In an article in the Guardian this morning (http://www.guardian.co.uk/comment/story/0,3604,1125095,00.html) Ian Bradley writes that in visiting many American churches of a wide range of denominations, he didn’t find one without an American flag hanging in the sanctuary.
Now, it’s been several years since I’ve lived in the United States, but when I did I was a member of an Archdiocesan choir. We sang in parishes all over the Philadelphia area, as well as touring churches in Connecticut, New York and other states in the area. I think I can say that not once in that time did I see an American flag inside the sanctuary of a Catholic church. I went into a few Protestant churches, too, and don’t recall any there either.
I don’t really want to debate whether this is correct or not: a Great Debate might follow, depending on responses. For now, just a poll: dopers, does your local church have a flag in the sanctuary? Have you been to other churches which do? If you could give denominations that would be helpful, too, in case it varies between sects. Many thanks!
The Catholic Church I attended in Atlanta did in fact have an American flag in the sanctuary. I cannot comment on the ones here in Knoxville since I am currently not attending.
I have never seen a flag of any kind in a church, and I have been to many, mostly Catholic. I haven’t ever been to a fundamentalist church, however. Maybe that’s where they are.
I can guarantee you that my church wouldn’t allow it.
Growing up in the Episcopal church there were stringent rules about how the sanctuary could be decorated, the idea being that any decor should lead to a focus on the altar, and national flags were not part of the decor of any of the churches I attended. It has been some 20 years since I’ve set foot in a church so things may have changed.
I think there was one in the chapel when I was growing up, off in a corner somewhere, but I’m not sure. I have a vague impression that it was primarily for the Boy Scouts. Currently, my local church’s flag lives in a closet and is taken out on appropriate occasions.
I recall there being an American flag in the sanctuary of the Lutheran church I attended growing up. I was curious as to why it would be there and was told that the American flag was placed in many Lutheran churches during the world wars to disassociate Lutheranism with Germany in the minds of the public.
I grew up in the Church of Christ, and there were always two flags- the American flag on the right and the Christian flag on the left, in the front of the sanctuary.
It’s funny, but until I read the OP I hadn’t realized that there isn’t a flag in the sanctuary of my new United Methodist church.
I’m going to wildly generalize, therefore, from my own experience, 'cause we all know that’s a completely valid practice, and say that the more fundamentalist the church, the more likely you are to see a flag.
The Christian Church I attend at home does not have a US flag in the sanctuary (that I can recall). The Christian Church I attend in my snowbird perch does have one in the sanctuary. The snowbird church also states conspicuously in their creed that they are, by Biblical command, supportive of all government activity that does not contradict God’s law. The northern church has the same opinion of supporting elected government, but doesn’t make as big a deal of it.
Not sure why the difference. I’m not sure it’s fundamentalism, though … the southern church is quite a bit more liberal than the northern one. Like FisherQueen, though, I’ll admit that’s just generalization from my own experience.
I honestly couldn’t tell you. I think so. But I’m not sure. (Presbyterian)
They are, however, very, very common in the churches I’ve been to. American flag on one side, Christian flag (white, blue square in the upper left hand corner, red cross on the square) on the other. They’re not obtrusive, nor are they put right in front of the altar or the cross. They’re just there, on the sides.
Growing up Southern Baptist in Texas, every church my family has ever attended had an American flag to the right of the preacher and a Christian flag to his left.
Psychopachik Vampire
My church is a middle-of-the road Methodist congregation, and that’s what we have. On Boy Scout Sunday (or something like that), the Scouts affiliated with our church come in and present the colors. That’s the only time I’ve paid any attention to the flags there.
When I was a kid, the Church of Christ my family went to had two flags in front - a Christian flag and an American flag.
Mrs. Uvula and UvulaDaughter are Roman Catholic. Their church has three flags: An American flag in front near the confessionals, and at the rear of the sanctuary, an American flag on the right and a Vatican flag on the left.
That’s a good point, Rashak. The flag seems to be much more prevalent in American culture than other democracies, which is why I think some people find it so weird. For them, display of the national flag outside government facilities or offices is quite unusual.
The OP said that he hadn’t been in the US in several years but Ian Bradley’s experience was more recent. My guess is that today the American flag is displayed in many more places than it was prior to September 11, 2001.
In all protestant and catholic churches in my area, an American flag and a “christian” flag is present. The christian flag generally hangs above the American flag. No, you didn’t read that backwards.
In virtually every synagogue sanctuary I’ve been in, there has been an American flag and an Israeli flag. I haven’t been to very many Orthodox shuls, so I can’t comment on those, but it seems to be common in Reform and Conservative synagogues.
The two Catholic churches I attended as a kid used to have a U.S. flag and a Papal flag standing next to each other in the most remote corner of the sanctuary. (They were on poles that could be carried, so you had to know what they were to identify the cloth by the colors; you could not see the designs.)
My last few churches have not had flags and when I visit my mom, that church no longer has a flag.
I always figured we had flags in the old days because of the claims by anti-Catholic groups that we owed allegiance to Rome and not to the U.S. Since Catholics are no longer being constantly accused of being unpatriotic, the need to show our “Americanism” has diminished.
