In part one of this article we looked at three points of concern about the celebration of Christmas, the conclusion many leading Anglo-Saxon Protestants reached about Christmas observance, and some application questions based on those well justified concerns. Now let take it a step further.

If the concerns about Christmas are as grave as those mentioned, why should it continue to be practiced by convictional evangelicals today?

I believe the answer is a question of Great Commission concern. Christmas is an example of missiological concern and historical contextualization. First, let’s briefly define contextualization.

Contextualization is defined by Dr. M. David Sills as:

…the process of proclaiming the gospel and living as the church in a modern cultural context.^[1] … No one today lives in a first-century Palestinian cultural context, so every modern Christian contextualizes the gospel and the church in a cultural setting fundamentally different from the world of the Bible. However, most people don’t realize they are doing it.^[2]

Contextualization is the process by which the Gospel is proclaimed and assimilated in cultures different from the biblical culture, and often times vastly different from the culture of the one sharing the Gospel message. This happens with greater frequency than is often recognized.

Musical preferences are usually the easiest way to see contextualization at work in most ministry settings. For example, some would argue that within their cultural reality, Southern Gospel is the best way to musically express Gospel truths. Others put forward the case that within their context, Contemporary Christian forms of music are better. Which musical option is correct, Southern Gospel or Contemporary Christian? If fact, both of these may be right and/or both be wrong. At this point, the cultural context determines what is the best strategic approach to be used. Some ministry contexts may favor large scale Christmas cantatas during the Christmas season. Other contexts may not favor Christmas cantatas at all, but rather multiple Christmas Eve services using classical music in order to reach their communities. In each case, musical style is a servant to the greater cause of relevant, comprehensible Gospel communication. The point to remember is that contextualization is always happening, whether we realize it or not. As it is always happening, it can be said that it has always been happening, which helps us better to understand the missiological origins of Christmas.

Before the conversion of the Angels and Saxons in what is now modern England, there was some religious observation of the birth of Christ in the Roman world. However, it was not tremendously emphasized in the ancient Church. Clearly, the focus was on Resurrection Sunday, which is now called Easter. Dan Groves gives this helpful summary:

Dionysus Exiguus, a sixth century monk, who was the first to date all of history from December 25th, the year of our Lord 1. Other traditions gave dates as early as mid-November or as late as March. How did Christmas come to be celebrated on December 25th? Cultures around the Mediterranean and across Europe observed feasts on or around December 25th, marking the winter solstice. The Jews had a festival of lights. Germans had a yule festival. Celtic legends connected the solstice with Balder, the Scandinavian sun god who was struck down by a mistletoe arrow. At the pagan festival of Saturnalia, Romans feasted and gave gifts to the poor. Drinking was closely connected with these pagan feasts. At some point, a Christian bishop may have adopted the day to keep his people from indulging in the old pagan festival, http://www.christianity.com/church/church-history/timeline/301-600/the-1st-recorded-celebration-of-christmas-11629658.html?fb_action_ids=10153099175722364&fb_action_types=og.likes

It needs to be remembered that these first historical observances of Christmas were within the bounds of the Roman Empire among Latin speakers disposed to accept the Roman worldview. What about those from beyond the pale of the Roman empire? What about the Barbarians?

The first major group of Barbarians to convert to the Christian faith were the Angels and Saxons, the Anglo-Saxons. Their conversion occurred roughly around A.D. 596, or about 10 to 15 years prior to the founding of Islam in 610. Upon their conversion, the missionary to the Angels and Saxons, Augustine of Canterbury, was faced with a simple, but profound question: Now, what? This people had converted, but had no previous background or exposure to the Christian worldview or to the Christian faith. Augustine of Canterbury wrote to Pope Gregory seeking orientation. Gregory’s advice explains why and how Christmas, and other aspects of Christian tradition, developed among these newly converted non-Latin/non-Roman peoples. Gregory responded to Augustine with these words:

The heathen temples of these people need not be destroyed, only the idols which are to be found in them.… If the temples are well built, it is a good idea to detach them for the worship of the true God.… And since the people are accustomed, when they assemble for sacrifice, to kill many oxen in sacrifice to the devils, it seems reasonable to appoint a festival for the people by way of exchange.^[3]

Missiologists, like Johan Bavinck, describe this attempt to connect deeply with a given culture with no previous association to the Biblical message as possessio, literally “take possession of”. Gregory oriented Augustine to use and preserve pagan festivals and places already familiar to the Angels and Saxons and re-invest them with Christian meaning in order that the Gospel message might naturally take root in a culture that had no previous biblical tradition or awareness. For this reason, a previous pagan holiday, December 25^th, became servant to a greater Master, the Gospel of Jesus. In this way, newly converted persons could understand the Gospel within their own cultural context. Christmas was established as a holiday to teach people within their cultural reality the most profound of truths: Christ’s incarnation and the importance of it.

That leads us to the next question:

Can a Christian partake in Christmas with a clear conscience?

I believe they can with this caveat: they must be keenly aware of who is converting whom.

Christmas exists for Christians to teach others, including their families, the importance of the incarnation and its implications for each person. If this occurs, Christmas fulfills its original missionary purpose. Christmas is well kept. If it does not occur and Christians find themselves drifting slowly in the direction of banal, secular consumerism, there is good reason to question if the holiday is fulfilling its original intended purpose, “to detach them for the purpose of the true God”. If a Christians finds their observance of Christmas taking them further from Christ and the Gospel (not closer), they should consider the need to re-calibrate their spiritual lives.

How can one best celebrate the Christmas season?

Here are our suggestions:

• Remember what Christmas is about. It is not primarily about children, family, or the exchanging of gifts with those we love. These things are not bad; however, that’s not what Christmas is really all about. Christmas is about the celebration of the Incarnation. Anything that detracts from that is a distraction, not a helpful addition.
• Can Christians cultivate the imaginary aspects of Christmas without deeply compromising the actual intent of the Christian holiday? Certainly, the Dutch Christian experience of Sinter Klaas shows that it can be done. The playful, whimsical element of Christmas need not be denied, and can be enjoyed by all, but should be held in reasonable check. When Santa looms large and the incarnation looms small, you already know the Christmas celebration has become unbalanced.
• Maintain the giving of gifts within the limits of good Christian stewardship. Simply stated, incurring indebtedness purchasing Christmas gifts is always a bad idea. Set a budget and stay within it. You might enjoy focusing more on giving gifts that are simple, but reflect creativity and genuine artistry: sewing, baking, wordworking, painting, etc. Perhaps, some might want to give the gift of time and labor in helping with special projects. There are some gifts that money can’t buy. Never forget the gift of a good song after a special Christmas meal.
• Invest in the life of your local church during the Christmas season. Make sure your local church gets time, effort, and energy that is needed during this busy time of year. Few things are more tragic than Christians so busy with secular Christmas activities they neglect supporting the celebration of Christmas in their local church. Rather than being a part of the on-going cultural discussion about the War on Christmas, exercise your First Amendment right and celebrate Christmas heartily and fully where you can do it with the full blessing of God and man, in your local church. Local churches, no matter how they choose to celebrate Christmas, need the presence, participation, and support of God’s people.
• Remember the lost at home and abroad during the Christmas season. Hymn writer Keith Getty recently said as the culture becomes more secular the importance of Christmas as an outreach event in the local church becomes incrementally more important. He is right. Invite your lost friends to participate in the Christmas celebrations in your church.
• Finally, as you give and exchange gifts, never forget the greatest gift was the gift of God’s Son. As you give to the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering, your gift helps others in different cultures to come to know the grace and hope that only exists in Christ’s Gospel. The work of Christian missions is tasked with sharing the Christmas message among all peoples: Roughly paraphrasing John Calvin, “The Son of God became the Son of Man in order that the sinful Sons of Men might become the glorious redeemed Sons of God.”

Is it really too hard to observe Christmas in this day with the same simplicity Christians have done in centuries past?

No, I don’t believe that is the case. Ask a good question and give a good answer, and the true meaning of Christmas can be kept in its rightful place. I conclude with lines from two of the greatest Christian philosophers, Charlie Brown and Linus:

Charlie Brown: I guess you were right, Linus. I shouldn’t have picked this little tree. Everything I do turns into a disaster. I guess I really don’t know what Christmas is all about.

[shouting in desperation]

Charlie Brown: Isn’t there anyone who knows what Christmas is all about?

Linus Van Pelt: Sure, Charlie Brown, I can tell you what Christmas is all about.

[moves toward the center of the stage]

Linus Van Pelt: Lights, please.

[a spotlight shines on Linus]

Linus Van Pelt: “And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, ‘Fear not:”

[Linus drops his security blanket on purpose]

Linus Van Pelt: “for behold, I bring unto you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the City of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.’ And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God, and saying, ‘Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.'”

[Luke 2:8-14 KJV]

Linus Van Pelt: [Linus picks up his blanket and walks back towards Charlie Brown] That’s what Christmas is all about, Charlie Brown.

 

A very Merry Christmas to all from the Johnsons.

^[1] Pratt, Z., Walters, J., & Sills, M. D. (2014). Introduction to global missions. Nashville: B&H. ^[2] Pratt, Z., Walters, J., & Sills, M. D. (2014). Introduction to global missions. Nashville: B&H.^[3] Terry, J. M. (1994). Evangelism: a concise history (p. 49). Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman.