Anzac Day, a day of reflection: on civil religion, national identity, patriotism, war, sacrifice, living in the light

Photograph from here


Addendum:
PLEASE NOTE
Over at TheConscience Vote, there is a post here
which allows you to memorialise your relatives who served

It is sometimes suggested that there are two very public markers which demonstrate the civil religion of Australia: the first is Anzac Day, the second is Carols by Candlelight.

Paul Barratt has to-day raised a very important issue surrounding Anzac Day.

@abcreligion to-day has drawn attention to the article by Stanley Hauerwas - Sacrifices of War.  This article is a good reflection for to-day to draw attention to the addiction of war; the penetration of religious sacrifice into the sacrifice of war. As usual, Hauerwas is provocative; he makes us use our grey matter; he causes us to pause, to reflect, to think, to turn our heads around into looking anew at the old and to bring about a new outlook and a new way of being our true selves.

War is a mighty practice, a power that destroys those ennobled by the force of war. We are fated to kill and be killed because we know no other way to live. But through the forgiveness made possible by the cross of Jesus we are no longer condemned to kill. A people have been created who refuse to resort to the sword that they and those they love might survive. They seek not to survive, but to live in the light of Christ's resurrection.

The sacrifices of war are no longer necessary. We are now free to live free of the necessity of violence and killing. War and the sacrifices of war have come to an end. War has been abolished.abolished.

Further reading:

The Spirit of Anzac

Losing my religion:  unbelief in Australia