by Kelly Valencia, Premier
Churches in England are being encouraged to fly the St George’s flag as a way of promoting a more inclusive and positive form of patriotism.
Writing in The Times ahead of St George’s Day later this month, the Bishop of Leicester, Rt Rev Martyn Snow, said he wanted to encourage church leaders who may feel hesitant to display the flag because of its association in recent years with what he described as “narrow nationalism”.
However, he argued that symbols can change meaning depending on how they are used, and said churches could help “enrich” the meaning of the flag by reclaiming it.
“Symbols are not fixed,” he said, adding that the St George’s Cross has held different meanings throughout history, from the Crusades to sport, and more recently, political movements.
For Bishop Martyn, churches should embrace what he calls “healthy patriotism”, which should include an honest acknowledgement of a nation’s past, an openness to others, and a focus on the common good.
He also pointed to the story of St George, widely believed to have been a Roman soldier of Middle Eastern origin, whose legacy is associated with courage and sacrifice rather than national identity.