Steve Bell
19 December 2006 by Gil
In the midst of the end of semester madness, Shelley and I had the opportunity to go hear Steve Bell perform at West Portal Church last Friday night. The music was characteristically excellent but the evening was also a beautiful reminder of the some of the profound truths of the Christmas season. Steve has the unique ability to communicate things in a simple yet deeply significant way, sort of like he’s reminding you of something important that you’ve always known but somehow forgotten.
He talked about the way Christmas has become something ugly, a binge of consumption, gluttony and sentimentality, and made the observation that it has become this way in part because we don’t usually celebrate Christmas with Good Friday and Easter in mind. If we celebrate Jesus’ birth without remembering that his message was rejected as scandalous and that he ended up getting himself executed then all we are left with is sentimentality. After all, what could be more delightful (and harmless) than a little baby.
One song Bell did, ‘Every Stone Shall Cry,’ goes through the various stages of Christ’s life, from his birth to Palm Sunday, to Good Friday and makes the point that the awe and wonder of Bethlehem became the adoration and praise of Jerusalem, became the rejection and hatred of Golgotha. At each stage the stones cry but at each stage the circumstances are very different.
The low is lifted high
The stars will bend their voices
And every stone shall cry
And every stone shall cry
In praises of the child
By whose descent among us
The worlds are reconciled
I certainly agree with the tone of Mr. Bell’s lament and while I would also agree that Christians need to view Christmas through the “prism” of Easter, perhaps more importantly, Christian’s need to articulate a vision of Christmas that offers an alternative to the modern secular expression of the day.
Santa, has become the “face” of Christmas, not Jesus. Getting and not giving, is the clear message we send our children. Christmas for many,has become a burdensome strain. With more concern given to what we must buy and give to one another materially, then in the truer and more holy joy of sharing ourselves with one another, both in worship of Jesus and in fraternity with one another, in His name.
So strange has the cultural expression of Christmas become that in many of our communities, and in their schools, we are explicitly forbidden from associating Christmas with Christ.
While it is true that Christians need to better understand the connectedness between Christmas, Good Friday and Easter, at least that perspective implies a certain primary “religeousness”, with regards to the day.
Sadly, I think that is becoming less and less true.
Christmas, as it is presently expressed by our culture, is itself in danger of becoming heresy.
What are we doing about it?
I am not as concerned about how Christmas is celebrated in our schools and communities. To me it doesn’t make a lot of sense to force people who don’t necessarily have any allegiance to Christ to celebrate his life in a way that has integrity. What I appreciated was Bell’s reminder that Christians at least ought to have Good Friday and Easter in mind when they celebrate Christmas.
As Christians we tend to get quite frustrated with the cultural robbery of religious meaning at Christmas. While I agree it is disappointing that the Christian essence of Christmas has been lost (this is simply a historical/cultural fact), I also find myself challenged to realize that while the language we use is being threatened, the way that we live out the Christmas story is going to have far more profound impact in society than whether or not the words are religious or secular (I am not saying that words don’t have meaning, but that the Christmas story is more than the words we use).
Considering Gil’s challenge to remember all of Jesus’ life, I think the celebration of Christmas must be one of humility and loving others, especially our “secular” neighbors. While Christian language may be rejected, Christian acts of love (however this may look…
are greatly needed in a world where “taking” as opposed to recieving has become the new gospel. I find it hard to imagine secular culture rejecting my shoveling an elderly couple’s driveway just because I am a Christian…
good point Gil.
what if we chose a different day to honor the Incarnation? I think a celebration that focuses on God incarnate has profound significance for a follower of Christ - even without the cross in view.
The penalty of sin paid on the cross is huge but having God coming down here to muck around in it for a while is to me just as worthy of celebration. And I happen to think that that view of Christ’s arrival begs us to ask the question: how do I honor God’s intention to identify with the filth of this world?
Like you said Gil, when we see that this incredible act of grace was ‘rejected as scandalous’ - it should force us to sober reflection on how such a benevolent act (incarnation) is honored…
“By whose descent among us
The worlds are reconciled”
It’s hard to see how this gluttonous season honors the incarnation…
Hey David,
I really like your perspectives, particularly with regards to “Christian acts of Love.”
I also agree that having a better understanding of Christmas and it’s ultimate purpose being made manifest through the death and ressurection, is hugely important.
I think it safe to say that “acts of love” or self sacrifice in the service of others, is better understood and exemplified at Easter than it is at Christmas and we need to remind ourselves of that.
Also, I like the idea of actions being used as the primary means of influencing others but words have much power also, as does courage.
The fact that we remain silent while the culture that we live in, support and bring our children up in is making it impossible for us to even express our stories, (much less convict) and we passively accept that, is offensive to me.
Sometimes you’ve got to “put on the armour” and fight the good fight.
Further, I think if you were to speak to most non-christian people they would identify Christmas as the single most important Christian event. The fact that we don’t even defend it when it comes under tepid attack from political atheists, sends the unflattering message that we are either weak, indifferent or hypocritical and worse still, that in the end Jesus and His stories,don’t really mean that much, even to us.
Gil, I didn’t mean to “highjack” the dialogue, though I suspect it is neither the first or last time…lol… but I tend to respond viscerally to ideas and sometimes confuse (or ignore…ouch,…truth hurting…
the agenda.
If it isn’t to far off topic, does your lack of concern for what schools allow change, if your own children were to go to a school that refused to recognize Jesus at Christmas.
Peace
Paul,
No need to worry about hi-jacking or anything like that. It’s a good question you ask. My opinion (and it’s just that at this point) is that it is not the responsibility of the public schools to help reinforce the Christian convictions of my children. That is the responsibility of the church.
I don’t think that Christians are weak or passive if they refuse to ‘defend’ Christmas (an odd concept, I have to say). If a school ‘refused to recognize Jesus at Christmas’ it would seem to be a more authentic response than a school that paid lip service to Jesus at Christmas and then ignored him the rest of the year.
The duty of the members of Christ’s church is simply to live as if they actually believed that Jesus’ coming to the world was the clue to the meaning of history. Whether or not others recognize that is up to them.
Personally, I am embarrased that the story of Jesus’ birth is tied in to what happens around December 25th. I’m just as glad to have Jesus extricated from the event altogether. I just can’t bring myself to advocate/defend a position that sees the sacrificial gift of Christ as a reason for the gluttony.
Let Santa Clause have his day!
I think Christians could participate in this mid-winter celebration of excess with much more Christ likeness if Jesus was not the central reason for the season (not that he really is now though mind you)
happy new year!
borrrring paul. laaaame comment