Did you know... (from Christian History)
Perhaps as early as the year 273, churches decided to celebrate Christ's birth on December 25. This day already hosted two pagan festivals: natalis solis invicti (the Roman "birth of the unconquered sun"), and the birthday of Mithras, the Iranian "Sun of Righteousness" whose worship was popular with Roman soldiers. Seeing that pagans were already exalting deities with some parallels to the true deity, church leaders decided to commandeer the date and introduce a new festival.
—Adapted from Elesha Coffman's article, Why December 25?
5 comments:
Little did they know at the time that they were choosing the time of my two week vacation as well.
Now it's 14.5 days minus 1.5 hours.
JESUS WASN'T BORN ON CHRISTMAS!!!!!!>?????!!!!
now what do i do?
:) just kidding.
happy holidays!
I can just see the headlines.
Pastor takes Christ out of Christmas!
"I just got really tired of all the pretense that it was really about Jesus," said Pastor Dan. "Everyone's just thinking about what presents they are going to get and what the least they might be able to get away with giving."
There will be a party at the church but it won't include Christ. "Hey, we aren't going to pass up a chance to party," said one parishioner. "Tis the season to be jolly, you know."
The head of the Decorating Committee is pleased too. "It just got so old dragging out all those decorations. We wouldn't have been so extravagant all these years but when it is Christ's birthday you feel obligated to do something special. Now with Christ out of the picture we don't go through near the trouble."
Of course, not everyone is pleased. One gentleman was overheard grumbling about the changes. "First the flag, then the organ, now this. The next thing you know he'll wearing tropical print shirts and flip-flops on Sundays. Someone needs to keep him in line."
I'm not sure where I got the idea that the early church celebrated Christ's birthday during the vernal equinox. Hm, probably from that respected New Testament scholar - slash - speed-freak sci-fi author Philip K. Dick. Hey, wait a sec: which eschaton am I living in?!
Actually, yesterday afternoon I went up in the freezing church attic and fetched all the Christmas decorations. The tree, poinsettias, and a manger scene.
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