Well, glad you asked! The idea for the “Christian flag” began 124 years ago. The symbolism of this flag is important to many Christians. Read on for more background.
According to Gettysburg Flag Works:
Today's Christian flag is popular among churches, religious schools, camps and homes throughout the USA, Africa and Latin America. It is a white flag with a blue canton that contains a red cross. The Christian flag is typically used for Protestant denominations.
The Gospel Coalition shares these interesting bits about the Christian flag:
The idea for the Christian flag originated in an impromptu Sunday school speech
Tharles C. Overton, the superintendent of the Sunday school at Brighton Chapel on Coney Island in New York, had designated an event called Rally Day for Sunday, September 26, 1897. When the guest speaker didn’t show, Overton gave an impromptu speech, using the U.S. flag that draped the podium for his object lesson. After talking about the symbolism of the American flag, he proposed a flag that should represent the Christian church. With the help of a local seamstress, Overton created the flag he had described and presented the first copy the next Sunday.
The colors match the American flag but are symbolically Christian
- Red of the cross symbolizes the blood of Jesus Christ
- Blue symbolizes water used for baptism
- White symbolizes the purity of Jesus Christ
A renowned hymnodist wrote a song about the flag
Fanny Crosby, one of the most prolific hymnodists in the English language, wrote a four-verse hymn for the Christian flag, “The Christian flag, behold it.” The first verse reads:
The Christian Flag! behold it,
And hail it with a song,
And let the voice of millions
The joyful strain prolong,
To every clime and nation,
We send it forth today;
God speed its glorious mission,
With earnest hearts we pray.
There are at least three pledges of allegiance to the Christian flag
Just as there is a Pledge of Allegiance to the U.S. flag, there is a pledge (with at least three versions) to the Christian flag. The liberal Methodist pastor Lynn Harold Hough wrote the first pledge to the Christian flag: “I pledge allegiance to my flag and the Savior for whose kingdom it stands; one brotherhood uniting all mankind in service and love.”
A version adopted by more conservative churches is: “I pledge allegiance to the Christian flag, and to the Savior for whose kingdom it stands; one Savior, crucified, risen, and coming again with life and liberty to all who believe.”
A third version, adopted by some youth groups, states: “I pledge allegiance to the Christian Flag, and to the Savior for whose Kingdom it stands; one brotherhood uniting all true Christians, in service, and in love.”
Also, the Christian flag has and continues spread to other countries through American missionaries.