You wouldn’t think it was that big a deal that December 25th happens to be a Sunday. And for most of the planet’s 8 billion inhabitants it probably isn’t. Many will neither recognize or celebrate Christmas regardless of when it falls, including those with no Christian interest or history, and those who as a matter of their atheistic principles will not want to have anything to do with it (and quite right too). After all, the (nominal) Christian world only makes up about 30% of the world’s total population. Within that 30% one might reasonably expect that Christmas falling on a Sunday would not lead to any dramas. However it turns out that there has been a bit of a tiz going on. Apparently, because it is Christmas day some places of worship (I hesitate to call them churches) have cancelled their services. While the debate probably started on Twitter (don’t they all these days?), and spread to the “Christian” press and websites (e.g. see “The Christian Post”), it eventually reached the New York Times, hardly an evangelical rag.
I should
mention at this point that I have skin in this particular game. I come from a
theologically fairly conservative background, and remember at least one
childhood Christmas that fell on a Sunday. Because of my aged state I’m afraid I
can’t remember the details of that particular Christmas day. But I do remember having
the distinct impression that this was a Sunday to be spent like every other Sunday.
Same meetings (with perhaps the exception of the Sunday afternoon Bible class),
same content. Jesus' birth may have been mentioned, but only as the necessary prelude
to His life, death and resurrection. The world may have been celebrating with its
trees and tinsel, but that was nothing to do with us. There was also perhaps a
touch of if the world was happy we had to be miserable. None of us can entirely
escape our backgrounds, so I still find myself in two minds about all the Christmas
hullabaloo (ie the trees and tinsel) and still sometimes find myself wondering
what it has to do with me.
As an
aside, there are those who end up in roughly the same place but come at it from
the opposite direction. Self-confessed “cultural Christian” Poly Toynbee, likes
goodwill, the idea of the poor inheriting the earth and the way “the stable
stands for the homeless and refugees”. The rest of it (by which I think she
means biblical Christianity) she finds “loathsome”. And so she should too. The
theology of carols (like “veiled in flesh the Godhead see”) should strike her
as bizarre. And there are all sorts of reasons to be appalled at a Saviour born
to die on a cross (a “symbol of barbaric torture”). Christmas comes with “religious
baggage we should shed” she says. Although one might be forgiven for pointing out that this confuses carts and horses - without the religious "baggage" there would, of course, be no Christmas. Her main motivation, though, appears to be that
she wants religious opposition to the “right to die” removed. It is far from clear that is
a sure fire way to ensure goodwill to all men. Time will tell. But certainly I can see why, from her point of view, there are logical reasons
for a degree of ambivalence about Christmas.
But for me there is no ambivalence that applies to Sundays. I know what Sunday is about.
Albeit the English name goes back to pagan times, it’s clear what Christians
are to make of the first day of the week. It is the day on which our priority is
to come together to focus on and remember Jesus. Maybe Greeks have the right idea
(and not for the first time), naming Sunday “Κυριακή”, which is derived from “Κύριος”
Lord. The Lord’s day, one that affords that opportunity for fellowship with
other believers, with Jesus “in the midst” (as He put it Himself). A weekly
opportunity to be provided with fuel for our living as we take our minds of our
twitter and RSS feeds and fill them with His word. All of this is mandated; it
marked the early Church and should mark churches today. So, on the one hand a (Christmas)
day of ambivalence and on the other a (Lord’s) day I’m fairly clear about.
Seems like a no brainer as to which should have prominence when the two
coincide.
We would, in
any case meet as a church on Christmas day, not something I have ever found a
chore. But it did lead to a degree of mental
and chronological confusion because it meant that a Monday, Tuesday or whatever
would end up feeling like a Sunday, without actually being one. At least this
year there will be no need for such dissonance. It will be like killing two birds
with the one communal stone. This
helpful aspect aside, it does seem strange to me that some who claim to be Christians seem keen not to meet, and the suspicion arises that it being Christmas day is
an excuse not a reason. A bit like those who think that things like cup finals in which their favourite
team is playing is a reason not to meet. This is to put church on the level of
a hobby or diversion; it’s really not. This coming Christmas Sunday those of us who followers of Jesus have an extra reason to be together (not a reason for not gathering) to focus with others on what,
or rather Who, really matters. And indeed not just His birth, as remarkable as that
was. But on His life, death, resurrection, ascension and return.
It was,
after all, the Saviour, Christ the Lord, that was born, not just a baby.
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