IDOLATRY OF NATIONALISM

Waiapu Church Gazette, Volume 32, Issue 1, 1 March 1941, Page 9

IDOLATRY OF NATIONALISM

Seeing the Modern State

for what it is

In his latest letter to his Diocese the Archbishop writes: v We have had some wonderful encouragements following on the appalling disasters of last winter, but there are heavy clouds much nearer than the horizon, and possibilities of trouble very near home. That the cause for which . we contend . must ultimately triumph we do not doubt, for we cannot' believe that m God's world He will allow the men and women for whom Christ died to become' mere cogs m a machine to the greater glory of such an artificial god as the State. We are beginning to see the modern State for what it is, not the handmaid of liberty and ],ight and brotherhood, but an idol which men have ' laboriously made and stupidly worship. And they" look each to their own particular idol to give them security and to' protect, them from rival gods. We do not really seem to have got so very far beyond the idolatry which Isaiah denounced f with such scorn! The chapters of Isaiah from chapter xl. on make great reading at such , a time as this. . For his great convictions are, first, that there is only one God of all the world and that He is utterly reliable and good, and, secondly, that He is carrying out His will m. history and never fails those who trust Him. Their sufferings do not mean that He has f prgbtteri them, but they may> be part of His redemptive purpose for mankind- I say "may be," for they, may also be the inevitable punishment for their pride arid selfishness. Our sufferings and anxieties today cannot all be laid at the door of someone else's wickedness, but they may be so borne as be made m some sense a sacrifice for mankind. This

is the great thought which lies behind the' liii. chapter of Isaiah, that chapter which c,an never have been fully understood until the cross of Christ confirmed it and illuminated it forever. I J WHAT WE NEED TO HAVE. There is a very present danger that our suffering and apprehensions may only embitter us and so prevent our tJeing used by God for 'any regenerative purpose at ' all. And so I .would -say that if we are to be •found worthy to be . God's instruments m upsetting that idolatry of " nationalism which breeds such ferocious rivalry and strife we need much more than the will to victory over > our opponents; we need to have some gospel, some good news of b,etter ways and better things which we want to commend to mankind. If the real victory which we have "m view is a victory for love and f el-., lowship over hatred and division, then any military i victqry will be -not an end m itself, after which we divide the' spoils, but just a stage on the way to the victory which is spiritual and redemptive.' % , -.■■■' i, ■ -A ; : Now it is clear that the men on whom falls the burden of strategy and policy., at the present moment cannot be' asked to give themselves over to ' reflection on the shape of things to come after the war. If they did there might never be an "after the war" opportunity for them • to do the shaping. Mr. Churchill m his speech at Glasgow made this very plain. But' if that were-inter-preted, to mean' that nobody is to bother about anything except winning the war^ then I believe that we should have lost, our spiritual justification for seeking victory or for committing our cause to XJod. If I may /adapt the famous ljne of the Latin poet, "Et propter victoriam victorias perdere causas," that is to say^ that we, should be m danger of sacrificing all that makes victory worth winning for the mere winning of victory.