At this time of year, the folks who belong to the Armstrong Churches of God usually have a great deal to say about the ancient Roman holidays of Saturnalia and Brumalia. According to them, these December holidays were the inspiration for our Christmas holiday and its observances. For them, Christians who celebrate Christ's birth on the twenty-fifth of December are perpetuating the pagan practices of the Romans (and displeasing God in the process). Anyway, that's the Armstrongist narrative about Christmas. However, when we dig a little deeper, we realize that most of the folks who advance such notions actually know very little about the Saturnalia and Brumalia.
From the historical evidence available to us, it appears that the Saturnalia originated as a celebration of the pagan god of generation, dissolution, plenty, agriculture and liberation: Saturn. The celebration began on the seventeenth day of the month and ran through the twenty-third. According to our sources, the Saturnalia was usually a boisterous time that involved societal role reversals (masters and slaves) and the consumption of large amounts of food and drink. During the week-long celebrations, normal business transactions and court proceedings ground to a halt, and citizens often danced naked in the streets. It was also common for folks to exchange small gifts (like candles) and deck their halls with greenery. However, though the gifts and the greenery bear a superficial resemblance to our modern holiday, it appears that the Roman holiday was very different from the one we celebrate.
The Roman Brumalia, on the other hand, appears to have been a celebration of the Winter Solstice and bears even less resemblance to our modern holiday. Indeed, the available sources do not support the notion that there were elaborate traditions/celebrations/rituals associated with the Roman observance of the day. Hence, we are left with the distinct impression that both Roman holidays were viewed and celebrated in a manner that bears little resemblance to the modern observance of Christmas! In other words, so much for the Armstrongist narrative about the pagan influences of these holidays on the Christian holiday!
Celebrating Saturnalia by Patti Wigington
World History Encyclopedia: Saturnalia
Redeeming Christian Holy Days: Brumalia in the Roman Republic
Are you saying that you believe it is acceptable to God to celebrate Christmas as an expression of worship?
ReplyDeleteDean,
DeleteI have been saying for many years now that the Armstrong Church of God narrative surrounding the Christmas holiday is WRONG. Moreover, applying the Torah Scriptures that warned the Israelites against learning the ways of the heathens around them and worshipping YHWH in the same manner to modern observance of this holiday, does NOT comport with the facts surrounding Christmas. The facts are: 1) Two of the canonical Gospels (Matthew and Luke) have detailed accounts of Jesus Christ's birth, 2) There is NO explicit or even implied prohibition against the celebration of birthdays in Scripture, 3) the way that the Romans celebrated the Saturnalia and Brumalia bears little resemblance to the modern celebration of Christmas, and 4) The overwhelming majority of the traditions/practices associated with Christmas belong to the Christian era (Indeed, MOST of them belong to the last 200 years). I have posted numerous treatises on this through the years, and I invite you to peruse some of them on this blog if you are interested in getting to the TRUTH of the matter.
Herbert Armstrong used the faulty and now discredited research of others to establish a FALSE origin narrative about some Christian holidays. He did this not only to discredit the practices of the traditional Church, but also to underscore his own narrative about the continued obligation of Christians to observe the festivals given to ancient Israel. In fact, it was a significant part of his more general argument that traditional Christians weren't really Christians at all - that only he and his followers really understood the Bible and were following its requirements. In other words, the rejection of Christmas observance was an important element of further distinguishing his followers from their Catholic and Protestant brethren.
At any rate, I am saying that the manner and motivation behind the celebration of ANY holiday as it relates to the worship of God is essential to determining whether or not such a practice is acceptable to Almighty God. In other words, whether we are speaking of Christmas or the Feast of Tabernacles, it is possible for Christians to employ these devices for good or for ill.
Yes, I know that you've talked about the modern Christmas and the "Armstrong Church of God narrative surrounding the Christmas holiday" before.
ReplyDeleteYour last paragraph seems to sum up your view.
I celebrated Christmas as a child, thinking that it was honoring the birth of Jesus Christ. But Christ was not born in December, and in my opinion, this celebration does not show respect and honor to Him.
Despite the modern differences, or motivations, from ancient customs, Christmas did originate from man-made rituals and customs. I won't go back to doing it.
Dean
And there is absolutely NOTHING wrong with your personal conviction regarding Christmas. I know you to be a sincere man who is trying his very best to please God. My beef is with ANYONE who would make this issue determinative of someone's status as a Christian.
DeleteThe Armstrong Churches of God have understood Trumpets to be symbolic of the coming of Christ for years, and some have speculated that that also applies to his first appearance (as the babe in the manger). And, since ALL of the symbolism of the Holy Days point to Christ and his work (and many of the events of that life actually occurred on those days), it is reasonable to observe that the ACOG's have probably been observing Christ's birthday for years (whether most of them realized it or not). At any rate, it has been traditional for kings, queens, presidents, etc. to designate a day other than the actual date of the occurrence to celebrate their birth (for public convenience).
Why be "beefed" with people who don't believe that Christmas is a Christian practice? If you really believe it is - okay fine.
ReplyDeleteGod alone will make the determination about anyone's status as a Christian.
Scripture says that Christians will have the Spirit of Christ and will be keeping God's commandments.
Scripture also says that eventually most all of mankind will learn to be Christian in their way of living, when Jesus Christ rules on earth.
Dean
You make my point for me: Because those people are sitting in judgment of the status of others as Christians! For Herbert and his followers, it was NEVER just the fact that this or that wasn't a Christian practice. For them, all of those instances were "proof" that they were "true" Christians, and everyone else was deluded and merely pretending to be Christians. Moreover, you are absolutely right - God ALONE determines who is and isn't his.
DeleteJesus Christ is reported to have said that his disciples could be identified by the love which they demonstrated for each other. He also instructed those disciples to not judge each other and focus their critical skills on themselves. Instead, Herbert and his followers have used Scripture to make themselves holy and special and characterize everyone else as wicked and/or deceived.
Finally, I look forward to the day when WE WILL ALL learn to be Christians. And, my friend, I am quite certain that you and I will have some opinions and outlooks that will have to be corrected on that day, because the Armstrong Churches of God (or me - or any other human on this planet) currently do NOT have a monopoly on the truth!
So, I say again, Merry Christmas to all of my Christian brothers and sisters around the globe! And to everyone who is not a Christian: I wish you peace and good will.