About 18 months ago I was in Los Angeles on a business trip, in a taxi on the way to the airport. The taxi driver decided to strike up a conversation. “What do you do?,” He asked. I love it when people ask me about my job at World Vision. It opens up theological conversations that my stranger-phobic introverted self would never initiate. But this one took a different twist.
“I work for World Vision”, I answered.
“What’s World Vision?”
“It’s a Christian relief and development organization”, I answered.
He pauses a long moment . . . “when do you believe Jesus was born?”
“Well, we celebrate on Christmas. The real date is probably lost to history,” I answer, while wondering where the driver was taking our conversation.
He explained that he was Armenian and proceeded to explain how the Catholic (and most churches) have the date wrong. The Armenian Church celebrates Christmas on January 6th. He proceeded to discuss at length how the Catholic Church changed the date to cover over pagan traditions around the winter solstice. This was really odd. It was like this taxi driver was driving around southern California waiting for a Christian passenger to debate about Jesus’ birth date . . . in the middle of July. Odd as it was, it quickly passed from my thoughts . . . until last Christmas.
I have several friends who, while being strong Christians, avoid certain common Christmas celebrations such as Christmas trees and advent candles because of their historical (or perceived) pagan roots. While their annual tepid support of these Christmas traditions has come to be expected, their comments once again brought to mind the conversation with my Armenian taxi cab driver. Then, on my commute to one of the last workdays before my Christmas vacation the cheery Christmas carols on the radio were interrupted by a Christmas message from a member of Mannheim Steamroller discussing the pagan roots for Christmas traditions like decorating with mistletoe and holly. He capped off his message of holiday cheer by declaring “remember Christmas is whatever you make it”.
This really annoyed me. Was this all Christmas is about? Why bother? I decided the topic needed further research. The truth is there are pagan connections to modern Christmas traditions. Furthermore there is legitimate historical debate of the date Christ was born. (A little online research resulted in dates from November to March).
So what does this mean? I love Christmas. I think it is both appropriate and important to celebrate the birth of Jesus; but when and how? And, I was troubled by the clear historical connection to pagan traditions. When my kids ask me, “Daddy, why do we celebrate Christmas in December, with a tree and advent candles?” I need an answer. It is insufficient to reply, in the words of Fiddler on the Roof, “Tradition”. Traditions hold meaning; intended or not.
After much thought and reflection I believe the following four statements are true:
• It is more important TO celebrate Christmas than WHEN you celebrate – In other words Christmas is a celebration that God loved us so much he became a helpless human infant to ultimately reconcile humanity to God. The incarnation is miraculous and game changing. What day we celebrate it is irrelevant. What is important is: we have cause to celebrate.
• Absent a clear biblical or historic date for Jesus’ birth, December 25 has about as much evidence as any other day of the year – There are many with strong opinions on this but I’m not convinced we can know an answer.
• The darkest days of winter are the time we most need a reminder that we have seen a great light, and we know the light of the world by name.
• There is true beauty in the redemption of pagan traditions. – When the Catholic Church moved the date Christmas was celebrated (as emphasized by my wonderful taxi driver) it was to redeem the pagan winter solstice celebrations. If you want to celebrate, let’s celebrate for a good reason! This notion was initially distasteful for me, but then I realized: Redemption is the perfect theme for celebrating the arrival of our Redeemer.
We need not shy away from formerly pagan traditions because their meaning has been redeemed. I can only think that a practicing Druid would be appalled at the “Christianization” of the former winter solstice celebrations. Our Christmas trees are decorated with nativities, angels, shepherds, and scripture. We light advent candles to re-tell of Christ’s birth punctuating the ceremony with scripture and hymns. These traditions are not pagan . . . they point to Christ.
The redemption theme is the focal point of Christian faith and echoed throughout scripture. God uses the weak to shame the strong, the foolish to shame the wise.
• Joseph was a slave turned prisoner – God used him to save a nation from starvation.
• Moses was a murderer – and yet one of the greatest leaders of Israel
• Paul persecuted the church – before writing over half of the new testament
And I was a sinner – and now I’m free.
