Some have called these the “evangelical feast days.” The Church Order of Dort (1619) ordered: 63. Thank you for this post. Celebrating Christmas Presbyterians have not always celebrated Christmas. The Reformed Presbyterian Church of North America (RPCNA) is a Presbyterian church with congregations and missions throughout the United States, Canada, and Japan. http://www.reformation21.org/blog/2014/12/a-tale-of-christmas-kirk-and-k.php. Moreover, if in Christian liberty the churches religiously celebrate the memory of the Lord’s nativity, circumcision, passion, resurrection, and of his ascension into heaven, and the sending of the Holy Spirit upon his disciples, we approve of it highly. . For others, however, it is a sad time as the sense of loss and loneliness is especially intense. Saturnalia was abhorrent to Christians until around 300 A.D. when the Roman Church endeavoured to change the pagan festival into a Christian one claiming that it was to mark the birth of Christ, albeit he was not born on 25th December. The people liked the popular festivals and they liked organs in worship. It does seem very odd (and disrespectful) to me how many speak of baby Jesus at times. Lalthlamuana. But the truth is, that no one knows, and no honest man pretends to know on what day that event transpired. Take a look at Gillespie. This is the name of the day on which is wont to be celebrated the idolatrous Romish sacrifice of the mass, in honor of the birth of Christ. Currently we are holding Sunday … The unpretending garb of the first preachers was laid aside for splendid priestly robes, and every imaginable occasion was seized upon for pomps, processions and festivals. It was an essential principle of the Reformation, which we hold to have been sound, and the only principle which could have been safe, to reject every thing which appeared manifestly to be of human contrivance, and thus to carry the church back, both in its doctrines and its practices, to the incorrupt simplicity of the apostolic times. Dr. Tial Hlei Thanga. The service is appropriate for people of all ages and all stages of the faith journey, and can be used in a wide variety of settings. When the announcement did come – three-household bubbles for five days, combined with the reopening of shops in many places – it was enthusiastically greeted as Christmas being ‘saved’. Sure, someone may have brought it up, but not with the same vehemence and influence as you would find in England or Scotland. 1 Cor. First, there is no evidence that our Lord was born this time of year. The old heathens of the Empire were very loath to abandon their voluptuous and flesh-pleasing system for one which offered so little in return to gratify their appetite for display and self-indulgence. Receive notifications of new HB posts by email. Personally, I don’t find anything wrong with observing Christmas in a secular way and not tying special religious observances to it. He was visibly upset by my mother’s rejection of the idea. The Christmas season is nearing its climax. http://presbyterianplodder.blogspot.co.uk/, I was under the impression that Bullinger and the Second Helvetic allowed the “Evangelical festivals” and not saints’ days, as long as the “Evangelical festivals” were celebrated according to Christian liberty. We preach the Gospel – it is supremely an evangelistic opportunity. It is not easy to find European Reformed theologians or churches offering a defense of the celebration of Christmas. It was foisted in among the observances of religion, along with many other things, for which there can be imagined no reason but a willingness to make a compromise with heathenism. Miscellaneous People. Thanks for all your insightful, challenging and informative articles. For some it is a joyous time to remember the incarnation and birth of Christ our Lord. It makes me feel like I’m not completely alone on the island. As the shopping ebbs and the work schedule slows a bit (for some anyway—remember in your prayers your local police and firefighters as this can be a difficult time for them) it gives us opportunity to think a bit about what we are doing and why. Isaiah 7:14Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel. ️⛪ And, next year, Christmas Day lands on a Sunday…. The earliest mention of the observance on 25 Dec. is in the Philocalian Calendar, representing Roman practice of the year 336 (25 Dec.: natus Christus in Betleem Judeae). Website Scripture Pictures. 1 Thess. It is also edifying, wherever the circumstances of the churches allow, that the same be done on Easter, Pentecost and Christmas. In the place of the few and simple rites of the apostolic times, august and imposing ceremonies were multiplied. Christmas. This is the name of the day on which is wont to be celebrated the idolatrous Romish sacrifice of the mass, in honor of the birth of Christ. Christmas time brings opportunity to re-connect with family and to reflect on the wonder of the incarnation but the historical and ethical problems create unavoidable ambiguities. There are other traditions but they are less likely. But the inspired historian, in introducing the account of our Lord’s birth, approaches no nearer to a designation of the time than this—"And it came to pass in those days," &c. Luke 2:1. To make the transition yet easier for the people, many of the principal festivals were appointed for the very days on which they had been accustomed to celebrate the festivals of the old religion, and were directed to be kept with the same observances. Post was not sent - check your email addresses! On 101.5 WORD-FM Christmas Behind the Scenes A two-part interview with Dr Jonathan Watt discussing the historical, theological, geographical and linguistic aspects of Christmas. But as Protestants, we long ago abjured the authority of the Pope of Rome, and we still utterly repudiate his right to legislate for us, either over our consciences or our conduct. Yes, indeed—but it will not do for us to multiply observances merely because they seem proper. The Reformed Churches of New Zealand are one of the few Reformed churches internationally to subscribe to both the Three Forms of Unity (common among Reformed churches with origins in the European continent, especially the Netherlands) and the Westminster Confession of Faith (common among Reformed or Presbyterian churches with origins in the British Isles). This date was prob. The old Romans, at the end of their Saturnalia, which began on the 19th of December, had been in the habit of celebrating on the 25th of that month, their feast in honor of the birth of Sol. Here in Georgia, a local radio personality and political blogger, Erick Erickson, who is a PCAer and student at RTS Atlanta, says he researched the date and found it to be based on the rabbinic tradition that a prophet always dies on the day of his conception; so if Jesus died on March 25, that would put his birth on December 25. Silver Jubilee of Reformed Presbyterian Church in Myanmar. In its historical origins, the season of Advent was patterned after the season of Lent, a six-week period of penitence and preparation for Easter. Women of the Church Pictures. To the ecclesiastical Solomons of that time the idea occurred, that the work of conversion might be facilitated by rendering Christianity more attractive in its form, and more agreeable to the popular tastes. Christmas Pictures. BULLENTINS . It is not a command, it is not a duty, but it is permissible In the Free Church of Scotland most congregations use it as an outreach opportunity. Although, therefore, if the precise day was known, we might assent perhaps to the propriety of bestowing some special notice upon it, we cannot now see the propriety even of celebrating our Lord’s birth on one day more than on another. E.g., One searches Witsius’ or Turretin’s works in vain for references to Christmas or the celebration of Christ’s nativity. The celebration of Christmas became a point of contention among many Protestants. It’s quite illuminating as to the sorts of arguments used to defend Christmas and the other feast days and ceremonies, which the Anglicans sought to impose. Unhappily, the doctrine had already obtained among them that the Scriptures were not the only rule of faith and practice, and the spirituality of religion was already entirely lost by the great body of its professors. Labels can be helpful, but they are only labels; sometimes they are not so helpful. The Dissenting traditions among the English and the Scots, who faced the state-sanctioned imposition of the Book of Common Prayer, with other traditions and practices, on the basis of a principle that most of the Reformed had rejected, reacted strongly against Christmas. Since in most cities and Provinces of the Netherlands, besides these the days. There are a number of reasons, however, for confessional Reformed and Presbyterian churches to be ambivalent about the Christmas holiday. Presbyterian And Reformed Ambivalence About Christmas The Christmas season is nearing its climax. No, that’s a fair point. Christians in the Eastern traditions keep a different calendar) and on Christmas morning congregations will gather for worship services. It is not the Covenanters that have changed. The Reformed Presbyterian Church held its annual Children's Christmas Party Saturday, Dec. 12. RD. Christmas then is the mass of Christ, an especial mass celebrated in his honor. . Isn’t a possible explanation for the lack of a defense for Christmas is that no one was mounting significant opposition to it? Welcome to the web page for Mint Hill Presbyterian Church located at 8528 Brief Road, Mint Hill, NC. The date is a mere convenience. I am so thankful for the active obedience of Christ! The tradition of associating his birth with 25 December dates the 4th century. This Christmas Eve service tells the story of God’s salvation plan from the Garden of Eden to Jesus’ resurrection. In Geneva, in the 16th century, Calvin observed Christmas reluctantly. Christ Is Still Lord. Good reports that, in the Palatinate, five “Scriptural festivals” were celebrated: Christmas, Good Friday, Easter, Ascension and Pentecost.2 Good argued that they were regarded as scriptural because they could be associated with redemptive-historical events in the New Testament. On that occasion they brought garlands and branches of evergreen from the woods, to deck the temple and altars of their god, and came together tumultuously to conclude the Saturnalian orgies with greater excess of riot. I guess the question comes down to how much liberty we have to imitate (or not) Christ and/or the puritans. I’m also distinctly a Reformed Presbyterian. [from the THE REFORMED PRESBYTERIAN MAGAZINE, January, 1851.] If it had been God's design that the especial event of the birth of his Son should be memorialized in the church by an annual holyday, he would have taken care by his providence that the day should not be lost. In Zürich, the churches embraced the so-called “evangelical feasts” (including Christmas) even as they opposed observing saints’ days in the Second Helvetic Confession (1566). Maybe a starting point is to ask people, when they pronounce the holiday as, “chriss-muss” to honor the word and pronounce it, “Christ Mass”. 67. On 101.5 WORD-FM Christmas Behind the Scenes A two-part interview with Dr Jonathan Watt discussing the historical, theological, geographical and linguistic aspects of Christmas. http://idler.co.uk/article/the-christmas-riots/. Separating themselves from the Roman Catholic Church practices, Protestant Reformation leaders were generally critical of the existing “feast and saint days” of the Catholic Church. Tertullian, in the 3rd century, does not mention it either. I’ve revised the post accordingly. The Christmas Eve Candlelight Service for this afternoon has been cancelled. Many today who defend it might be surprised to find that their arguments were characterized by Giliespie as “popish.”. The First Book of Discipline (1560) rejected Christmas as superstitious and “invented, and imposed on the consciences of men, by laws, councils, and constitutions, without the express command of God’s word” The Directory of Publick Worship (1644), adopted by the Westminster Assembly even before the confession and catechisms were completed, declared, “Festival days, vulgarly called holy-days, having no warrant in the Word of God, are not to be continued.” Remember, the Assembly was composed of Anglicans, Presbyterians, and congregationalists (independents). I should have checked the Decades. They had been accustomed to gorgeous temples, pompous ceremonials, a splendidly attired priesthood, and numerous holiday and festival occasions. That most salutary principle of the Reformation, which has been named, is a sufficient objection. So it was with Christmas. SERMONS. In the New Testament, “elder” doesn’t necessarily refer to an elderly person but is used to describe an office of church leadership. 1. It was also called the Covenanter Church then, for some of its Scottish doctrine. That is a dangerous path to travel in, and the true wisdom is to keep out of it altogether. Special Prayer: Rev. We do not charge them with intentional wickedness, but with a gross error of judgment, into which they could not have fallen if they had had a proper reverence for the word of God, and just ideas of the spirituality of true religion. That “Sun of Righteousness” was the Roman emperor. He complained in a 1551 sermon, “But if you think that Jesus Christ was born today, you are as crazed as wild beasts. For when you elevate one day alone for the purpose of worshiping God, you have just turned it into an idol. In the meantime, we confess that the remembrance of saints, at a suitable time and place, is to be profitably commended to the people in sermons, and the holy examples of the saints set forth to be imitated by all. We must adhere to the principle of the Reformation, and stand by the word of God, or we get at once in the old highway of Romish corruption. Tomorrow evening, on Christmas evening (as observed in the West anyway. Related to this, I read about a year ago how strongly Scottish Presbyterians became of Christmas ONCE THEY WERE TOLD THEY HAD TO CELEBRATE IT from an ENGLISH KING. but we do not approve of feasts instituted for men and for saints. James I. We object to the observance of Christmas by the church, because we believe that its original appointment as a Christian festival was not only unauthorized but wicked. Advent “Advent” means “coming” or “arrival.” During the season of Advent, we celebrate Christ’s coming into the world and watch with expectant hope for his coming again. He simply wants to be clear that this is a deliverance of Church authority, not a matter of the Faith per se, as is the Lord’s Day. The origin of Christmas seems to lie in the pagan festival of Saturnalia which in turn goes back to the supposed birth date of Tammuz (Ezek. See reviews, photos, directions, phone numbers and more for the best Reformed Presbyterian Churches in Christmas, FL. s.v., “Christmas,” in F. L. Cross and Elizabeth A. Livingstone, eds., The Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church (Oxford; New York: Oxford University Press, 2005), 338. I love my wife and express that love every day, but I like to focus on what I owe to her when it is our anniversary.It is because of my human frailty that I benefit from a special day of thankfulness for her – I should have that focus every day. Other reformers, … A second reason is, it is not known that Christ was born on the 25th of December. The Reformed tradition is at least mixed on the observance of Christmas and the other evangelical feasts. This was the day fixed upon for the Christian feast in honor of the birth of Christ; and that the change might not appear material, the practice was retained of adorning the churches with boughs of evergreen, and of making Christmas, in connection with religious worship, a day of special hilarity; and so it has come down to the present time—fun, folic, evergreens and all!—Evangelist. WELCOME. Without a doubt, the world’s most compelling philosophy is found, not on the professor’s bookshelf, but in the children’s section of the local library. … Follow edited Aug 2 '13 at 12:58. answered Aug 1 '13 at 0:59. “My Soul in Stillness Waits” was sung as the opening hymn of every service during the Advent series from Hope Christian Reformed Church, Thunder Bay, Ontario (see p. 3). Prove all things; hold fast that which is good. My mother recounted to me how my youngest brother asked her while praying if they could pray to the baby Jesus (she assumes he had heard something at school); she quickly killed the idea by telling him that Jesus is longer a baby and so forth. From one of the New Testament Greek words for “elder” (presbyteros-singular, presbyteroi-plural), this system of church government emphasizes elders. Now this is eternal life: … Christmas, Idolatrous Holiday, An Article From the Reformed Presbyterian Magazine by Evangelist (Free Reformed MP3) Pastor Greg L. Price Reviews and … . As one who grew up going to churches that did not observe any holy days aside from Sunday, Christmas did seem odd to me. The Reformed Presbyterian churches collectively have a little over 9,538 members worldwide in Northern Ireland, the Republic of Ireland, Scotland, France, the United States of America, Canada, Japan, … Archives. The latter occurs on the 25th of December, the anniversary of the day on which, according to the general belief, our Saviour was born. THE FESTIVALS OF CHRIST AND THE SAINTS. You can set your address, phone number, email and site description in the settings tab.Link to read me page with more information. We do not acknowledge the authority of its appointment. Congregations soon split off for Craftsbury and Topsham, and around 1829 the original group came under the care of the Rev. (Second Decade, Sermon IV; Vol.1, p. 260 in the Parker Society Edition.). For christian liberty is not a licentious power and dissolving of godly ecclesiastical ordinances, which advance and set forward the glory of God and love of our neighbour.” And it appears that after that he goes on to argue against the observation of saints’ days. Wishing you a a Blithe Yule and a Guid New Year, Robert M Walker Improve this answer. 5:21 Everyman's work shall be made manifest and the fire shall try every man's work ofwhat sort it is. It shows how all of Scripture is one big story of God calling his people back to him. 99. Christian churches swelled into vast and magnificent temples. The Reformed Presbyterian Global Alliance is a communion of Presbyterians originating in Scotland in 1690 when its members declined to be part of the establishment of the Church of Scotland. George Gillespie’s A Dispute Against English Popish Ceremonies (1637) brilliantly summarized the objections by most of the Reformed against the observance of Christmas. The sagacity of the Romish church was not long in making the discovery that the chief obstacle in the way of an easy and universal embrace of Christianity, was the world’s natural dislike of the simplicity and purity of its doctrines and practices. Hnuna. He did not authorize them to add to—or to take from—what he had commanded. Chairman: Rev. I am firmly entrenched in the ambiguity! The typical Reformed or Presbyterian, rather than getting all uptight about whether you're using the words accurately or not, would, I hope, just try to explain it to you! Praise Team. In many places the implementation of the Reformation was hindered by civil magistrates, who rejected the regulative principle in favor of Erasmian religious subjectivism that anticipated Pietism in certain respects. If it is acceptable to proclaim the incarnation on any Lord’s Day, then to do so on this Lord’s day cannot be wrong in itself. I’m currently a member of Covenant Presbyterian Church Fort Worth (OPC) opcfw.com . . First... Read more . And this, we suspect, leads to the true doctrine on this subject—that Christians ought to celebrate the unspeakable gift of God every day in the year. If our judgment of propriety is to be the rule, rather than the Scriptures, there is no safety. Well, I suppose I’m a semi-Grinch. 2. I tend to agree with Cromwell with the whole Christmas thing. . If we once begin to burden the church with observances not divinely appointed, we open a door to universal license, and no man can tell what the end will be. We are a church within the Associate Reformed Presbyterian denomination. Its beliefs—formulated via membership in the Reformed Presbyterian Church and RP Global Alliance—place it in the conservative wing of the Reformed family of Protestant churches. The picture in Germany and the Netherlands was similar. In the build-up to the announcement of Christmas ‘bubbles’, more than one newspaper headline declared ‘Two weeks to save Christmas’! The great irony of children’s literature is that the simplest stories often convey the most complex ideas. But it is still urged, with a show of more than ordinary piety, "It seems so very proper to celebrate the birth of our bless Saviour." We should be aware that a fairly wide swath of the Reformed tradition was highly critical of the observance of Christmas. As the shopping ebbs and the work schedule slows a bit (for some anyway—remember in your prayers your local police and firefighters as this can be a difficult time for them) it gives us opportunity to think a bit about what we are doing and why. “Miren qué bueno¡” was sung at the joint English/Spanish service at West End Presbyterian … It never crosses Turretin’s mind to say it is wrong or even unprofitable to observe a festival. The roots of this church are in Ryegate some twenty years after the American Revolution (1798), when the Reformed Presbyterian Church was formed there. The Lutherans embraced it and you will take their Christmas tree when you pry it from their cold, dead fingers. Not To Worry. 28:20). However, our political leaders continue to warn us not to get … Those of the Reformed tradition, however, who embraced the regulative principle and who largely shed the medieval church calendar, were much less receptive to Christmas. Does A Realtor Really Have Free Speech If He Must Choose Between Conscience And Commerce? Also, in his sermon on the Sabbath in the Decades he says, “[I]t would be against all godliness and christian charity, if we should deny to sanctify the Sunday: especially, since the outward worship of God cannot consist without an appointed time and space of holy rest. If I lived in Greece I would happily celebrate the incarnation on Jan 7th 2016, as they do. Covenant, Justification, and Pastoral Ministry, http://presbyterianplodder.blogspot.co.uk/, http://www.reformation21.org/blog/2014/12/a-tale-of-christmas-kirk-and-k.php, Heidelcast 182: As It Was In The Days Of Noah (25)—Peaceful Pilgrims, Updated Resource Page On The Reformed Confessions. Got that? Many Christians, especially those with roots in Northern Europe, have Christmas trees in the their homes and sometimes in church buildings. ⛪️. Finally, holy days which have been instituted for the saints and which we have abolished, have much that is absurd and useless, and are not to be tolerated. In former times the Reformed Presbyterian Church was solidly opposed to the religious observance of Christmas, Easter and other special days of the same kind. The minutes of classis and synod meetings leading up to the Great Synod of Dort record a story of repeated conflict between ministers and laity over the implementation of the regulative principle of worship. Yes, the Dutch Reformed Church (the RCA) began to be organized in American c. 1700. It does not seem possible to speak unequivocally about “the continental” view of Christmas (and other feast days) since some of the European churches observed them (albeit under duress) and others more willingly and others not at all. Christianity - Christianity - Presbyterian and Reformed churches: Protestant bodies that owe their origins to the reformatory work of John Calvin and his associates in various parts of Europe are often termed Reformed, particularly in Germany, France, and Switzerland. Personally, the regulative principle is at war with my Midwestern upbringing (a midst the Germans, Czechs, and later, the Dutch). It was his design that the day on which Jesus rose from the dead, should be observed as the Christian Sabbath, and we are therefore particularly informed that that event transpired on the first day of the week. The Reformation reception of Christmas was mixed. The observance of Christmas is really a medieval development and, as we know it, it is largely a Victorian creature driven by economics more than theology or history. True, you insist that you have done so for the honor of God, but it is more for the honor of the devil.” Clearly he was submitting to the civil magistrate against his wishes. Sermon: Rev. In this we have moved away from the older Reformed practice in Scotland, but we do so not because of some biblical obligation to keep a fairly arbitrary date but because of this evangelistic opportunity presented by the date in question. The Lord’s Supper shall be administered once every two months, as much as possible. So I was listening to Michael Medved’s yearly history program on Christmas in the US, and I noticed he said the Dutch brought its celebration to a certain part of the country (I think he said New York). Share. I have no zeal for sol invictus. The facts were simply these. In a word, by compromising the matter, and carrying the gospel at least half-way in the work of conformation, to meet the reluctant idolaters. Businessmen do not call it “Black Friday” without reason. As of 2011, its total communicant membership is 1,952. December 2020; November 2020; October 2020; September 2020; August 2020; July 2020; June 2020; May 2020; April 2020; March 2020; Bible Verse of the Day. Adrian Keister Adrian Keister. . I suppose also, that we ought to think the same of those few feasts and holy days, which we keep holy to Christ our Lord, in memory of his nativity or incarnation, of his circumcision, of his passion, of the resurrection and ascension of Jesus Christ our Lord into heaven, and of his sending the Holy Ghost upon his disciples. All but one of the songs in this issue were included as part of service plans outlined in this issue of Reformed Worship. Reformed Presbyterian Church in North America; What is Presbyterian church government? Reformation leader Martin Luther permitted the celebration of certain feast days, including Christmas.