Our Church Flags 6. Costa Rica

 

The flag of Costa Rica has two forms.

Other than the Government, a citizen or entity can show only the striped flag and not the coat of arms.  And frankly, like many other red, white and blue flags there is not much to be said - yes, the red is martyrs' blood again.

What makes the Costa Rican flag interesting is its official form, complete with the Coat of Arms.  Not here the heraldic lions rampant or crowns or laurels of a European institution or family; instead a really nice picture that kind of says, "Come and visit us here!".

It has the sun, (the stars to represent 7 provinces), the lush green land between the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea, two sailing ships that do seem a little, um, outdated (but would we really want two cruise liners?).  There are even some golden coffee beans down the sides.

We all want to go there.  

Although . . .

There are three great mountains too, representing three ranges.  Until just a few years ago the coat of arms was just that.  And then, for reasons my internet searches have not yet discovered, to each mountain was added a puff of smoke.  Now each of these mountains represents a volcano in each of the ranges, so presumably the smoke is there to emphasise this.  It does have quite a deterrent effect on the attraction of visiting though!

And maybe when we present the message of Christianity we are tempted to leave out the reality that is central to it: the cross, human sin, final judgment.  There is a wonderful faith to discover but it is not a tame faith.

Our Church Flags 5. Angola

 Continuing reflecting on the flags of people who have come to our church in London

Some flags are boring, some are cheerful, some are weird, but the flag of Angola seems to me to be, well, scary.

It owes its general form to those who fought in its civil war, and to the supporting Soviet Union.  But as Angola reinvents itself as a tourist destination I can't help thinking it is missing a trick or two with the flag.  It looks like some grim European industrialised nation instead of an expansive sunlit African coastal country.  The black stands for Africa, the red (as usual) for blood shed in the fight and the peculiar reinvention of the hammer and sickle representing agriculture and industry.  The latter might have worked for the USSR but Angola is notably poor at both agriculture and industry which makes it a little ironic.

And my mind turns to church and the way we are quite inclined to dress up the good news in ways that are well-intentioned but not very inviting.  

Maybe we and Angola could learn together.