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Note: This essay first appeared in the
December 2007 Baptist Studies Bulletin.
'Tis the season for many Christians to complain that Christmas is
under siege by a hostile, anti-Christian American culture.
Let's forget, for a moment, that American Christians
readily embrace the unbiblical consumerism and materialism that
characterizes the Christmas season. And, of course, there is the
slightly unsettling fact that the history of Christmas is rooted in an
ancient pagan celebration later co-opted by Christianity. These
annoyances aside, we should get upset that the religious aspect of
Christmas is sometimes downplayed by society, and when someone slights
our faith, we need to stand up and fight them. Right?
Christmas, after all, should be a celebration of
Jesus. And the Jesus of the Gospels surely wrapped himself in a human
body for the purpose of championing the pure and undefiled among
earth's inhabitants, condemning those of other faiths or no faith, and
calling down the wrath of God upon the pagan society that
characterized the Roman Empire. Thus by demanding that unbelieving
individuals and a pluralistic society bow to our wishes―or
else!―we honor the spirit of Jesus at
Christmas. Right?
As silly as it sounds, that is exactly the message that
popular Christendom is communicating to American society: we demand
our rights right now, and we'll stomp into the ground any who stand in
our way, all because we love Jesus and you don't.
Let's get real. The biggest enemies of Christmas in modern
America are those who claim the name of Christ yet are wandering in a
self-righteous wilderness, turning the Bread of Life into stones and
hurling holy rocks at unbelievers.
Is it possible that somewhere this Christmas season, a
follower of Christ will stand up and champion equal rights for persons
of other faiths or no faith in American society? Is it possible that
somewhere this Christmas season a local Christian church will extend a
hand of friendship to a nearby Hindu or Muslim congregation? Is it
possible that somewhere this Christmas season a local newspaper's
"Letters to the Editor" section will be spared the annual chorus of
complaints of "Christ" being taken out of Christmas?
This is the time of year in which joy, hope, peace and love
are celebrated in songs of faith and the merriment of family and
community gatherings. We are able to celebrate the season because
Jesus forsook his own heavenly rights and joyfully came to live among
and serve sin-ridden humanity. My hope this Advent season is that
somewhere in America, at least a few members of the family called
Christians, in addition to moving beyond the enticements of
materialism and consumerism, will manage to avoid the temptations of
the wilderness of self-righteousness and instead live as servants and
light among their fellow human beings. Only then will Christ remain
in Christmas. |
