A "No Pharisee" Holiday

Each year, as the holiday season approaches, the Pharisees come out.

Many of them have been largely dormant since last year, but when the temperatures cool down, the Pharisees awake from their slumber and begin to spout their "holier-than-thou" platitudes about how the holidays ought to be celebrated.

I'm sure you've heard them:

"Stores shouldn't be open on Thanksgiving!"

"Christmas is too commercial!"

"I hate when someone wishes me 'Happy Holidays' instead of 'Merry Christmas'!"

"No one should listen to Christmas music till after Thanksgiving!"

And so on.

In the Bible, Pharisees were folks - often well-meaning - who believed that they knew the only proper way to keep God's Law. Their interpretation of culture and faith were, in their minds, the only legitimate interpretation. Anyone who deviated from their views were condemned, often loudly.

Jesus came along with good news for the general population that the Pharisees too often majored on the minors. Many of the things which the Pharisees held of high importance and were often loudest about were minor at best. Jesus freed people to focus on things that really mattered, not the minutiae of Pharisaic arguments.

It's easy to see that in reference to the holidays, Pharisees abound in both Church and culture. Perhaps you are one or you've been one. I have, and I've repented!

I have a few simple suggestions to help us to avoid being Pharisaic at a time of year when people need to hear hope and positivity from the covenant people of God:

1) Before the "holiday season" proper, don't be angry about Halloween. It's harmless. Kids enjoy it. Have fun with it. It's not "the devil's day"; the devil does not get a day. Jesus alone is Lord. Smile, give out candy, let children know they're loved.

2) Good music is good music regardless of how old it is or when you listen to it. Don't be angry when you hear Christmas music before Thanksgiving. It makes people feel good; it makes people smile; it brings back lovely memories; it often puts people back in touch with the best parts of themselves. And, very often, it's well written, well performed music which also in some small way shares the gospel. Just enjoy it.

3) The American economy is in pretty bad shape. There are more people out of work today than ever before, and it doesn't look to get any better any time soon. Don't be angry about Black Friday, stores opening on Thanksgiving, or even stores beginning the shopping season early. Many businesses (and the people they employ) are desperate. If you don't want to shop, don't shop, but don't begrudge other people making money for their families at holiday time. Doctors, nurses, law enforcement and military personnel work on Thanksgiving, too, and their families adapt. Be thankful that in a less-than-robust economy, these persons have jobs.

4) Don't be angry if someone wishes you "Happy Holidays" or "Season's Greetings" instead of "Merry Christmas". It's not like they told you to stick it or flipped you the finger. They said something nice; respond politely. And if you wish to respond with "Merry Christmas", fine. Additionally, it should go without saying that disciples of Jesus don't really care how their coffee cups are decorated.

5) Finally, it's a wonderful time of year to witness to God's grace in Jesus. Don't blow it by being angry, nasty or mean. Always be polite, courteous, and helpful...with a smile. Perhaps your most powerful witness during this season is simply being positive and merry. Practice a little extra patience. Forgive a little easier. The King James translation of the Holy Bible contains a great word which may be helpful: be "longsuffering" at this time of year or, in the words of Bishop Thomas Bickerton, "Lighten up, loosen up and have a little fun."

We don't need more Pharisees in today's Church or today's culture. They're all around us.

It's a simple rule: don't be a jerk. If that simple lesson is all that we learn this year, it will have been a very fruitful, very merry holiday season.

Our Advent playlist

"Prepare Ye the Way of the Lord" from Godspell
"El Shaddai" by Amy Grant

"Wait" by The Beatles
"People Get Ready" by The Impressions
"Waiting on the World to Change"
by John Mayer
"Crying, Waiting, Hoping"
by Buddy Holly
"Christmas Time" by The Chipmunks
"Breath of Heaven" by Amy Grant
"Getting Ready for Christmas Day"
by Paul Simon
"Pie Jesu" by Sarah Brightman &
Paul Miles-Kingston
"Patience" by Guns n'Roses
"Lo How a Rose E'er Blooming" by Sting
"Ave Maria" by Leontyne Price
"The Waiting"
by Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers
"Emmanuel" by Amy Grant
"Joseph's Song" by Michael Card
"Mary, Did You Know?" by Clay Aiken
"Count Your Blessings" by Bing Crosby
"I Wonder as I Wander" by Barbra Streisand
"Thy Word" by Amy Grant
"River" by Joni Mitchell
"Gabriel's Message" by Sting

additional suggestions are welcome

A Good Thing: Stores Open on Thanksgiving

Each November for several years, I have seen postings on social media and heard conversations in which people denounce the fact that stores open on Thanksgiving Day to take advantage of the "Black Friday" rush.

It seems that people are annoyed by the fact that Thanksgiving is "interrupted" by the onset of the Christmas shopping season. Some folks also seem distressed that family members, friends and neighbors who work in retail must cut their holiday short in order to get to work.

This attitude doesn't seem to me to take all of the facts into account.

First, let's be honest: the Christmas shopping season starts well before Thanksgiving. Before children have gathered their final bits of candy on Halloween night, stores were putting up Christmas decorations and announcing sales. Black Friday is, if anything, a halftime in the shopping season, not a kick off.

Second, we live in uncertain times, with an extremely uncertain economy. People who are blessed to have jobs that pay well are indeed truly blessed. Having to work on part of Thanksgiving Day could be seen as a hindrance to holiday joy or as a reason to be thankful. Having a job, even in retail, even during holiday shopping madness, is a blessing. These jobs enable families to give and receive presents on Christmas & put food on the table every day. These are reasons to be grateful, not to complain.

Finally, we live in a world that gives us many reasons to complain. Instead of wasting one's time complaining about Black Friday, have fun with it! Get up early with your family, go out for a nice breakfast & then hit the mall...if only to see the madness & laugh! It's the Christmas season, after all; try to enjoy it!

Doxology for Advent & Christmas

To the tune of "God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen"

"Praise God, from whom all blessings flow,
on every hill and coast!

"Praise God above, all angels who
comprise the heavenly host!

"Praise to the Father and the Son
and to the Holy Ghost!

"O tidings of comfort and joy, comfort and joy!
O tidings of comfort and joy!"

Simeon the Buzzkill

"Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother,
'This boy is assigned to be the cause of the falling and rising of many in Israel
and to be a sign that generates opposition
so that the inner thoughts of many will be revealed.
And a sword will pierce your innermost being too.'"

- Luke 2:34-35 (CEB)

The story of Simeon waiting to meet the Messiah is a lovely tale, one which warms the heart and fits easily in the comforts of the Christmas season. Had Luke's Gospel only shared the remark of Simeon's fulfilled hopes, surely this would be a favorite vignette of many Christians. Unfortunately, as so often happens with prophets in Scripture, Simeon opens his mouth to speak, and in addition to the charming dreams of a pious old man we also receive perplexing - even violent - words which shatter the beauty of the scene and create a sense of foreboding and uneasiness.

Simeon's words make the point that Jesus is not and was never meant to be a point of unity, but rather a point of division. In Wesleyan orthodoxy, one's reaction to the gospel, after all, helps determine one's eternal destiny. There is an element to the gospel, therefore that is extremely exclusivist, in spite of the desire of many Church elites to lift up inclusivism as a primary doctrine.

We need to be reminded that the faithfully proclaimed demands of the gospel will repel as well as attract; not everyone is eager to lay everything at the feet of a poor Jew from 1st century Palestine and to acknowledge that this Jew is God incarnate in human flesh and the absolute Lord of one's life.

Elsewhere in Luke's Gospel account, we read these shocking words of Jesus:

"I came to cast fire upon the earth. How I wish that it was already ablaze!... Do you think that I have come to bring peace to the earth? No, I tell you, I have come instead to bring division. From now on, a household of five will be divided—three against two and two against three. Father will square off against son and son against father; mother against daughter and daughter against mother; and mother-in-law against daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law."

-Luke 12:54-59 (CEB)

This is why pushing too hard in the Church for full inclusivism can be dangerous; definitionally, if sadly, the Kingdom does not include everyone. Not everyone is interested in acknowledging the Lordship of Jesus, and those who reject Jesus may be in for a sad realization when he returns.

John Wesley, in his notes on the New Testament, said of Jesus, "...he will be a savour of death to some, to unbelievers; a savour of life to others, to believers." Strong stuff. Not to be dismissed easily. Trying to be inclusive can be a good thing as long as we admit the gospel-imposed limitations of such practice. Not every behavior or decision can be affirmed in the Kingdom of God.

Simeon introduces to us a painful aspect of the gospel through his words to Mary, but, though they are not easy words, they are important and should not be ignored. We need Simeon's words at Christmas to put the miracle of the Incarnation and God's soteriological plan into its proper perspective. Obedience can be difficult, and it carries a price.

This post is part of the 2010 Advent Blog Tour
sponsored by the publishers of the Common English Bible.

Advent Blog Tour 2010

The season of Advent is underway, a holy time of year in which the Church prepares herself for the celebration of Christmas. Advent is a wonderful opportunity for growth in piety and mercy, and it should not be "skipped over" or ignored by Christians. It is a gift from the Holy Spirit!

This year, I have been asked to participate in the Advent Blog Tour, a link to which can be found here. I am humbled by the request and look forward to posting on the Common English Bible translation of Luke 2:34-35 on December 18. Until then, I encourage everyone to follow the tour and meditate on what the Spirit might reveal to us and among us in the coming weeks.

Why Christians Should Celebrate Halloween, Part 1: A Holiday History

In ancient times, a grand celebration was held to remember the coming of salvation into the world. A god had been born as a human baby, enfleshed in the very stuff of creation, and had brought with him hope, joy, and rebirth. Eventually, this holiday, marked on or near the start of winter, was celebrated with wonderful feasts, the exchanging of gifts, lovely music, and the lighting of candles.

The holiday, known originally as "Saturnalia", became better known as "Dies Natalis Solis Invicti", or "The Birthday of the Unconquered Sun God", and was one of the most anticipated days of the Roman year. Families would gather and celebrations would extend from the temples to the homes of kinfolk. It was, by all accounts, a wonderful day.

Years later, with the spreading of Christianity throughout Europe, people who had come to accept the Lordship of Jesus Christ were reluctant to abandon this lovely celebration. After all, family gatherings and giving gifts to children were good things, and surely the Church could affirm these practices. Indeed, the Church could have, should have, and did. Soon, the pagan celebration of the sun god was syncretized with the traditions of Matthew 1 and Luke 2 to create the holiday we now celebrate as, of course, Christmas. This blessed day, thoroughly Christian, has distinctly pagan roots.

Easter comes to us in similar fashion. The name of this, the most important day in the Church year, is derived from Eostre, an ancient sun goddess of the Anglo-Saxons whose rebirth was celebrated in spring, at roughly the same time as the Jewish Passover and the Resurrection of Jesus. The name itself is strikingly similar to related figures in other Indo-European mythological traditions, such as Astarte (Canaan), Eos (Greece), Ishtar (Babylon), and Ushas (India), and even the Hebrew Esther. Upon the Christianization of Britain, the Resurrection was commemorated each spring and quickly adopted many of the symbols associated with the pagan celebration, such as feasting, rabbits, and eggs. This holy day, thoroughly Christian, has distinctly pagan roots.

Among the last Europeans to be converted to Christianity were the Celts of Scotland and Ireland, who celebrated a holiday known as Samhuinn (Scotland) or Samhain (Ireland). Essentially a New Year's harvest festival, it was the time when the gathering was complete and the people were ready for winter. It was also a bit frightening, for it was the one night of the year when the veil between this world and the "otherworld" was lifted; ghosts, the undead, and all sorts of terrible creatures might roam free, bringing with them terror and potential disaster. To ward them off, people carved scary faces into turnips, hoping to scare the evening ghouls. As a form of protection, some folks dressed as creatures of the night (a practice known as "guising"); children were sometimes given sweets and treats to keep them calm.

Samhuinn/Samhain practices became associated with All Saints/All Souls celebrations, just as Christmas and Easter had adopted pagan concepts. In the 19th century, Scottish and Irish families began emigrating en masse to the United States, and they brought many of their traditions with them, which were soon Americanized and largely softened. By the mid-20th century, Halloween was a major American holiday, many of its pagan roots transformed into more "kid friendly" practices such as trick-or-treating or the carving of Jack O'Lantern pumpkins.

In upcoming posts, I plan to look at the reasons Christians should celebrate this great holiday we call Halloween. Issues of Biblical faith, racism, and incarnational ministry will be on my agenda. This post establishes some of the historic background I'll be working from. Much of this information comes from research for sermons, teaching opportunities, or presentations past. I love Halloween, and hope you do as well.

Sources:
Bannatyne, L.P., Halloween: An American Holiday, An American History. 1998.
Bourke, Joanna, Fear: A Cultural History. 2006.
"Christmas." Encyclopædia Britannica. 2007.
Hutton, Ronald, The Pagan Religions of the Ancient British Isles: Their Nature and Legacy, 1993.
Kelly, Joseph, The Origins of Christmas. 2004.
MacMullen, Ramsay, Christianity and Paganism in the Fourth to Eighth Centuries. 1997.
Tighe, William, "Calculating Christmas". Touchstone: A Journal of Mere Christianity. Dec 2003.
Uselton, Bill, Trick or Treat: The History of Halloween. 1997.
Venerable Bede, On the Reckoning of Time.

On the Virgin Birth

"It may be admitted, of course, that the Virgin Birth is not flatly identical with the Incarnation, just as the empty tomb is not flatly identical with the Resurrection. The one might be affirmed without the other. Yet the connection is so close, and indeed indispensable, that were the Virgin Birth or the empty tomb denied, it is likely that either the Incarnation or Resurrection would be called in question, or they would be affirmed in a form very different from that which they have in Scripture and historic teaching. The Virgin Birth might well be described as an essential, historical indication of the Incarnation, bearing not only an analogy to the divine and human natures of the Incarnate, but also bringing out the nature, purpose, and bearing of this work of God to salvation. Hand in hand with its biblical attestation as a fact, it thus has a theological necessity which not only supplies its vindication, but also warns us that its repudiation will almost inevitably be accompanied by a movement away from truly evangelical teaching."

- from "Our Lord's Virgin Birth: Why It Matters that
'a Real Son of a Real Mother' did not have a Human Father",
a Christianity Today editorial 12/7/1959

Emmanuel

"'Behold, a virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and his name shall be called Emmanuel' (which means, God is with us)."

- Matthew 1:23

Hawkman ROCKS!

The Nativity scene on our mantel.

Merry Christmas; HAVE FUN!

Rerun: Merry Christmas from Harry Reasoner

"The basis for this tremendous annual burst of gift buying and parties and near hysteria is a quiet event that Christians believe actually happened a long time ago. You can say that in all societies there has always been a midwinter festival and that many of the trappings of our Christmas are almost violently pagan. But you come back to the central fact of the day and quietness of Christmas morning - the birth of God on earth.

"It leaves you only three ways of accepting Christmas.

"One is cynically, as a time to make money or endorse the making of it.

"One is graciously, the appropriate attitude for non-Christians, who wish their fellow citizens all the joys to which their beliefs entitle them.

"And the third, of course, is reverently. If this is the anniversary of the appearance of the Lord of the universe in the form of a helpless babe, then it is a very important day.

"It's a startling idea, of course. My guess is that the whole story that a virgin was selected by God to bear His Son as a way of showing His love and concern for man is not an idea that has been popular with theologians. It's a somewhat illogical idea, and theologians like logic almost as much as they like God. It's so revolutionary a thought that it probably could only come from a God that is beyond logic, and beyond theology.

"It has a magnificent appeal. Almost nobody has seen God, and almost nobody has any real idea of what He is like. And the truth is that among men the idea of seeing God suddenly and standing in a very bright light is not necessarily a completely comforting and appealing idea.

"But everyone has seen babies, and most people like them. If God wanted to be loved as well as feared he moved correctly here. If He wanted to know His people as well as rule them, He moved correctly here, for a baby growing up learns all about people. If God wanted to be intimately a part of man, He moved correctly, for the experiences of birth and familyhood are our most intimate and precious experiences.

"So it goes beyond logic. It is either all falsehood or it is the truest thing in the world. It's the story of the great innocence of God the baby - God in the form of man - and has such a dramatic shock toward the heart that if it is not true, for Christians, nothing is true.

"So, if a Christian is touched only once a year, the touching is still worth it, and maybe on some given Christmas, some final quiet morning, the touch will take."

- TV news commentator Harry Reasoner

(quoted in "Illustrations Unlimited",

J.S. Hewett, ed., Wheaton, IL: Tyndale, 1988,

76-77)

First posted 12/22/06.

Rerun: The Blessings of Commercialization

"'There will be signs in the sun, the moon, and the stars, and on the earth distress among nations confused by the roaring of the sea and the waves.
People will faint from fear and foreboding of what is coming upon the world, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken.
Then they will see "the Son of Man coming in a cloud" with power and great glory.
Now when these things begin to take place, stand up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.'
Then he told them a parable: 'Look at the fig tree and all the trees;
as soon as they sprout leaves you can see for yourselves and know that summer is already near.
So also, when you see these things taking place, you know that the kingdom of God is near.'"

- Luke 21:25-31 (NRSV)

Jesus said to be on watch for the signs of the times, because when the signs are "just right", miraculous things will happen.

In Luke 21, he is primarily talking about that glorious Day when he returns to fulfill God's Promise to reconcile all creation to heaven.

But while we wait (sometimes rather impatiently) for the blessed return of Our Lord, we can also look for other signs marking other times, other miraculous seasons, other incredible opportunities to praise Almighty God and to reach out to others.

This is why I don't condemn the commercialization of Christmas, as many do; on the contrary, I revel in it.

Why? Because the signs are all around us! Trees, lights, bows, candles, greens, snow...and the wonderful music! The world is reminded during this time that we are about to commemorate one of history's greatest events, as God became incarnate in human flesh in a grand effort to save the world! (Why we evangelicals don't make a bigger deal out of the date of Jesus' conception is beyond me...so, Christmas it is.)

Because the culture has decided to commercialize Christmas, we are given a great opportunity to share the gospel. Everywhere people look they are faced with the nativity scene...they are reminded in song of the miraculous birth from the womb of a maiden...they must deal with the beautifully powerful message of the greatest and most profound of all Christmas carols, "Hark! the Herald Angels Sing".

So, bring on the bright lights, the cookies, the candy, the presents, the reindeer, and the cocoa by the fire! For at least one more season, the world is faced with an opportunity to meet Jesus in his most vulnerable state - that of a newborn infant - and is given one more opportunity to consider (or ignore) the kenotic miracle of God's love!

Merry Christmas!

First posted 11/30/06.

Evolution

Sometimes, life just doesn't seem fair.

Tonight, the two best teams in the NFC will square off as the Green Bay Packers head south to play the Dallas Cowboys. Both teams are led by quarterbacks who are having Pro Bowl seasons, with young talent Tony Romo lighting it up in Big D and aging football icon Brett Favre still doing what he does best. One of these two teams will be playing in the Super Bowl...where they will lose big to the New England Patriots. It's a great night for football in America!

Unfortunately, most of us will be unable to see this important game. The event is being televised on the new "NFL Network", which is not carried by many cable outlets. In my area, Comcast doesn't offer this channel, so I am just out lof luck. My brother and I are exploring the sports bar possibilities in the area.

If I want to watch this game, then I've got to think clearly, act quickly, and adapt to my current situation.

While I'm stewing and exploring, I'm also aware that this Sunday begins a new Church year, and the lectionary cycle begins anew, focusing on the Gospel of Matthew. This Gospel is a tour de force of Old Testament quotes, reinterpreted by the Gospel writer (and the early Church) in reference to Jesus. The Gospel writer thus was able to adapt...to take another look at the situation and make changes in order to accomplish a goal.

For example, what had been a prophecy for King Ahaz, reaffirming God's presence in his life and in the life of Israel (see Isaiah 7) was adapted to refer to Jesus, who was and is God incarnate in human flesh. Even God, it seems, was willing to adapt in order to accomplish his goals.

Actually, in football terms, this is what has made the legend of Brett Favre. He is a quarterback who has refused to simply work the play which is called, and instead is willing to scramble, look, and adapt in the hopes of keeping a doomed play alive. Yes, he has the all-time record for most interceptions thrown because of the way he plays the game, but he also has had tremendous success, has thrown for more touchdowns than any other quarterback in history, has a Super Bowl ring, and is a lock for the Hall of Fame.

So, how am I adapting? It's a postmodern world out there, and in many ways, I am very old-fashioned. In other ways, I suppose I'm pretty current. How do I balance who God has made me to be with the needs of my life and ministry?

How do I adapt to a world that doesn't understand "atonement" and "crucifixion" and "incarnation" and "resurrection"? Certainly, Scripture, liturgy, and the symbols of the Church can communicate in powerful ways; how do I use them most effectively?

I suppose I'm adapting tonight by watching the game in a bar ("Another Shirley Temple, please."). Maybe, just maybe, I'll learn a thing or two about continuing to adapt and, if I can say this without offending my more fundamentalist-minded brethren, maybe I can evolve, just a little bit.

Hey, it's Advent-Christmas time...the season of miracles!

Once upon a midnight dreary...

Why Christians Should Celebrate Halloween,
Part 1: A Holiday History

In ancient times, a grand celebration was held to remember the coming of salvation into the world. A god had been born as a human baby, enfleshed in the very stuff of creation, and had brought with him hope, joy, and rebirth. Eventually, this holiday, marked on or near the start of winter, was celebrated with wonderful feasts, the exchanging of gifts, lovely music, and the lighting of candles.

The holiday, known originally as "Saturnalia", became better known as "Dies Natalis Solis Invicti", or "The Birthday of the Unconquered Sun God", and was one of the most anticipated days of the Roman year. Families would gather and celebrations would extend from the temples to the homes of kinfolk. It was, by all accounts, a wonderful day.

Years later, with the spreading of Christianity throughout Europe, people who had come to accept the Lordship of Jesus Christ were reluctant to abandon this lovely celebration. After all, family gatherings and giving gifts to children were good things, and surely the Church could affirm these practices. Indeed, the Church could have, should have, and did. Soon, the pagan celebration of the sun god was syncretized with the traditions of Matthew 1 and Luke 2 to create the holiday we now celebrate as, of course, Christmas. This blessed day, thoroughly Christian, has distinctly pagan roots.

Easter comes to us in similar fashion. The name of this, the most important day in the Church year, is derived from Eostre, an ancient sun goddess of the Anglo-Saxons whose rebirth was celebrated in spring, at roughly the same time as the Jewish Passover and the Resurrection of Jesus. The name itself is strikingly similar to related figures in other Indo-European mythological traditions, such as Astarte (Canaan), Eos (Greece), Ishtar (Babylon), and Ushas (India), and even the Hebrew Esther. Upon the Christianization of Britain, the Resurrection was commemorated each spring and quickly adopted many of the symbols associated with the pagan celebration, such as feasting, rabbits, and eggs. This holy day, thoroughly Christian, has distinctly pagan roots.

Among the last Europeans to be converted to Christianity were the Celts of Scotland and Ireland, who celebrated a holiday known as Samhuinn (Scotland) or Samhain (Ireland). Essentially a New Year's harvest festival, it was the time when the gathering was complete and the people were ready for winter. It was also a bit frightening, for it was the one night of the year when the veil between this world and the "otherworld" was lifted; ghosts, the undead, and all sorts of terrible creatures might roam free, bringing with them terror and potential disaster. To ward them off, people carved scary faces into turnips, hoping to scare the evening ghouls. As a form of protection, some folks dressed as creatures of the night (a practice known as "guising"); children were sometimes given sweets and treats to keep them calm.

Samhuinn/Samhain practices became associated with All Saints/All Souls celebrations, just as Christmas and Easter had adopted pagan concepts. In the 19th century, Scottish and Irish families began emigrating en masse to the United States, and they brought many of their traditions with them, which were soon Americanized and largely softened. By the mid-20th century, Halloween was a major American holiday, many of its pagan roots transformed into more "kid friendly" practices such as trick-or-treating or the carving of Jack O'Lantern pumpkins.

In upcoming posts, I plan to look at the reasons Christians should celebrate this great holiday we call Halloween. Issues of Biblical faith, racism, and incarnational ministry will be on my agenda. This post establishes some of the historic background I'll be working from. Much of this information comes from research for sermons, teaching opportunities, or presentations past. I love Halloween, and hope you do as well.

Sources:
Bannatyne, L.P., Halloween: An American Holiday, An American History. 1998.
Bourke, Joanna, Fear: A Cultural History. 2006.
"Christmas." Encyclopædia Britannica. 2007.
Hutton, Ronald, The Pagan Religions of the Ancient British Isles: Their Nature and Legacy, 1993.
Kelly, Joseph, The Origins of Christmas. 2004.
MacMullen, Ramsay, Christianity and Paganism in the Fourth to Eighth Centuries. 1997.
Tighe, William, "Calculating Christmas". Touchstone: A Journal of Mere Christianity. Dec 2003.
Uselton, Bill, Trick or Treat: The History of Halloween. 1997.
Venerable Bede, On the Reckoning of Time.

Christmas Leftovers

Here are a few pics from the holidays...

Our tree...


Our stockings (all made by Robyn through the years)...


Claire & I asleep on the loveseat after a long Christmas Day
(I don't look very comfortable)...

Praise the Lord for the lovely, simple joys of Christmas. Thank you, Father, for Christmas 2006.

What I Got for Christmas

Robyn got me a harmonica. I played years ago, and not very well, but I've wanted to master the "mouth organ" for some time now. I'd love to sit with my guitar and "blues harp" and be like Bob Dylan. Ahh, to write songs half as good as Dylan! At any rate, I'm looking forward to this new musical venture. Robyn also got me a pedometer as I try and get myself in better shape in the new year, and she also cooked a fantastic Christmas dinner.

Christian got me a John Wayne / Maureen O'Hara DVD (Rio Grande, their first work together, the finale in director John Ford's excellent "cavalry trilogy", and arguably the trio's best collaboration)...Kate got me a pumpkin spice candle...Claire got me a reading light for late night reading...Elliot got me a Steelers pen. All nice stuff.

My mother got me a Barnes & Noble gift card, which I used yesterday to pick up Michael Crichton's latest book, Next. I've always enjoyed Crichton's style of techno-thriller. While I read a lot of theology and "practical" ministry stuff, I also read a lot of fiction, and would love to someday (maybe in retirement) write a novel.

My brother and his wife got me U2's Wide Awake in America on CD, which I actually purchased on vinyl record on the day of its release in 1986; aside from two good studio songs (including the super-fun "Three Sunrises"), it also has killer live versions of "Bad" and "A Sort of Homecoming". I've always loved Wide Awake in America because I saw U2 for the first time on their Unforgettable Fire tour, and having these live recordings from that tour takes me back. My niece got me a "world peace" magnet for my car.

Robyn's folks got me an IUP hoodie and an Edinboro shirt, both neat. The hoodie is really comfortable and warm. They also got us a "Netfix" membership, which we'll really enjoy. Robyn's sister got me several gift cards for Sheetz and Subway (meatball subs rock).

All in all, a good Christmas.

This week, I'm on vacation, so it's been very nice to just spend time with Robyn and the kids. We've seen some family, and will visit with some friends in the days ahead. Relaxation and rest, it seems to me, can be necessary, almost sacramental practices which we don't practice enough!

"He leads me beside waters of rest." - Psalm 23:2

Christmas Conference

This week in 1784, Methodist preachers in America met at Lovely Lane Chapel in Baltimore at the now famous "Christmas Conference". Francis Asbury wrote in his Journal:

"Friday, December 24, 1784: ...[I]t was agreed to form ourselves into an Episcopal Church, and to have superintendents, elders, and deacons. When the conference was seated, Dr. Coke and myself were unanimously elected to the superintendency of the Church, and my ordination followed ...We spent the whole week in conference, debating freely, and determining all things by a majority of votes... We were in great haste, and did much business in a little time."

Thomas Coke, already ordained in the Church of England, had been previously consecrated to the "superintendency" by John Wesley. Under the leadership of Bishop Coke and (especially) Bishop Asbury, American Methodism grew to become the largest religious movement in the United States, a role it lost in the twentieth century.

Christmas is thus an especially important holiday for American Methodists, since we celebrate not only the birth of Our Lord, but also the formalization of Methodist organization in the United States.

Theologically, there is much to be discussed concerning the ordinations which took place in Baltimore two hundred twenty-two years ago. Were these ordinations and Asbury's consecration valid? Was "apostolic succession" broken, and does that matter?

Here are some interesting resources regarding apostolic succession in American Methodism...

* UM Bishops Ordination Chain (PDF) from the General Board of Archives & History

* Methodism & Apostolic Succession by Gregory Neal, senior pastor of First UMC of Seagoville, TX

Using these two pieces of information, an ordained United Methodist pastor can trace his or her ordination through Asbury, Coke, and Wesley and back to the apostles.

Merry Christmas

"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
He was in the beginning with God.
All things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being. What has come into being in him was life, and the life was the light of all people.
The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it...
He was in the world, and the world came into being through him; yet the world did not know him.
He came to what was his own, and his own people did not accept him.
But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God,
who were born, not of blood or of the will of the flesh or of the will of man, but of God.
And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father's only son, full of grace and truth."

- John 1:1-5, 10-14 (NRSV)

The Christmas Miracle

"And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be taxed.
(And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.)
And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city.
And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:)
To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child.
And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered.
And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.
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: for, behold, I bring 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 Saviour, 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 2:1-14 (KJV)

Merry Christmas from U2