Christian College Reconsiders National Anthem: Has 114 year history of NOT singing it
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Last week in our online Bible Study experience at the church I serve, we explored the topic, “What Makes a Baptist a Baptist?” Based principally on Walter Shurden’s book, The Baptist Identity: Four Fragile Freedoms. Since the start of the year I’ve been trying to re-introduce and explore the foundations of the Christian Faith particularly from a Baptist perspective. My sense is that people generally don’t have a firm grasp on the underpinnings of the Faith. The teaching last week made some headway in providing that. My prayer and plan is that one day I’ll also be able to offer some ecumenical and even interfaith studies at the church. I did a little of this already last year, in bringing Quakers to my Baptist Church to share their story & traditions with us and a deluge of quizzical reactions ensued. Undeterred, I’ll continue to carefully broaden horizons by studying the traditions of others and one of the Christian denominations that I’d like to study is the Mennonites.
According to Wikipedia, “The Mennonites are a group of Christian Anabaptist denominations …known as one of the historic peace churches because of their commitment to nonviolence.”
Their nonviolent and pacifist commitments are amongst their most well-known characterizations. What I did not know was the extent to which that commitment goes. I learned recently that it is common practice at many Mennonite Colleges not to play the National Anthem at college sporting events as a public expression of their nonconformity with military service and church/state union. I’ve heard the National Anthem described in some Mennonite circles as the “War Song.”
It made me mentally revisit the lyrics of The Star Spangled Banner written by the Marylander, Francis Scott Key. The song speaks of a perilous fight, rockets, bombs bursting in air and the additional verses speak of the gloom of the grave, blood washing the floor, and of course near the end is a head-nod to The Divine when it says, “And this be our motto: in God is our trust.” (Somehow I missed all that when I heard Whitney Houston sang it like it’s never been sang before – complete with a flyover of F-16 fighter jets!) After being “re-introduced” to the song in this way, it was completely understandable why the Mennonites have historically stood against it.
But apparently that’s changing at Goshen College, the private Christian Mennonite school, and it’s causing quite a disturbance in the Mennonite community. Bowing to external pressure, Goshen’s president, Jim Brenneman, has made the decision to play an instrumental version of the National Anthem at select sporting events and to follow it with prayer.
Check out this reaction by my friends at Jesus Radicals entitled, “Goshen College: Hurting the Church Bit by Bit.” They’re also asking folks to sign on to a letter of resistance directed toward Goshen. Check it out.
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[...] Christian College Reconsiders National Anthem: Has 114 year history of NOT singing it By Heber Brown, III [...]
Thank you so much for this thoughtful article. I attended and work at Goshen College, and we have been ridiculed by our community for not playing the national anthem, as has our local Mennonite-affiliated high school, Bethany Christian. Most non-Mennonites (and some Mennonites) do not understand that we do not play the anthem because we believe our highest allegiance is to God, not country. It isn't that we don't appreciate our country or the sacrifices (too many of which have been) made, from which we benefit. We grieve losses on both sides of conflicts, and try to promote peaceful conflict resolution. Many in our faith do several years of service, often overseas, and would welcome that opportunity instead of being required to do military service. We love our neighbors, but view our neighbors not only as the person next door, but also the person on the next continent as well. The vast majority of Mennonites strive to be good citizens in the country that is the home of the free, but when it comes to nationalism or God, we want to choose God. Many, seemingly, would rather have that freedom taken from us.
Thanks for the comment, GC employee. Again, I'm inspired by the witness of your Faith community and it has sparked so many questions in me. It has also challenged me to make clear my own understanding of whom I pledge ultimate allegiance to. Be encouraged. It just may turn out that this decision by Goshen College will do more to spark healthy dialogue and transformation in Mennonite and non-Mennonite circles.
Just another note on this–Francis Scott Key, the Marylander who wrote of "the home of the free and the land of the brave," owned slaves.
I'm got the chance this week to speak to some folks from Goshen College and other Mennonite colleges at Eastern Mennonite University in VA. Interesting to hear their perspectives on this–the folks in the Goshen peace fellowship were obviously grieving the decision.
Thanks for the interesting tidbit about Francis Scott Key, David.
Quite interesting that you got the chance to speak to students from Goshen and other Mennonite colleges right when all of this is going on. I'm truly inspired by their witness.
I can't help but feel that singing the national anthem has more to do with repect for those that gave their lives for this country than blind allegiance. I admit, once a staunch patriot (and godfearing Christian myself) how disenfranchised I am with the leadership of this once great nation under God.
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