While many Christians are complaining about the cultural "war on Christmas," many evangelicals have an ongoing war against Santa himself, the consumerist usurper of the celebration of Jesus. However, there are actually a wide variety of views on this in evangelicalism. Here are a few.
1. The Puritans were adamantly *against* the celebration of Christmas
Many evangelicals rightly admire the Puritans for their theology and missional outlook. However, all admit that they had some extremes. One possible extreme is their opposition to the Christmas holiday. I say "possible" because I think they may have been correct. Check out A Puritan Christmas:
The Puritans, however, set out to eliminate Christmas. When they took
control of Scotland’s Parliament in the 1580s, they ruled that
Christmas no longer existed. As can be imagined, this did not
permanently settle the matter….In 1647, the Puritans threatened to throw anyone celebrating Christmas
in jail, but relented when this provoked large protests in Canterbury
and other locations. The anti-Christmas laws remained in effect until
1660 when the monarchy was restored, yet it took almost another 300
years before Christmas became a full national holiday in Scotland in
1958.
2. Modern Day Anti-Santa Campaigns
While many evangelicals are trying to put the "Christ back into Christmas," there are plenty of Christians who don’t like Christmas or Santa. They see Santa as an impostor, a usurper of the real meaning of Christmas. As one site compares Jesus and Santa, the similarities are uncanny and make the argument of usurpation almost believable:
- Santa is Eternal – Jesus is Eternal
- Santa has white hair – the returning Jesus will have white hair
- Santa flies around giving gifts, Jesus ascended and "gave gifts to men"
- Santa is coming soon, Jesus is coming soon
- Santa is omniscient and omnipresent, Jesus/God are omniscient and omnipresent
What’s really amazing, however, is the current anti-Santa fervor in Europe, as illustrated by the banning of Santa in German and Austrian marketplaces, as well as the anti-Santa movement in Czechoslovakia.
3. Separation, transformation, or appeasement
In his book The Religions Next Door, Marvin Olasky discusses the three possible responses that minorities, and specifically, moral or religious minorities, can take to popular culture that is in opposition to their own values. These same three responses apply to how we approach Santa or Christmas – do we just separate ourselves from culture and do our own thing (separation), do we try to transform culture (through cultural action or arms), or do we accommodate the culture, and compromise our values?
And is all accommodation really a compromise, or should we really choose our battles and not worry about Santa? The Reformed Evangelist, one of my favorite sites, put up a surprisingly accommodating post on this last week entitled Should Christians Play Santa?
As well, [stepping on my soap box] it would seem that there are so many
people who choose to set aside all their secularism in December and
require that there be a moratorium called on all things not pertaining
to Christ, but forget the rest of the year. This seems to
evidence a loss of priorities. I have often heard it said by
Christians that Santa has taken over Christ in December, but I would
argue that December has taken over Christ for Christians.Should Christians play Santa? I have no problem with it. Personally,
I can’t bring myself to tell my children that he actually exists, but I
have no problem with others who do and I have no problem singing
Christmas carols that don’t involve Christ so long as Christ is the
focus of our lives, not just our Decembers.
4. Christians and Cultural Holidays
Christians actually have a wide variety of responses to our cultural holidays, from censure to total participation. Me, I use a mix of responses, and while I think we have liberty as Christians to do as we please, I think there are definite benefits to abstaining from, providing alternatives to, and revising our own traditions in order to reflect our own convictions and values, regardless of what the fundamentalist Christians, secularists, or jingoists say.
You might be interested in a couple of previous posts on this, including Happy Holidays Bruhaha, in which I argue that fighting the war on Christmas is both dumb and essential, as well as Atheists Attempt to Kill Easter Bunny, in which I outlined the following possible responses to holidays:
- Total abstention (no holidays)
- Partial abstention (observing congruent holidays only)
- Modified celebrations (creating alternatives)
- Modified celebrations (Judaized holidays)
- Accommodation (celebrate like the culture, but emphasize true meanings)
I think this is a battle that will never be over. Taking Santa away from the "church" is impossible. It is as stuck there as the Easter Bunny. There may be those out there who do not like it ( I don't really like that we celebrate Halloween) but we have to find ways to use it as an evangelical tool.
Christians tend to get wrapped up in nitpicking unimportant issues and not focusing on bigger issues like evangelism and society.
Christmas has passed and Christmas decorations are coming down and Valentines decorations are coming up, it is time for Christians to get pass this issue, bury it and not bring it up next year right after thanksgiving for thirds, fourths, fifths.
It is an issue that is better left buried. Lets focus on telling people the reason for Christmas, instead of gripping about who is using the word Holidays instead of Christmas.
Stores and companies are looking at the bottom line. Why would they say Christmas and exclude a large market base that does not believe in Christ. They say holidays which encompasses all the celebrations that are held during this time of year. It saves them money and keeps them out of court (I am sure many companies changed after pressure by consumers.)
Corporations are not the church. Corporations are coporations. As long as Christians don't forget why we celebrate on December 25, we should be fine.
However, I think many in the church have forgotten and have lost touch with the real reason for Christmas. The same ones who gripe are the ones who cancel church on Sunday because it is Christmas. They say Christmas is a time to spend time with family. Is it? I thought it was a time to celebrate Christ's birth.
How about that? I am sure the ones who don't believe will point out that this is just Christians being hypocrits, in this case I would have to agree.
Christians tend to get wrapped up in nitpicking unimportant issues and not focusing on bigger issues like evangelism and society.
Evangelism is a trivial matter when compared to poverty, disease, war, pollution, etc. This is something that drives secularists crazy about overzealous Christians. Their #1 priority is evangelism and everything else takes a back seat. To secularists, Christians don't have their priorities straight. They are more concerned with "The War on Santa" and evangelism than with real issues.
Christmas is more about altruism not Jesus' birth since it was not on Dec 25th. Altruism embodies the true "Christmas Spirit." Haven't you seen "It's a Wonderful Life?"
P.S. Saying Halloween should be used as an evangelical tool? How interesting.
Since the Christians stole the Winter Solstice holiday from the pagans, I think they should keep their hands off Santa. Actually, Xmas should be in the spring when shepherds actually slept in the fields with their flocks. Pope someone or other decided to make Christmas in Dec. to make it easier to convert pagans who were used to celebrating the solstice holidays. So, let's not hear all this about the "real reason" for xmas!
Louis,
You are totally right about the origins of Christmas. We need a good holiday in Q1 anyway – I hate waiting for July 4.
But as to the relative value of evangelism or various cultural issues vs. poverty etc, I have to this to say.
1. Healthy churches balance service with evangelism, and don't pick one over the other.
A person's eternal soul is worth much, and as Jesus said, "it is better to go into heaven missing an arm then to go into hell whole." (my paraphrase). Evangelism, of course, does not seem valuable to unbelievers because they fail to see that, as Mother Theresa has said, the worst tragedy of all is to feel unloved, and introducing people to the lover of their souls is important work. Or as Paul the Apostle said, "to those who are perishing [in unbelief], the gospel is foolishness, but to those who are being saved, it is the power of God."
With that said, many churches are so focused on evangelism and ideology that they are of little practical help at all, and as Paul warned, "if you say to the poor, cold person 'be blessed' but don't give them food or shelter, what the hell kind of faith is that?" (again, my paraphrase ;).
2. Some seemingly culturally unimportant issues may actually be tipping point items.
If you've ever read the excellent book The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference, you know that certain things that seem unimportant actually may be very important in changing culture en masse. So while issues like abortion, religion in public life, the condoning of same-sex unions, or whatever other issues liberals think conservatives are obsessing about, may seem unimportant or besides the point to liberals, they may actually not be so unimportant.
BTW, are those some great illustrations of Santa I found out there, or WHAT?
"it is better to go into heaven missing an arm then to go into hell whole."
"It is better to reign in hell than serve in heaven."
– Milton, Paradise Lost
If one had an option to reign in heaven, that might be an attractive option. Of course, biblically speaking, hell is a place of eternal isolation, darkness, and torment. So
"I'd rather serve in heaven than suffer in hell."
Ha, Seeker. It seems you don't know what character said that. Hint Hint, the Morning Star.
I do know, but since you were quoting out of context, I just thought I'd reply out of context.
I actually have not read paradise lost, but I don know who Lucifer is.
BTW, are those some great illustrations of Santa I found out there, or WHAT?
You might like this then Seeker…
The War on Christmas
The War on Christmas has never been so vividly brought to life than in this 1959 K. Gordon Murray classic film, Santa Claus. Until recently, the forces of evil have worked hard to keep this cinema classic away from your innocent eyes. Well, live in ignorance no more, I say, and feast your retinas on THE GREATEST CHRISTMAS STORY EVER TOLD!
Check out the picture of Satan cowering before the power of Santa.
Seeker,
I'm not accusing you of this, but to look that first illustration of Santa seems more than critical: he's got a hook nose and Jewish side curls. Those are usually illustrative attempts to connect characters with Judaism. Where is that image from, because I half wonder if its artist was trying to connect the death of Jesus (at the hands of Jews) with the slow death of Christmas (at the hands of Santa). If that's true, that seems awfully concerning. And again, I'm not accusing you of anything, but I think the artist may have had sinister ideas.
Sorry, but there's more here. I'm just arguing that what the ADL views as stereotyped representations of Jews seem to appear in that first image of Santa. Worth considering.
Sam, that's an interesting point, I didn't see those as Jewish traits – I'd say his nose is more pointy and "witchlike" and his side curls are not curly enough to be like the Hasidic ones. I think the artist was just trying to make Santa look evil. But you never know.
It's unfortunate for Santa that this latin word for "Saint" uses the same letters as "Satan" – that is, unless it's not really a coincidence at all ;) LOL, jk, it's just too close to ignore.
Where is the image from? Do you know the original artist?
As I have said before, I do not celebrate Christmas as the birth of Jesus. Our preacher had a sermon which included the statement – we should be preaching his word instead of his manger. But anyhow…
I love that pic of the mama breastfeeding the santa baby. Very cool pic. Even if it is supposed to be the "madonna" It is gorgeous! *clapping* Good find seeker ;)
And Cineaste you said Evangelism is a trivial matter when compared to poverty, disease, war, pollution, etc
I think true evangelism includes those. Like seeker pointed out from the book of James, if you say "be warmed and filled, but do nothing, what good is that?"
and "to him that knoweth to do good and doeth it not, to him it is sin." James 4:17
People tend to forget that (ignore it maybe?). I think it is because they have seen too many people taken advantage of by those they were trying to help, and it naturally scares them. Which is why I believe it takes courage to be a christian.
As far as celebrating holidays. It says "One man esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth every day alike. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind." In Romans 14:5
I think as long as we do not sin in our celebrations, we can celebrate whatever however we want. My opinion.
and I agree that Christmas was stolen from pagan holidays. Those catholics were notorious for that kind of thing I believe ;)
You lost me hun.
true evangelism = taking care of the poor and diseased, respecting the earth, etc.
celebrating holidays = christians can celebrate any holidays as long as we don't sin in our celebrations
Clearer? No? Sorry I lost you. :(
Clearer? No? Sorry I lost you. :(
Why so mean?
true evangelism = taking care of the poor and diseased, respecting the earth, etc.
I'd say this is inexact, and technically not correct. Evangelism, or "spreading the message of good news" includes both preaching and service.
However, good stewardship of the environment, not to mention of one's body, finances, etc. is not really service (though it could be), so probably does not fall into the category of 'evangelism.' I would say it is part of Christian living, and Christian living is not JUST evangelism.
It is increasing, non-coerced, loving obedience to God in all areas of life. In fact, if I were to summarize the responsibilities of a Christian, I would use Rick Warren's Purpose Driven model, which includes five core activities in the xian life, of which evangelism is just one. The are:
– worship (love and enjoy God)
– fellowship (love and enjoy other believers)
– discipleship (love and follow Jesus)
– ministry (love and serve the Church with one's gifts)
– mission (evangelism and service to the lost world)
Ok, I am so sorry. Firstly that I came off as harsh or mean. I was in a hurry. Perhaps that is why? I certainly didnt mean to be mean. Apology accepted? :) I do know I tend to be rambly and I hate not being clear! Sorry again!
And secondly if you look at my previous post, the one I was trying to make clearer… I said these things were included in envangelism.
I think I get that idea because Philip was refered to as an evangelist, and his work as referenced in Acts 6, was that of serving the widows (their tables were specifically mentioned.) Then when you look at james it says that pure religion is to help those afflicted in their troubled times.
:)
And I think taking care of the earth is only taking care of those creatures who inhabit it. And I also think that not everyone is an evangelist. Eph. 4:11
But I do agree that christians in general have those other "responsibilities" as well. :)
Seeker,
Seriously though, can you point me toward the artist who created the first image? Do you know who it is, or where I might find it?
Sam,
Those first two images are very cool. I got the image from the URL below, you may need to follow up with that site's author. If you find out, please let us know here. http://reformedevangelist.com/?p=311