The Dean

Globe trotters cannot have failed to notice the life size effigy of Fr. Christmas in Bahrain airport duty free area. Since mid November when the weather was anything but arctic in Bahrain there he stood in red coat, black boots and white fluffy beard. He, of course was heralding the onset of Christmas or rather the politically correct non religious celebration of the Winter Season as in “Seasons Greetings.”
The idea that Fr. Christmas is the heart of a secular celebration is quite mistaken.

Fr. Christmas is more correctly the representation of Santa Claus, or more properly, St Nicholas. He’s the one who for some reason best known to modern mythology is reckoned to come down the chimney on Christmas Eve bearing huge numbers of gifts for well provided youngsters. If there is no chimney then parents have some explaining to do.

Who is, or was, this man in reality?
St Nicholas was bishop of Myra in Turkey way back in the 4th century. There are many stories about his goodness, particularly to needy children (hence the modern connection). But most significantly, and historically, he was one of the bishops at the First Council of Nicaea in 325 A.D. The purpose of the council was to clarify what Christians believed about Jesus, particularly the relationship of the human and divine natures within the man at the heart of our faith. The council eventually produced (presumably with Nicholas’ help) what we call the Nicene Creed or statement of faith we use in our worship today. Later councils or gatherings of church leaders went on to develop the church’s understanding of Jesus but Nicaea remains the basic and most easily understood formula.

So, far from being a symbol of a secular seasonal celebration, Santa Claus is very much a Christian figure leading us to reflect on and come to a personal understanding of who Jesus is and what it is we celebrate at Christmas time. To try and divorce him from the Christian festival and use him for politically correct purposes is a travesty of truth.

The early Christian fathers were wrestling with scripture in order that they, and subsequent generations, should have a clear understanding of the child born at Bethlehem who we celebrate at Christmas time.

St Paul quotes what is probably one of the earliest Christian hymns in chapter 2 of his letter to Christians at Philippi when he says: -

“Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus:
‘Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God,
Something to be grasped; but made himself nothing,
taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human the likeness.’ “

That is how we should all live, following the example of Jesus, looking not only to our own interests but also to the interests of others sacrificially. That is what Christmas is all about…’God in Christ reconciling the world to himself.’ (2 Corinthians 5:19).

Despite all efforts to turn Christmas into something it is not, God’s power and activity in the world will continue just as it did through the vulnerable birth of a child 2,000 years ago.

We wish you and yours a very happy Christmas and all peace and every blessing throughout 2007

Alan Hayday