POINT


By using flag in worship,
we may signal wrong allegiance

I am frequently asked questions that require me to go where “angels fear to tread.” Questions about displaying national flags in church sanctuaries—especially as we approach Flag Day, June 14—take us into that treacherous terrain.
Many United Methodist churches place the U.S. flag in the sanctuary or at another prominent location on the church grounds. Is that appropriate?
There is no United Methodist policy concerning the use of flags, including national flags, in the sanctuary. However, the Rev. Dan Benedict, director of worship resources for the General Board of Discipleship, says the use of flags in worship has been discouraged over the years.

“There is no place in our hymnal or Book of Worship, which contain our United Methodist ritual, where there is even a suggestion of bearing the flag in procession, saluting or pledging allegiance to the flag or that the American flag should be in worship,” Benedict said. “The presence of a national flag in worship can imply endorsement of national policies that often run counter to the teachings of Jesus Christ and our Christian faith.”
Hoyt Hickman, in his 1993 article “Should We Have Flags in the Church? The Christian Flag and the American Flag,” raises an important question about an inherent conflict about the appropriate placement of the national flag and the Christian flag in a worship setting.
The flag code of the United States directs that, “when displayed from a staff in a church or public auditorium, the flag of the United States of America should hold the position of superior prominence, in advance of the audience, and in the position of honor at the clergyman’s or speaker’s right as he faces the audience,” Hickman noted. “Any other flag so displayed should be placed on the left of the clergyman or speaker or to the right of the audience.”
These guidelines imply that while the U.S. flag must be placed in the “superior position,” the flag of the Christian church should be placed in the lesser position. When gathered in a worship setting, how can we ask that the symbol of our church and faith take the lesser position?
Though not dealing with this question specifically, the UM Social Principles do affirm that the church “for years has supported the separation of church and state” and that “our allegiance to God takes precedence over our allegiance to any state.”
Therefore, I believe it is inappropriate and unwise to display the U.S. flag in United Methodist services of worship. We must remember that the church’s confession “Jesus is Lord” was actually a political statement and a direct challenge to both the empire and the emperor. Many Christians paid for their singular loyalty to Christ with their lives.
We are a global church in a shrinking world. One in five United Methodists lives in nations other than the United States.
If a national flag is used in worship, I believe it should be used in tandem with the Christian flag and the Christian flag, not the national flag, should be placed on the right hand of the speaker in the place of highest honor. The congregation should understand that is done to demonstrate our ultimate allegiance to God alone.
The Rev. Clayton Childers is director of annual conference relations for the General Board of Church and Society.
The United Methodist News Service distributed this commentary.