Patriotism versus faith in a baseball doubleheader

Jul 14 2010

Patriotism versus faith in a baseball doubleheader

An adage warns us to avoid discussions about religion and politics. But these days, that gets harder and harder to do.

This story from a media outlet articulates the problem:
“A father and his two sons landed in jail after talk of religion and demons at a Memorial Day weekend bonfire led to a drunken brawl. The victim had been talking about religion and demons when the other three became upset and started whipping up on him,” said Madison County Sheriff’s Capt. Brad Wells. Wells said he didn’t know what specific religious issue incited the fight.”

In a previous post, I wrote about judicial elections in San Diego in which a coalition of “Christian” lawyers ran against four incumbents in order to infuse Christian values in the court system.

All four coalition candidates lost.

But what happens when religion and government choose to co-exist?

I love baseball. So, few stories about baseball “firsts” surprise me — like most pitches did when I played Little League.

But the lack of attention it drew in this day of the “church and state” war did surprise me. In March before a doubleheader between the Goshen College Maple Leafs and the Sienna Heights Saints at Goshen’s field, the game started with the playing of the “The Star Spangled Banner” — for the first time in the school’s history.

Goshen College, in Indiana, was founded in 1894 in the Anabaptist-Mennonite tradition, its website states.

Those who attended the game heard an instrumental version of the national anthem on the public address system, a decision made to pacify those who opposed the change.

And the decision to change offers insight into the increasingly complicated and often divisive nature of the church-state issue.

The majority of students attending Goshen is not Mennonite and they do not all embrace the pacifist roots of that faith.

But some of those who are say the change gives glory to war and a flag — not to God.

In between the black and white are the gray areas of patriotism, support for troops in the Middle East, a more “liberal” signature to the 1,000 Goshen College students, and trying to incorporate 21st-century pragmatism into a centuries-old faith.

And oh, yes, perhaps the most important issue — keeping the donors happy in order to keep the college afloat.

Goshen College split the doubleheader with Sienna.

I am guessing “split” is an apt word to describe how folks will feel about the college’s decision to back away from a longstanding tradition and overt exercise of faith.

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