Is the Religious Christmas Debate Disappearing?
Plus, a Christmas giveaway
This is a claim based purely on anecdotal evidence, so take it for whatever it’s worth, but… I think the debate over celebrating Christmas religiously is disappearing little by little.
As long as I can remember, the issue has been hotly debated in the churches of Christ. Is it an unauthorized addition to Scriptural commandment? Or is it within the realm of our freedom in Christ?
The one side insists that anyone who puts up a nativity scene or says “Jesus is the reason for the season” is going beyond Scripture and takes such actions as a possible sign of “unsoundness” (see my previous entry). The other, obviously, disagrees.
Debates abound over pagan origins and when Jesus was actually born and how many wise men actually traveled to see Jesus.
To be honest, I really don’t care about the debate.
I suppose that puts me in the latter category, among those who don’t view it as a breach of Scripture. But, like many of you, I don’t go out of my way to take a side or debate anyone on it.
However, if the debate really is dying down, I believe it could be a highly positive development.
First, it would make unity easier.
There is a big difference between thinking somebody is marginally wrong vs. thinking they’re dangerously wrong. To draw on the previous article, it’s far easier to get along if your brother is in the differing category rather than the erring category—or, for some, if he’s in the erring rather than the apostate.
If we can view it as an acceptable difference, the kind that we don’t have to beat out of each other, then we’re all on much more cordial grounds of fellowship.
Second, it would let us focus on the bigger fish we have to fry.
The problem with elevating secondary or tertiary issues into primary issues is that actual primary issues inevitably start sliding down the rankings.
“Yes, we lost over half of the kids who were born and raised here and we haven’t evangelized anybody in 10 years and the deacons’ families miss every single Sunday during travel baseball season and the guys dealing with porn addictions have nowhere to turn in our church, but you’d better believe we’re standing firm on making sure nobody leads Joy to the World after Thanksgiving, because we’re a sound congregation™.”
Obviously that’s an exaggeration. Kind of. Each of these are real-world examples of the kinds of things that often slip through the cracks while we focus on minutiae. And, of course, congregations can take either side of the Christmas debate and still miss some of these.
The point is, we had better be careful not to strain out gnats and swallow camels (Matthew 23:24). Faithfulness as a church isn’t just checking the boxes and making sure the window dressing is all in order.
Third, it lets everyone appreciate the incarnation without raising suspicion.
One of the effects of the fiery debate was that Jesus’ birth becomes a wildly underrated part of the Bible to those who oppose religious Christmas. It doesn’t have to be that way, but a skeptical view of the nativity and the hymns and the elevation of baby Jesus can carry through the whole year. If it is addressed, it’s often done from a fact-checking approach.
I can understand the correctives like “Jesus wasn’t born on December 25” (though most churchgoers already know that) and the point that the death, burial, and resurrection are at the heart of every Sunday.
But the idea that we’re not supposed to celebrate God taking on human flesh in the form of a newborn—to me, the single most mind-blowing event in the entire Bible—is strange to me. It’s okay to acknowledge it, regardless of the day. Joy to the World and Hark the Herald Angels Sing are two of the most Christologically rich hymns in the entire book and would be a strong addition to the rotation no matter what month it is.
World War II wasn’t won at D-Day, but the day still is revered for what it meant on the path to the eventual victory. When Jesus was born, the battle was only beginning, but His arrival signaled that we would indeed have victory. “…for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord” (Luke 2:11, emp. added).
So, should a congregation not choose to celebrate Christmas religiously, that’s nobody else’s business. But I do hope they put proper emphasis on the incarnation through sermon and song.
In 20 years…
As I said, this is purely a “vibes” perception I’ve had in recent years. Maybe the debate is still raging and the sides are just as staunchly entrenched as ever.
But it’s my hope that we can put this behind us and won’t really have to discuss it anymore. Decide what you and your congregation believe on the matter, act with the approval of your conscience, and let others do the same. Then, let’s get back to worshiping and thanking the King of kings and Lord of lords.
Book Giveaway for Christmas!
I try to give my paying subscribers some complementary material every now and then, and this Christmas I’ve got a new, previously unannounced book to give away!
Go here to see what it is and to grab your copy.
Go here to become a paying subscriber and get access to this and a number of other giveaways I’ve done previously (shoot me a message/comment if you can’t find them). At this point paying subscribers can download 4 of my books along with some other premium content.
In my study of hermeneutics in the Restoration Movement, I got into a lot of details. Then one day I realized that all of the formulas (e.g. CENI: Command, Example, Necessary Inference) only accounted for about half of our real hermeneutics.
The other half is the guilt-by-association hermeneutic. If a denomination does it, we are not allowed to do it. So much for our freedom in Christ.
I also observe that those who say "We can celebrate the birth of Christ at any time during the year" never do so. They don't lead "Hark! The Herald Angels Sing" in June. They talk about how they could do so if they wished, and how it does not have to be sung in December, but it never happens. I led it two days ago (well, the first verse as an opener, anyway).
I for one, am glad that the congregation I attend does not celebrate the Christmas holiday during worship. Many observe the holiday, but it isn't a part of worship services. If the tradition existed during the first century with the Apostles it would be a no brainer. There are pagan influences mixed in with this holiday as well as with Easter. Just seems to me to be one of those doors you don't want to open. I did lead Joy to the World just after Thanksgiving though...it is a great song, and could be sung at anytime throughout the year, and should be.
On Unity - I am all for Unity though and wouldn't object to some congregations observing this, or some other day they deem "special". Hopefully, I am the stronger brother, but I would be wary of what other influences brought into worship that might be introduced as a result that are not described in scripture. As always, I appreciate your perspectives, and the discussion on various matters, especially on matters of unity.