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Christian Flag

Discussion in 'Baptist History' started by Walls, Mar 4, 2003.

  1. Walls

    Walls New Member

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    I need help! My husband has asked me to research the origin of the Christian Flag. What I have found is that it came about in 1897 by Charles C. Overton at Brighton Chapel. It is known to be the official protestant flag. What I can't find is what denomination Overton or Brighton Chapel was. I did find out that the author of the pledge was Methodist. If in fact this is a protestant flag and baptist were never protestants, then why do we have them in our churches and say the pledge? Any more info on this would greatly be appreciated.
     
  2. mark

    mark <img src =/mark.gif>

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    I am NOT sure, but AI think Charles Spurgeon was once the pastor of the Brighton Chapel. I could be way off on that though.
     
  3. I Am Blessed 24

    I Am Blessed 24 Active Member

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    Here you go Walls;

    I put a link at the bottom of the post as there is too much information to post here.

    THE BIRTH OF THE CHRISTIAN FLAG ONE HUNDRED YEARS AGO

    The featured speaker failed to arrive for the Sunday School Rally in a Coney Island Chapel in 1897, and - the Christian flag was born:

    Like so many of the great and memorable things of history, a Christian flag was not contemplated or predesigned. A fortuitous happenstance gave it birth. The Sunday School was holding an old-fashioned Rally Day of the kind which was so much the custom in years past. For this occasion, a favored speaker had been engaged, but for some reason undisclosed did not show up. Superintendent Charles C. Overton, in the emergency, called upon his own gifts of innovation to fill in the time. An American flag lay there across the pulpit. Overton addressed his words to the flag and its symbolism. Then like a flash came the thought, why not also a Christian flag? His impromptu but constructive ad-libbing was to produce a verbal picture of what is today, and for the past one hundred years has been, the Christian flag.

    Today the Christian flag is one of the oldest unchanged flags in the world. It was conceived at Brighton Chapel, Coney Island, New York, Sunday, September 26, 1897, and was presented in its present form the following Sunday by its originator. Call it chance, or providence, serendipity, or the plan of God. On that day, the Christian flag was born.

    LIKE NO OTHER FLAG ON EARTH: THE UNIQUE CHARACTER OF THE CHRISTIAN FLAG

    The Christian flag is the only free flag in the world. It is different from every other flag, religious or secular, ancient or modern. It is uncontrolled, independent, and universal. Unlike all national flags and all denominational flags of various churches, it has no earthly bonds or allegiances. Christ and Christ alone is its Master. Without limitation, it exists for all the world's people regardless of sex, race, national boundary, economic condition, affluence, or poverty, politics, slavery or freedom. It cannot be restricted by any nation or denomination. This unique, universal quality makes it like the air we breathe, belonging to all and yet owned by none. For those who want it, wherever and whenever, it is freely theirs.

    All church flags are organizational symbols of specific corporate, legal, religious entities. The Roman Catholics, Episcopalians, United Methodists, Baptists, United Church of Christ, and others have flags, official or otherwise, but limited to their use and ruled by them. Not so with the Christian flag. This flag stands in its own right, shines by its own spiritual light, true, free, untrammeled, uncompromised. It belongs only to Christ and the Cross which symbol it bears.

    BIRTH OF THE CHRISTIAN FLAG

    [​IMG]
    Sue
     
  4. rsr

    rsr <b> 7,000 posts club</b>
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    Why do we need a Christian flag? I see this as a cultural response to the rise of Americanism at the end of the 19th Century. I would think Baptists, of all people, would reject such an innovation.

    If we want to repeat anything, why not the Apostles Creed or even the church covenant?

    [ March 04, 2003, 11:30 PM: Message edited by: rsr ]
     
  5. rsr

    rsr <b> 7,000 posts club</b>
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    BTW, why is this in the history forum?
     
  6. Johnv

    Johnv New Member

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    Great post, Sue. Thanks [​IMG]

    To answer the question above, we DON'T need a Christian flag. But it's become a part of Christian culture in America, without regard to denomination, creed, or affiliation, and I see no reason not to welcome it.
     
  7. Baptistas

    Baptistas <img src=/2836.JPG>

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    We in Russia do not have any flags in church! If we have put a flag in church is our church not church of the Christ, and church of the state would be regarded, that.
    About христаинский a flag I in general nothing heard. It is possible on him to look?
     
  8. rsr

    rsr <b> 7,000 posts club</b>
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  9. I Am Blessed 24

    I Am Blessed 24 Active Member

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    Because Walls was looking for the history of the Christian flag.

    The Christian flag may be the one and only thing that different denominations do not argue about! :D

    (thank you Johnv)

    Sue
     
  10. Walls

    Walls New Member

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    rsr,

    Did you not read my original post? From what I can gather this is a protestant based flag, I just can't get solid proof. But if it is in fact protestant, then why is it displayed in almost every Baptist church? This does pertain to Baptist history because at some point Baptist has adopted protestant views and practices, and I would like to know at what point and why.

    Kind of off topic, but isn't the reason why so many churches have Sunday school because they were keeping up with the methodist's? If the author of the pledge to the flag was methodist and the Christian flag was made by a Sunday school superintendent-then I would say the Christian flag is a methodist flag and the Baptist better get back to their roots.
     
  11. rsr

    rsr <b> 7,000 posts club</b>
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    You folks are entirely right and I was wrong. I apologize.

    As to the question of Protestantism, there is no way of knowing for sure, but it is my impression that a majority of Baptists consider the church to have originated from the English Separatist movement within the Church of England. There are others on this board who disagree. For now, I accept the former view, with allowances for influences from the Anabaptists.

    (BTW, from what I've been able to find out, it appears Brighton Chapel was Congregationalist.)
     
  12. Walls

    Walls New Member

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    What are congregationalist? I have never heard of them before.
     
  13. rsr

    rsr <b> 7,000 posts club</b>
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    The Congregationalists hold to the same polity as Baptists -- independent, autonomous congregations -- and arose out of the English Separatist movement.

    The Congregationalists have been influential in American life and produced preachers like Jonathan Edwards.

    In the United States, many of the Congregational churches are affiliated with the United Church of Christ, but there are smaller organizations as well. All still maintain the independence of the local church so they -- like Baptists -- are a diverse lot.

    Some of the early American Baptists came out of Congregationalist churches in the north, then moved south and planted Baptist churches.
     
  14. Jim1999

    Jim1999 <img src =/Jim1999.jpg>

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    There was some mention of Methodists and Sunday School. I would like to note that the Sunday School movement came about by the actions of Sir Robert Peel, who was a Baptist, and eventual Prime Minister of Great Britain. He saw the need in London for reaching the urchins on London's streets and did it as a Sunday School, teaching God's word as well as other academic studies.

    Cheers,

    Jim
     
  15. Aaron

    Aaron Member
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    Excellent.
     
  16. Bob Farnaby

    Bob Farnaby Active Member
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    Waterbeach,(as a teenager!) New Park Street and Metropolitan Tbernacle were the churches Spurgeon pastored.

    Regards
    Bob
     
  17. Bob Farnaby

    Bob Farnaby Active Member
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    QUite honestly, i'd never heard of the "Christian Flag" before this discussion came up. I'd put it with all the other symbols and junk that is around in churches .. in the rubbish bin, doesn't do a thing for me


    Regards
    Bob
     
  18. christine

    christine New Member

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    It does mean something to those of us that have been taught to respect it. I am Baptist and I attended a christian school. It was Accelerated Christian Education (ACE). This was 28 yrs. ago, we pledged it after the american flag each day. We also have miniture flags that we held up (instead of raising hands), when we needed specific things during class. The American flag was to get a teachers aide. The Christian flag was to get a certified teacher.
    We also had both flags behind the pastor inside of our church, although we did not pledge it there.
     
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