2.1 F
Spokane
Monday, February 10, 2025
spot_img
HomeNewsThe History Behind The Christian Flags Spotted At The Pro-Trump U.S. Capitol...

The History Behind The Christian Flags Spotted At The Pro-Trump U.S. Capitol ‘Coup’

Date:

Related stories

New atheist report ranks Washington high in religious equality, Idaho low

American Atheists released its annual State of the Secular States report, which ranks states on religious equality. This year, Washington ranks high with Idaho low.

WSU health justice conference bridges communities toward healthcare equity

Healthcare leaders gathered virtually at WSU's Health Justice and Belonging Conference to discuss community-driven solutions toward healthcare equity in eastern Washington.

Fans say God doesn’t care who wins the Super Bowl

Despite 123.7 million Super Bowl viewers, most Americans don’t believe God cares about the game’s outcome. A recent Lifeway Research study shows only 13% think God is concerned.

FāVS Religion News Roundup: Feb. 7

This week's religion news roundup reports on a priest attack in Spokane's Lady of Lourdes, plans to remove the Monaghan statue from downtown, a water purification invention by Whitworth students and more.

Dalai Lama and Buddhist abbess release final volume of Buddhism series written for Westerners

In collaboration with the Dalai Lama, Buddhist author and Sravasti Abbey founder Ven. Thubten Chodron releases final volume in a series that explains Buddhist concepts to Westerners.

Our Sponsors

spot_img

The History Behind The Christian Flags Spotted At The Pro-Trump U.S. Capitol ‘Coup’

By Kimberly Winston | Religion UnPlugged

The insurrectionist mob that stormed the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday carried an array of flags and signs that indicate that not only are they Republicans, but also that they are Christians.

As the mob swarmed the Capitol steps, climbed the inaugural scaffolding and even scaled the building like it was a gym climbing wall, the now commonplace red, white and blue “Trump 2020” and “Make America Great Again” flags flew alongside flags and banners with a range of Christian symbols. A giant wooden cross was installed across from the Capitol building as well. Some of the identifiable flags were:

  • The Christian flag, an ecumenical white flag with a blue field and a red Latin cross, was carried by one rioter on to the floor of the House of Representatives even as guns were drawn to keep them out;
  • At least two flags featuring the icthys, the outline of a fish adopted by early Christians;
  • An American flag altered to read “Make America Godly Again” on its white stripes;
  • A white flag with a green pine tree and the words “An Appeal to Heaven;”
  • And blowing prominently in the foreground as the mob kicked in a Capitol door was a red, white and blue flag that proclaimed, “Jesus is my savior” and “Trump is my President” on either sides of an elongated American flag.

In addition to these flags, there was also at least one yellow banner reading “Jesus saves” seen on the Capitol steps, and multiple articles of clothing touting Christianity including a “Jesus” baseball cap and a jacket with sleeves printed with the words “Cry to God.”

While some of these flags routinely appear at Trump rallies, they are a puzzling novelty to others.  But many have long, established roots in Christianity and in American history. The “An Appeal to Heaven” flag was carried by Revolutionary War soldiers, inspired by an Old Testament story.

“Therefore I have not sinned against you, but you wronged me by fighting against me,” Jephthah says in the Book of Judges. “May the Lord, the Judge, render judgment this day between the children of Israel and the people of Ammon.”

The Christian flag has a much shorter history. It was designed in 1897 by a Sunday School superintendent and a Methodist missionary and was adopted by what is now the National Council of Churches, an organization of largely Protestant denominations, in 1942. Today, it hangs at the front of many churches.

It should be no surprise that pro-Trump demonstrators align themselves with Christianity, especially evangelicalism. The president captured 81% of the evangelical vote in 2016 and 78% in 2020, according to the Pew Center. But the appearance of symbols commonly revered in churches of all stripes seems to have been a line in the sand for many Christian viewers.

“All of the ‘turn to the cross’ and ‘pray for our nation’ posts are great, but let’s be real,” a San Antonio man named Matthew Bayer wrote on Twitter after the rioters were removed from the Capitol. “The ‘proud boys’ sit in your pews. A cross was erected outside the capital today, and the ‘Christian’ flag was flying. Scripture was all over shirts and signs. Time to call this out.”

Blake Chastain, host of the podcast “Ex-vangelical,” did just that with a tweet of a photo of the Christian flag outside the Capitol. “Tell me again how Christian nationalism and white evangelicalism – the superspreader culture that inculcates Christian nationalist ideology – isn’t culpable in today’s events and all the events that led to today.” 

And Dan Webster, a retired Episcopal pastor and former newscaster, tweeted the same photo and said, “I [am] ashamed of Christian leaders these last 4 years whose silence has been compliance.”

Religion Unplugged
Religion Unpluggedhttps://religionunplugged.com/
Religion Unplugged is a non-profit news organization, funded by TheMediaProject.org. It serves as an online news magazine on the topic of religion.

Our Sponsors

spot_img
spot_img

3 COMMENTS

0 0 votes
Article Rating
Subscribe
Notify of
guest
3 Comments
Oldest
Newest Most Voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
trackback

[…] The History Behind The Christian Flags Spotted At The Pro-Trump U.S. Capitol ‘Coup’ – January 7, 2021 […]

trackback

[…] The History Behind The Christian Flags Spotted At The Pro-Trump U.S. Capitol ‘Coup’ – January 7, 2021 […]

trackback

[…] The History Behind The Christian Flags Spotted At The Pro … […]

3
0
Would love your thoughts, please comment.x
()
x