Even if we pretend that these weren’t just co-opted pagan celebrations.

As these aren’t truly Christian celebrations, but merely celebrations in which Christians take part, the only spiritual requirement is that any involvement by us be practiced to the glory of God. If one skips all the religious trappings and focuses on the secular and does so consciously to the glory of God, that person is doing good. If one takes part in the religious trappings and focusing on the meditative opportunity presented by the church calendar, that person also is doing good.

Not better, certainly. But good.

I’m fine with the church calendar so long as people regard it in the sense that, Oh, hey! This is kind of a neat way of looking at things. And you know what? I bet it would be helpful to me to check it out. That’s fine and good and great. So long as it stays there.

My problem is that it has a tendency not to stay there. And Carissa’s post points this out. While she acknowledges Paul’s admonitions and doesn’t lord her calendar love over others, she points out that this is not her initial reaction. By God’s grace, she points out, her reactions are tempered by remembering Scripture and thinking about these things more deeply. And though she succeeds in backing away from the legalistic tendencies these things come to engender, it’s pretty clear that she is more circumspect than the average bear.

Again, I’m fine with Carissa’s interest Advent, Epiphany, Lent, Arbour Day, etc. In a way, I’m just echoing the warning that frolics through her article here.

The Danes last blog post..20081119.ChurchLies

But I do see the wisdom of devoting ourselves to a period of reflection during the time leading up to major Chrisitan celebrations, such as of the Incarnation and the Resurrection, a period of reflection in which we come to understand within our spirits the problem being resolved by what we celebrate.

Granted celebrating those great truths may be done every day of the year, and at some level should be. But our culture is inclined to cut straight to celebration (and consquent splurging) without pausing to understand the depth and breadth of the victory being celebrated. We rob ourselves in that way. There is a drama to salvation, and it ought to be played out in our hearts and minds.

My experience as a pastor suggests that the small handfuls who have gathered for Ash Wednesday, Maundy Thursday, or Good Friday services tend to have much deeper joy on Easter Sunday than the multitudes who show up prepared only by an egg hunt, chocolate bunnies, and thoughts of Spring.

Christmas carols sung in ways that show that the singer clearly lacks a clue may do more to immunize people against the gospel rather than to extend the gospel into secular space. Yet when true words are sung, no matter how poorly, we never know what may take hold. Christmas carols in malls and on radios are the only ways some people hear about Jesus. The issue is worth prayerful, studious reflection.

The Musers last blog post..Christmas Musings: Blood and Shit at the Birth

The Danes last blog post..20081119.ChurchLies

“Now, I’m well acquainted with Romans 14:5-6 and Colossians 2:16, and I often have to repent of passing judgment on less liturgically oriented Christians. I shouldn’t expect that the liturgical seasons will have the same meaning for all Christians that they do for me. They are by no means essentials of the faith, but they are helpful to me and to many others.”

Now to the rest.

Where to start? Okay, how ’bout with Advent. Not the real thing but the fabricated seasonal ritual. Despite the fact that the period is misnamed and should have perhaps been named something actually appropriate (like Anticipation, perhaps), I’m fine with those who wish to celebrate it. It’s right up there with my reasons for wanting to celebrate National High-Five Day every year.

But to imagine that their is something inherently holy or good about dividing the Christmas season into Advent and Christmas and Epiphany or whatever is, well, silly. Seeing as how Christmas as a Christian celebration is merely the fabrication of some popular Christian leaders centuries after Christ’s first advent (not unlike Forty Days of Purpose), I believe it becomes harmful to the church to make Christmas a part of the liturgy. When something becomes part of the liturgy, honest Christians who don’t appreciate the religiosity that’s been imported into the Christmas holiday will feel pressured to change their views in order to be as quote-unquote good as the others in their midst who are happily participating in this foreign addition to the liturgy.

Personally, besides the damage I think high liturgies do to the conscience of believers (prompting them to obedience to a new and man-made law to govern their faith), I have no use for the organization of one’s thoughts and expression that such structures like the church calendar seek to grid upon my life. I’m sad that the church is typically so seasonal in its practices that even low-liturgy churches keep awesome hymns like “O Come, O Come Emmanuel” and “Hark the Herald Angels Sing” trapped in December. These are songs that are good to be sung any day of the week throughout the year.

I mean, look. I’m not stupid. I really am not. I don’t need some calendric kind of mnemonic device to remind me why I’m in church every Sunday. I don’t forget. Heck, it’s impossible to forget. We sit at the Lord’s Table every week. Pageantry might be neat for some. Maybe some people need it. But for me? It just gets in the way.

Really, if Christians aren’t celebrating Christ’s incarnation every day (and specifically, every week), something’s wrong. If they aren’t spending every day in solemn reflection on what his coming (and his coming again) means, somethings wrong. And if the believer isn’t doing these things daily and weekly, then absolving him of the responsibility by making it a once-a-year, for-reals-this-time celebration of solemnity and incarnation is not the solution by a long shot.

Again, if you want to go the high-liturgical route of honouring the church calendar, then please do so. But don’t imagine it’s a better way to do things. It’s just different. You might feel like it’s value-added, but in the end, it’s just value shuffled around from somewhere else.

The Danes last blog post..20081119.ChurchLies

Also, thanks, Rich, for the very appropriate photo.