Back in 2018, I read a post on the Psephizo blog (written by evangelical scholar Ian Paul) that described the emotive impact of flags.
He wrote: “Flags are hugely emotive. They are powerful symbols which evoke emotional and even visceral reactions… Think about the controversies provoked by those in the southern US states flying the Confederate flag.”
In that post, Paul evaluated Ely Cathedral’s decision to fly a rainbow Pride flag during the Ely Pride festival. He also argued that, far from having a unifying influence, “flags are not symbols of inclusivity and diversity; they are powerful symbols of tribal identity (even where that tribe is a nation) and they function to define who is in and who is out. They are so powerful that people will, literally, die for them and their defence.”
Christian Nationalism and far-right exclusivism
In March 2026, Dame Sarah Mullally will be formally “enthroned” as the 106th Archbishop of Canterbury.In accordance with long-standing …