Posted on: 30th April 2026

Some worry that the British, especially the young, are lacking in patriotism. I ask myself, am I patriotic? Long ago, during my time as a National Serviceman, I was on active service. Does that make me patriotic? Anyway, what is patriotism? Not sure. Let me think it out, as a Christian, as a human being.
God calls all to love, for God is love (I John 4.7–21). And ‘love’ means down-to-earth action together (I John 3.17). Within the frame of this thinking, talk of patriotism as ‘love of country’ is illuminating, so long as we hold fast to love as it is defined by God’s living and self-giving.

Components of patriotism are love as gratitude, love as care for society’s well-being, love as penitence seeking hopeful change when things go badly. Let’s grow our core vision of patriotism from and in love. Love within and for any community values and enhances life, and does not trade in death, with its agents and spirits.

And if there is love, real love, in our community, in our family, this street, this city, this country, it won’t change character at the border. When love comes to any border with wickedness, it looks towards judgment and repair (forgiveness). When love comes to a border of otherness, it is ready to learn and adjust.

We may say, over the border are enemies: by definition, we don’t owe them love, mercy, consideration, or welcome. But Jesus says, “Love your enemies” (Matt 5.43–45). You are children of the Father in heaven, who makes his sun rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. God’s love overflows; God’s love is as much alive on the other side of the battle lines we draw, and God’s love calls for our respect, our risk-taking service, and our hallowing of his name, Father.

If love with understanding is at the heart of patriotism, patriotisms will appreciate and partner with one another, not snap and bite at each other (Gal. 5.13–15). Patriotism best serves a country and its interests when we work to share its constructive love with other communities. Over many centuries, we fought with our European neighbours for land and glory, often wasting life in tit-for-tat devastations. At last, a few people, out of the depths, envisioned and argued for a community of nations and got it working.

We are still in a rough world, but is there not a little more space in our hearts and political life for the wisdom and the feasibility of making friends of past or possible enemies? To people burdened with a spirit of enmity, exiled in a foreign land and unwilling to sing the Lord’s song for the hated foreigners (Psalm 137), Jeremiah wrote: “Seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you and pray to the Lord for it—for in its welfare you will find your welfare” (Jer. 29.7).

So let us seek and build communities of modest, mutually enriching, true-love patriotisms.