a few brief thoughts on a complicated holiday

Today is the 4th of July, Independence Day here in the States, the day where we are commemorating the signing of the Declaration of Independence, and generally celebrate America. I don’t have a lot to say about it here, on a blog about theology and culture. Usually, I would write a post about the dangers of intermingling Christianity and patriotism, but I’ve not only done that here before, it is also something done in a million other places, to the point of being overdone (progressive Christian social media is almost unbearable today, in terms of the posturing and point scoring this day brings.) Generally, I affirm those views, and I very stringently avoid patriotism in general in my own life, viewing it as ultimately incompatible with my Christian commitments., not to mention the gross fetishization of American flags, nationalist chauvinism, and a kind of blind hubris.

That said, its also true that America, while unavoidably resting on a history of acts that are despicable and terrible, is also, historically speaking, a uniquely liberal and open place, and those of us who live here are pretty lucky, all things considered. Furthermore, the Declaration of Independence (which, again, is the core of today’s celebration, or at least should be) is a pretty remarkable document, in terms of being a document staking out a strong anti-authoritarian and anti-hierarchical claim. It really is an amazing document for its ability to provide ground to stand on for all future independence movements. It rightfully has a place as a crucial historical moment for all those committed to a better, more just and free world for all peoples, especially those laboring under the boot of authority and domination. It has its shortcomings for sure, as does its author, but all in all, there are worse things to reflect on today than the Declaration.