Nationalism and Religion (@NationalismandReligion)

Because so many people reference the encyclical 'Mit brennender Sorge', published by Pope Pius XI on March 14, 1937, it is necessary to give a brief comment here. If one reads the encyclical, and reads it carefully, it does not condemn nationalism, nor Fascism, nor National Socialism, nor patriotism, nor love of country and race. On the contrary, Pius XI even says these are good things. In reference to the exaltation of race (racial pride), he explicitly states that it is "...necessary and honorable in the temporal realm." He further states: "No one would think of preventing young Germans establishing a true ethnic community in a noble love of freedom and loyalty to their country." It must be understood that the pope was not condemning patriotism, nor love of nation and race. He was condemning those individuals who exalt nation and race to an idolatrous level, to the point of replacing God, or rejecting the universal God in favour of ethnocentric gods (neo-paganism), or attempting to create a national church separate from the Catholic Church. Read the encyclical closely to see what is truly being condemned: "None but superficial minds could stumble into concepts of a national God... or attempt to lock within the frontiers of a single people, within the narrow limits of a single race, God, the Creator of the universe, King and Legislator of all nations... The Church founded by the Redeemer is one, the same for all races and all nations." As can be seen, the pope does not condemn nationalism nor patriotism, nor love of nation and race. He condemns only those people who exalt these things to an inordinate level, causing them to reject or deny the universality of God and the Church. Regarded as particularly dangerous is the idea that God is exclusive to one particular country or race and can not be worshiped by all people, or that His teachings and laws apply only to one people and not to everyone. But once again, the pope states: "No one would think of preventing young Germans establishing a true ethnic community in a noble love of freedom and loyalty to their country. What We object to is the voluntary and systematic antagonism raised between national education and religious duty. ... He who sings hymns of loyalty to his terrestrial country should not, for that reason, become unfaithful to God and His Church, or a deserter and traitor to His heavenly country." Love of country and love of race are not inherently bad things. The encyclical is merely a warning against those who seek to turn nation and race into a weapon against the Church and the Christian religion.