Craig Watts

What is being done in worship when national holidays are celebrated, the American flag is displayed and honored, and songs are sung that extol the nation? Are these benign gestures? Or could they actually be idolatrous? In this insightful and persuasively argued study Craig M. Watts contends the inclusion of elements of American nationalism in worship is detrimental to the integrity of Christian worship. He maintains that in faithful worship the story of Jesus must be re-presented and performed in such a way that the only affections and loyalty that are fostered are those Christians everywhere rightfully share. To do otherwise opens the door to idolatry and leaves the church doing what Watts calls "bowing toward Babylon." He reviews the development of the symbols, songs, and gestures that celebrate America and how they were introduced into worship. Watts concludes that the spirituality of American Christian nationalism does not complement the faith of the church but distorts it, hindering global Christian unity and the peaceable witness of the church in a divided world.

The Nationalistic Subversion of Christian Worship in America

Bowing Toward Babylon

Lisa Gray

Karen Jones

Mark Scott

Anna Cates

Janet Kuypers

C. E. C E E

Liam Spencer

I. Rad

Dean Jones

A. Block

Adam Mac

Allan Onik

Barry Hill

Chris Roe

Dan Maltbie

D. Mago

Louie Clay

Patrick Fealey

Eric Burbridge

M. C. M C D

"Sunlight in the Sanctuary" is a 2015 poetry and prose collection book anthology from Scars Publications (http: //scars.tv) of select materials accepted for 2015 issues through cc&d magazine (http: //scars.tv/ccd) Down in the Dirt magazine (http: //scars.tv/dirt).Writers and artists included in this book are (in order of appearance in the book, and come contributors may appear in a few places in the book) Paul Bellerive, Raymond J. Barry, Anna Cates, Roy Hamond, Louie Clay, Tom Schaffer, T. Alen Culpepper, Brian Forrest (painting), Shubhangi Joshi, Mel Waldman, Michael Lee Johnson, DG Mago, Liam Spencer, Mark Fleury, Doug Draime, M. A. Schaffner, Matthew Horstkotter, Dr. (Ms.) Michael S. Whitt, Edward Michael O'Durr Supranowicz (art), Michael Ceraolo, Bob Rashkow, Christopher Davis, Chad Newbill, Mark J.Mitchell, Francisco Diamond, Ralph Womer, Jr., Ben Macnair, Stefan Benz, Richard Schnap, Karen Jones, Oz Hardwick, Alam Catlin, Aaron Wilder (art), Brian Looney, Fritz Hamilton, I.B. Rad, Janet Kuypers, Thom Mahoney, Mel Waldman, Jack Herbert, Richard King Perkins II, Allan Onik, Shubhangi Joshi, EricBurbridge, Kelley Jean White MD, Peter McMillan, Christina Dendy, Kathryn Lipari, Deanna Morris, Lexi Lovetere, Anne Britting Oleson, Janet Kuypers, Kerry Lown Whalen, Simon Perchik, Eric Erickson, Eleanor Leonne Bennett (art), Bill Yarrow, Paul Smith, David R Miller, R. N. Taber, Alex Patterson, Janet Kuypers, Matt LeShay, David J. Thompsonn (art), Mark Herden, John Amendall, Harry Noussias, David Hernandez, Betty J. Sayles, Edward Michael O'Durr Supranowicz (art), Kevin Munley, David Michael Jackson (art), Thomas Gannon, Victoria Griffin, Steve Slavin, Eleanor Leonne Bennett (art), Clyde Daniel Bearre, Craig Watts, Brian Looney (art), Jessica Marie Baumgartner, Edward Michael O'Durr Supranowicz (art), Lisa Gray, Donald Gaither, A.N. Block, Janet Kuypers, Matt Koch, Judith Ann Levison, Dean Jones, Uzeyir Lokman Cayci (art), Rosalie Krenger, Kyle Hemmings (art), Adam Mac, Allison Grayhurst, Monica Busch, Ester Avagyan, Carlo Frank Calo, Allan Onik, Matthew Hentrich, Denny E. Marshall, David Nelson Hilliard, Joann Spencer, Stephanie Hammerwold, Kyle Hemmings (art), Andrew Schenck, Sean Lause, Russ Bickerstaff, Brian Looney (art), Crimson Blackstone, Janet Kuypers, Dan Maltbie, Eleanor Leonne Bennett (art), Don Stockard, Maura Gage Cavell, Mike Brennan, Barry Hill, Simon Hardy Butler, MCD, Norm Hudson, Jenean McBrearty, Stephen McQuiggan, Janet Kuypers, R. H. Palmer, Chris Roe, Jack Foraker, Charles Hayes, William Masters, Margaret Karmzin & Janet Amalia Weinberg, Patrick Fealey, David Michael Jackson (art), Aaron Wilder (art), Liam Spencer, Brian Forrest (art), Maria Carroll, Kyle Hemmings (art), Bob Strother, David Michael Jackson (art), Natasha Cabot, David J. Thompson (art), Micah White, Robert Finch, Marilyn June Janson, Daniel Stockwell, Joshua Copeland, Jim Meirose, Ian Bowman, Mark Scott, Joseph Grant, Jane Stuart, Hal Savage, David Hernandez, Fred Russell, and Ava Collopy.

Scars Publications 2015 Poetry, Prose and Art Anthology

Sunlight in the Sanctuary

Craig Watts

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