Pretend patriots versus true patriotism

Remembrance earlier this month is more than a ritual; it is a sacred covenant that binds generations. For the British people, the annually recited fourth verse of Laurence Binyon’s immortal poem, For the Fallen, has become far more than fine poetry.

That is because it expresses the enduring covenant by which generation upon generation of British people continue to honour their war dead.

The poem was inspired by the overwhelming losses faced by the British Expeditionary Force (BEF) in the opening weeks of World War I. From the Battle of Mons to the First Battle of the Marne, the BEF suffered over 15,000 casualties—nearly a fifth of its strength—within weeks.

Binyon’s poem closes with the promise: “We will remember them”; a phrase that encapsulates the essence of covenant patriotism.

What is covenant patriotism?

Covenant patriotism is that deep and enduring loyalty to one’s nation and its honour, based on solemnly made commitments that are binding and intergenerational, and that formalise perpetual relationships, both as a people and as members of the international community.

Covenant patriotism transcends mere ceremony: it is the bedrock of our national memory and identity.

Covenant patriotism is not restricted to the battlefield or to moments of national crisis. It is lived out in the ongoing relationships among veterans, such as those of the Parachute Regimental Association who continue to support one another long after their military service has ended. For example, in Aldershot, the former meet on the first Tuesday of every month, as a living expression of their covenant of comradeship. Similarly, on 18 August this year, the British Gurkha Veterans Association commemorated the 80th Anniversary of VJ Day at the Gurkha Monument in Riversley Park, Nuneaton.

At its core, a covenant is a formal, binding expression of will and relationship commitment that is far deeper than the transactional quid pro quo of contracts. Marriage is an exchange of covenants. Adoption is a covenant. Covenants formalise relationships, whereas contracts formalise transactions. Because covenants are relationship-oriented, they have intergenerational impact, shaping communities and nations across time.

Covenant faithfulness

This intergenerational principle is rooted in Scripture. The true, living, and eternal God, described as the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, relates to His people through covenant faithfulness: “Know therefore that the LORD your God is God; he is the faithful God, keeping his covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love him and keep his commandments” (Deut. 7v9).

God’s love is a sacrificial commitment, undiminished by human frailty.

As Song of Songs 8v6 declares, “Love is strong as death. Many waters cannot quench it.” This divine model of covenant is the foundation for human covenants, including those of patriotism and remembrance.

Loyalty

The origin of the word patriotism (derived from the Latin, patria meaning, father) demonstrates that it is rooted in the family metaphor. That’s because patriotism, as loyalty to country, has been historically developed from (and extends) loyalty to kin and ancestors.

The moral importance of such loyalty is amply demonstrated in the honour that God bestowed upon the Rechabites, who faithfully kept their ancestor’s command, in contrast to the faithlessness of His people, Judah. Through Jeremiah, God said: “The words of Jonadab son of Rechab have been carried out. He commanded his sons not to drink wine, and they have not drunk it to this very day because they have obeyed the command of their forefather. But I have spoken to you again and again, and you have not obeyed Me!” (Jer. 35v13–14).

Peace

As a binding expression of will and relationship, covenant extends beyond national self-interest to a moral and legal obligation to honour the covenants that underpin international peace.

That is why God rebuked Judah when they reneged on their treaty with the Babylonian Empire to form a treacherous alliance with Egypt: "Woe to the obstinate children,” declares the Lord, “to those who carry out plans that are not mine, forming an alliance, but not by my Spirit, heaping sin upon sin; who go down to Egypt without consulting me; who look for help to Pharaoh’s protection, to Egypt’s shade for refuge. But Pharaoh’s protection will be to your shame, Egypt’s shade will bring you disgrace" (Isa. 30v1 – 5).

To our nation’s credit, Britain has been instrumental in forging international covenants such as the 1951 Refugee Convention, which was designed to protect those fleeing from war and persecution.

Yet, in 2025, proposals to withdraw from these covenants threaten to reduce Britain to a covenant-breaker, undermining trust and dishonouring the sacrifices of those who fought for peace.

Proposals to withdraw from the 1951 Refugee Convention and from the European Convention on Human Rights amount to reneging on our international obligations. There is nothing covenantal about Britain (or any other country) reneging on its international obligations. In fact, that would send a message to the whole world that our nation cannot be trusted to keep its word.

True covenant patriotism (as previously defined) stands in stark contrast to the actions of "pretend patriots," who encourage Britain to renege on its international covenants.

Such "pretend patriots" have not truly sacrificed for this country, yet some are happy to deface zebra crossings and roundabouts with George Crosses. As evidenced by several recent convictions for violent disorder, others will even resort to terrorising refugee claimants with projectiles and threatening behaviour.

In contrast, covenant patriots believe that our nation is duty-bound to honour its international obligations under the 1951 Refugee Convention, which recognises the importance of assessing refugee claimants and offering genuine victims of persecution and displacement the sanctuary from harm that so many Holocaust victims were denied.

Covenant Patriotism is exemplified by our outstanding armed forces; whether serving personnel and veterans and their respective families. We will continue to thank them for their service.

Through covenant patriotism, we honour the courage of our war dead who sacrificed their lives for the sake of peace: “They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old: Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn. At the going down of the sun and in the morning, we will remember them.”