More than half of Protestant pastors in the US believe their congregation sometimes seems to love the US more than God, according to the findings of a new survey.
The LifeWay poll of 1,000 Protestant pastors in the US, the results of which have been released as the nation prepares to celebrate Independence Day, found that 53 per cent of pastors agreed with the proposition that ‘Our congregation sometimes seems to love America more than God’ while 45 per cent disagreed.
The poll also found that 61 per cent of pastors believe it’s important to commemorate patriotic elements celebrating America into services during the week of 4th July – the Independence Day holiday in the US – and that older pastors were more likely to incorporate patriotic elements than younger with the data showing 78 per cent of pastors aged 65 and over believed it was important to do so compared with 44 per cent of pastors aged 18 to 44 years.
Denomination was also a factor with as many as 82 per cent of Pentecostal pastors saying it was important to incorporate patriotic elements compared with 67 per cent of Baptists, 51 per cent of Lutherans, 50 per cent of Methodists and 47 per cent of Presbyterian/Reformed pastors.
Of the 1,000 pastors surveyed, 66 per cent said they would include special music honouring the US during services in the week, 62 per cent said they would recognise living veterans and those with families serving in the armed forces, and 53 per cent said they would recognise families who had lost loved ones in service to the country while 34 per cent said they would include other ceremonies to honour America.
Scott McConnell, executive director of Nashville-based LifeWay Research, said the survey found the celebration would impact almost nine in 10 church services. “As people remember veterans, service members and patriotism, it is natural for churches to seek to apply theology to these cultural activities.”
But he added that the celebrations may be “accompanied by rebuke” in some congregations. “A majority of pastors recognise that at times their congregation loves America more than God. That is a sharp contrast to Jesus’ greatest commandment to love God with all one’s heart, soul and mind.”
