DownloadNov. 16, 2009 issue
Flag shows loyalty to kingdom of God
By Celeste Kennel-Shank Mennonite Weekly ReviewScott Smith isn’t against Christians showing allegiance to a flag. He just wishes the flag would honor God instead of country.
The adult Sunday school of Greensboro (N.C.) Mennonite Fellowship meets in the back of the sanctuary, where they display a kingdom of God flag. — Photo by Jim Mellinger
“If Christians who desire to fly a flag would fly a flag that represents the kingdom of God rather than a national flag, it would remind them where their allegiance lies,” he said.
Smith, a former member of the U.S. armed forces and now congregational peace advocate for Greensboro (N.C.) Mennonite Fellowship, is giving Christians that opportunity through a flag he created symbolizing the kingdom of God.
He has been giving the flags away to pastors of various Christian traditions. His goal is not to raise interest in flags, but to “get Christians who currently display a national flag to instead fly a kingdom of God flag or any other flag dedicated to God,” he said.
Smith is trying to get word out nationally about the flag. He sells the flag at cost for $25, which includes shipping.
If someone can’t afford it, he will send it for free. While some people make donations, Smith isn’t soliciting them.
He also aims to introduce people to an Anabaptist perspective on Christianity through his Web site.
Many U.S. Christians accept the demands of their nation because they believe “the country is fulfilling the will of God,” Smith said. “That’s not always the case. Christians need to be able to discern the difference.”
Smith, a graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy, served in the armed forces for two decades.
“I was raised with a typical American Christian upbringing that saw no conflict with the blending of church and state, and Christians going off to war,” Smith said. “This worldview that I had was not challenged really until the Iraq invasion.”
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