people from every tribe and nation, called to witness to God’s glory. . . . [As Christians] we witness to the nations by being that ‘city on a hill’ which demonstrates the way of Christ. We also witness by being ambassadors for Christ, calling the nations to move toward justice, peace and compassion for all people."

—Confession of Faith in a Mennonite Perspective

"What we will need is a persistent, sustained, but careful and factually grounded critique of America’s unilateralism and selfishness. Exaggerated, sweeping criticism that fails to acknowledge what is good and noble in this country will be both wrong and unconvincing. We can appeal both to biblical norms and American’s own best ideals of freedom and justice for all, as we urge our fellow citizens to use America’s great power to reduce global poverty, care for those suffering from AIDS, promote freedom and justice for everyone, and work cooperatively with other nations in a way that respects the basic equality and dignity of all God’s children."

—Ron Sider, Evangelicals for Social Action

"The risk of conditions being imposed and of being co-opted and seduced by the state or other visions is real. . . . It has been important to come with proposals of our own and to encourage each party, including the state and ourselves, to acknowledge its vantage point and perspective and not gloss over differences for fear of rejection. For us, this has included being clear that we are a church and that we seek to work with and from the community—the grassroots—and that the community should be very much a part of the process."

—Ricardo Esquivia, “Building Peace from Below and Inside: The Mennonite Experience in Colombia,” From the Ground Up: Mennonite Contributions to International Peacebuilding, eds. Cynthia Sampson and John Paul Lederach

"To speak of Christian citizenship is potentially risky, especially given the long tradition in North American culture that has fused citizenship with patriotism. Christian citizens should never lose sight of the fact that their primary citizenship is in the body of Christ—the church—and that God’s will for the world is expressed most fully there, among the gathered body of believers. And yet the church does not exist for itself. Its whole reason for being is to seek the redemption of the world around it."

—John D. Roth, Choosing Against War: A Christian View

"What [Lewy] refers to as ‘anti-Americanism’ could be better described as ‘morethan- Americanism.’ Pacifists identify with the entire human community and the long sweep of history. For the pacifist, citizenship in a particular nation-state is just not that important. He [or she] cares less about national interests than about the well-being of the people of all nations."

—J.R. Burkholder, “Pacifist Ethics and Pacifist Politics,” Peace Betrayed, ed. Michael Cromartie

"As a recently-created national body of Mennonites, we call upon the Executive Board to formulate a process that helps us explore our identity as Mennonites living in what many consider to be the wealthiest and most powerful nation on earth. We ask for resources that help us live faithfully in Christ-like ways, sometimes at odds with our national culture, acknowledging that no culture is either completely redeemed or completely fallen."

—resolution adopted by the delegate body of Mennonite Church USA in San José, 2007