NO IT’S NOT! - Pastor says Christmas celebration does not represent paganism

Some historians and biblical scholars across the world believe that the celebration of Christmas has always been, and forever will be, an acknowledgement of a pagan holiday from Ancient Rome.

However, one Baptist pastor is refuting those claims as he believes that the celebration is the commemoration of the birth and life of Jesus and should not be interpreted as the upholding of a pagan holiday.

Reverend Dwight Fraser, pastor of the Eltham Angels Circuit of Baptist churches in St Catherine, told Family and Religion that the views of these scholars against Christmas celebrations and how they are treated by Christians are often shaped by misinformation or misinterpretation.

“Christmas is the putting together of two words, Christ, which is the Greek translation of the Hebrew word Messiah and refers to Jesus as the One who was sent for the redemption of the world; and Mas, which means celebration. The word Christmas in its original meaning actually referred to the celebration of Holy Communion in commemoration of the birth of Christ.”

He said, however, that what stands true is that there are other celebrations associated with the date December 25 and that that is normally what causes confusion.

“It is at or around what is referred to as the Winter Solstice, a geographical phenomenon relating to the positions of the Earth and the Sun. There were celebrations whether agricultural or of another nature surrounding that event,” the pastor explained.

He said for Christians, Christmas is more than a date and goes beyond the materialistic festivities associated with it.

“For Christians, the issue is not the date of the birth of Christ (but it) is the fact that Christ was born. Historically, we are unable to access when that date is, but it is nonetheless especially meaningful to celebrate the fact of the birth.”

Meaningful CELEBRATION

Fraser said that there are celebrations that are held throughout the year and they have one main purpose and that is to celebrate Christ.

“The Liturgical calendar has six seasons. There are two central seasons – Christmas and Easter – and then around those two primary seasons are seasons that lead in and out.”

He added: “We have, for example, leading up to Christmas, Advent, which starts four Sundays before (Christmas) and then after Christmas, for 12 days, ending January 5, you have the season of Epiphany. This celebrates not only the birth, but the recognition of Christ as the Saviour of the world.”

But why is it that the Church has special celebrations around seasons that are said to have been influenced by paganism?

“It is so that in re-enacting the elements of the story of the life of a Christ that Christians can be formed more in the likeness of Christ. When the Church does that, there is absolutely nothing pagan about that. There were pagan associations with certain dates for certain celebrations, but it is not true to say that Christian celebration of it is pagan,” Fraser said.

The reverend said that the act of decorating Christmas trees and partaking in other activities of the season is a matter of culture that bears no burden against spirituality once the acts are measured.

“Persons utilise these opportunities for various commercial purposes that are now misunderstood to be the focus of the celebration for a Christian. Christians in normal life participate in culture and the economy and, therefore, utilise these things. But identifying those elements as the centre of what the celebration of Christmas is, I don’t think so.”

The minister said that what must be maintained is the spirit of fellowship and sharing that is fostered during the period.

“There are positive elements to the (season), but it can also be overcommercialised so that people put themselves under a lot of stress and really misdirect their focus. (The season) is intended to help us to open more and more to how God is working to make us more of what He wants us to be,” he noted.

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