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Christmas celebration controversies and other matters

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The debate about the propriety or otherwise of celebrating Christmas is not new in the world. The Puritans of the 17th Century England, members of Jehovah Witness sect and some other splinter pseudo-Christian groups have always kicked against the Feast of Christ Nativity. And recently, the debate is bestirred in Nigeria by some respected pastors of the Pentecostal hue. And as the Christmastide of the year is drawing to a close, I feel compelled to contribute to the raging controversy that has featured prominently in the social media. I do not in any way question anyone’s right to air his views or express his beliefs on any matter of interest to him. In this age of enlightenment, it is a good and a healthy practice to be inquisitive. It is also good sometimes to interrogate ones beliefs and values. But what I consider not charitable is one condemning in public sphere what one does not understand. Condemning what one does not understand smacks of hypocrisy or ignorance or both. However, the criticism against the celebration of Christ as recently stirred up, may not be out of deceit as alluded by some protagonists but out ignorance and perhaps misguided zeal.

The anti-Christmas Christians opposed the celebration of Christmas on three main grounds. One, they said Christ was not born on 25th December and so it is wrong to celebrate his birthday on that day. Secondly, that Christmas was not written in the Bible and thus there is no biblical basis for its celebration. And thirdly, that Christmas has pagan origin and therefore celebrating it is tantamount to idolatry.

Clearly, the Church does not claim that Christ was born on 25th December and historical and geographical evidence did not indicate that either. The birth date of Christ was not stated explicitly in the Bible neither was there any record of birthday celebration in the early Christian days. In fact, there are only two instances of birthday celebration in the Bible; the birthday of Pharaoh Gen. 40:20 and that of Herod Antipas, Matt. 14:6; Mark 6:21. Both resulted in deaths: the hanging of the Pharaoh’s chief baker and the beheading of John the Baptist. The early Christians who were facing grave persecutions in the pagan world were not concerned with the birthday of Christ. Their interest primarily was in spreading the good news of salvation as contained in the ministry, miracles, passion and resurrection of Christ. Indeed the Christmas celebration observances began in the 4th Century when the Church had got its toehold in the Roman Empire. So, the word Christmas could not have been written in the Bible after the fragmented books that make up the Bible as we have it today have been put together and canonized into a single document by the Church. Therefore, it sounds somewhat hypocritical if not preposterous for anyone to say that he cannot celebrate Christmas because it is not written in the Bible when there are many practices by present-day Christians that are not contained in the Bible. Crusade which means take up the cross is not in the Bible but different Christian denominations do it. And so are other latter day practices. The Church of Christ continued after the Bible days. At the First Ecumenical Council meeting held by the Church in Jerusalem (Acts 15), vital decisions that helped the early gentile converts were made. After that, there are other council meetings and the Council still meets today to make decisions on matters of faith. The decisions taken by the Church Council after the canonization of the Bible were not invalidated simply because they are retroactively fixed in the Bible.

Another point of disagreement is the purported pagan origin of Christmas. Admittedly, evidence from history indicates that the date of Christmas corresponds to the time of the year when some people in the ancient and medieval times used to hold special feast in honour of their gods. The Persians dedicated the 25th day of the December to the worship of their sun-god Mithras. The Romans celebrated Saturnalia on that day in honour of Saturn and later the unconquered sun. The pagan worshippers who understand the signs and season had fixed that day that corresponds with winter solstice that has the shortest day in the northern hemisphere to worship the sun-god. It is believed that the Church fathers deliberately chose that day also to show that the one who deserved to be worshipped on that day is Christ. Yes, if 25th day of the December is dedicated to sun-god, it is proper and fitting to celebrate Christ whom the Scripture describes as the “Sun of Righteousness (Mal. 4:2), the Light of the world (John 8:12), the Bright and Moring Star (Rev. 22:16), on that day. The Psalmist also described God as a “sun and a shield” (Psalm 84:11). Saint Ambrose (339–397) who lived about the time the first Christmas was celebrated in the fourth century, described Christ as the true sun, who outshone the fallen gods of the old order.   Moreover, Hanukkah, the Jewish festival of lights held on the 25th day of the month of Kislev to commemorate the rededication of the temple is usually at this time of the year too. And as one scholar aptly observes, “Jesus was a Jew, so this could be another reason that helped the early Church choose December the 25th for the date of Christmas!” So, the early Christians thought that this was the right time to celebrate the birth of Jesus as an acknowledgement of the power and universality of God.

Thus, the Church Fathers adopted that day also as the birthday of Jesus the anointed one in order to show that Christ is the son of the living God who created the universe and to convert the pagan worshippers and it worked. It is to show the supremacy and universality of God. It is to show that Christ who is the son of God and the light of the world deserves to be worshipped on that day not idols. Indeed, choosing the day pagans worship in order to worship God did not in any way make your worship idolatry.

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Nevertheless, it is indubitable that in the course of time some pagan customs and practices like the use of mistletoe, Christmas tree, burning of the Yule logs among others may have been incorporated to make it more attractive to the pagan targets. And as the celebration spread to different cultures, many local flavours were added, all to the glory of God. But, it is obvious that the early Christians deliberately chose that date to encourage the spread of Christianity throughout the Roman world.

Thus, it is not out of place to assert that calling Christmas a pagan practice on account of the day it is observed is also an acceptance of the concept of Henotheism which is about acknowledging other gods, localizing and restricting the influence and power of God Almighty. Our God is not subject to henotheistic limitations. Our God is omnipresence and omnipotent. Saying that Christmas Day belong to idol worship on the grounds that pagans used to celebrate on that day is akin to limiting the influence of our God. It is an acknowledgement of the authority of idols which in itself is idolatry.

If the antagonists of Christmas reject Christmas on that flimsy ground, do they not know that the days of the week and some of the months of the year were named after idols. Have they tried to change the names of the days of the week? Have they stopped praying or worshipping God on Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, Thursday, Friday or Saturday simply because the days were named and dedicated to the worship of the Sun, Moon, Mars, Mercury, Jupiter, Venus and Saturn respectively by non-Christians?

The Scriptures says that the earth is the Lords and the fullness thereof (Psalm 24:1). It means that everything on earth belongs to God. God, not idols, is the creator of times and seasons and He fixes them by His own authority (Acts 1:7).

Besides, a glimpse into history reveals that most religious ordinances are borrowed or copied from others cultures. Even the Passover which is at the centre of Jewish worship predates Judaism since it was an ancient arcane religious festival associated with shepherds and nomads in the ancient East. When Abraham entered Canaan, he encountered and worshipped God in the ancient Canaanites grove at the Oak of Moreh in Shechem (Gen. 12:6). When Gideon destroyed the altar of Baal and Asherah, he built an altar of God right at the same spot (Judg. 6:25-26). Our early Christian missionaries built Cathedrals in evil forests dedicated to idols in Africa. All these are acknowledgement of the supremacy and universality of God.

The Pentecostal antagonists forgot that the origin of Pentecostalism is analogous to that of Christmas. Pentecost so called in Greek, because it was observed 50 days after the Paschal feast was the Jewish harvest festival. It was the time when Jewish worshippers and proselytes—converts to Judaism—from all over the world gather in Jerusalem to do thanksgiving with their produce. That was when God chose to send the Holy Spirit to the Apostles to equip and embolden them to speak and convert to the Way those who had gathered in Jerusalem for the feast of Pentecost.

Without sounding arrogant, one can safely infer that at the centre of all these needless controversies is ignorance. Our preachers because they speak to a larger audience these days because of the development in communication technology must not speak from the standpoint of ignorance. Our preacher should drop their unbridled focus on Prosperity and “Fall-and-Die” theology and expand their vista of understanding. They should not just rely on secular education or human logic. You must search deeper to get a better insight. To gain better understanding of what they do, they must strive to get acquainted with Theology, Philosophy, Church History and even Comparative Religion. Philosophy which is concerned with thoughts and beliefs concerning the fundamental principles of existence and life is essential. Theology which is about the belief, faith and doctrine of God is crucial. The knowledge of Church History is a strategic necessity. If you study the Church History, you get twigged about the efforts of the Church fathers who had to confront the pagan and the irreligious people in medieval era. You will understand how they conquered Europe without force of arm. You will understand the origin of the doctrines and dogmas of the Church. You will better appreciate the vicarious sacrifices of the Church Fathers who pursued their vocation with élan and irreproachable commitment. Studying Church History would make Christians know that so many saints were martyred for the faith they profess today and the contribution of the Church to human civilization. The world civil calendar as we have today was developed by the Church and was approved by Pope Gregory the XIII in 1582.

St. Paul was one of the greatest teachers of the New Testament not just because he had the Holy Spirit but because he was knowledgeable. If you read through his epistles you will understand that. For instance, at the Athenian Areopagus, Paul indicated the supremacy and universality of God when he told the people that the altar they dedicated to the unknown God was indeed for the True God, the Lord of Heaven and earth (Acts 17:22-34). It was Paul’s learning that stood him out and emboldened him to withstand the Greeks and their pantheon of philosophers.

Without doubt, the main issues in this controversy have to do with ignorance, indirect acknowledgement of idolatry and lack of unity among Christians. And all these conflict of doctrines is the main reason behind lack of unity in the Christendom. It is clearly one of the devices of Satan to keep the body of Christ perpetually divided. But one thing is certain: the Church of Christ is firmly established. The gate of hell cannot prevail against it. The key of the Kingdom of Heaven is given to the Church and whatever the Church decrees here on earth is accepted in Heaven. Christmas the feast of the nativity of Christ is decreed by the Church and it is endorsed in Heaven.

By Gozie Irogboli…

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