Is Nationalism Treason?

            In a November 11^th speech at the Armistice Day centennial observance in Paris, French President Emmanuel Macron fired a blast at President Trump by declaring that “Nationalism is a betrayal of patriotism…Patriotism is the exact opposite of nationalism. Nationalism is treason.”  President Trump, an avowed nationalist, took it as an insult, and rightly so.

            Macron surely knows the history of nationalism in Europe. But was he justified in linking the German nationalism that gave rise to Hitler with Trump’s “America First” policy? Then he compounded the insult by proposing that Europe unite to form its own armed forces in opposition to Russia, China, and yes, the United States, leaving no doubt in anybody’s mind that he now views America as a foe. Considering that Trump is in the midst of trade negotiations with Europe and is also looking to Europe to bear a larger share of NATO’s costs, Macron’s speech was extraordinarily rash and provocative. President Trump retaliated with harsh words of his own, reminding President Macron that the United States had saved France’s butt in two world wars. Meanwhile, many Western European countries, echoing Mr. Macron’s obstreperousness, are refusing to go along with U.S. sanctions against Iran.

            I can’t help thinking of a similar struggle between American Catholic bishops and the Vatican. The bishops met earlier this month in Baltimore at the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) to deal with the church’s sexual abuse crisis. They were prepared to vote on standards for episcopal conduct and on the formation of a special commission to review complaints of violation of these standards. But the Vatican ordered the USCCB not to vote on these matters, telling the American bishops in effect that the Vatican would call the shots. Which makes me wonder about what the American bishops’ response to Rome’s authoritarianism will be. Will they conclude it is time to form an “America First” church independent of Vatican diktat? Can Rome really afford to alienate its largest national congregation and its biggest financial supporter? Could it be provoking a second Reformation? Interesting questions in a world debating the pros and cons of nationalism.