{"id":245859,"date":"2022-12-18T15:18:55","date_gmt":"2022-12-18T13:18:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.myza.co.za\/how-to-live-up-to-the-true-spirit-of-christmas\/"},"modified":"2022-12-18T15:18:55","modified_gmt":"2022-12-18T13:18:55","slug":"how-to-live-up-to-the-true-spirit-of-christmas","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.myza.co.za\/press\/how-to-live-up-to-the-true-spirit-of-christmas\/","title":{"rendered":"How to live up to the true spirit of Christmas"},"content":{"rendered":"
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If the media, popular entertainment, and retail habits are taken as indicators then the celebration of Christmas<\/a> is no longer just the reserve of Christians. This has some consequences for the religious and non-religious alike.<\/p>\n

In popular culture and the media, Christmas is portrayed as a time of happiness, togetherness, generosity, and peace. In the \u201cmade for Christmas\u201d movies, such as those on the popular Hallmark Channel<\/a>, a \u201cfeel good\u201d message is the order of the day.<\/p>\n

Whether it be the rekindling of a long-lost love<\/a> or reconciling<\/a> between family members after a long and painful conflict, viewers are led to believe that there is a certain kind of \u201cmagic\u201d<\/a> at work during what has become known in largely secular terms<\/a> as \u201cthe holiday season\u201d. <\/p>\n

Many people believe, either overtly or tacitly<\/a>, that Christmas and the celebrations surrounding it will bring them joy, peace, happiness and togetherness.<\/p>\n

In my research<\/a>, which is in a field called public theology<\/a>, I study such \u201cbeliefs\u201d to try to understand where they come from, why people hold them, and what implications they have for our social, political and economic life.<\/p>\n

I call these \u201csecular beliefs\u201d<\/a> to differentiate them from traditional \u201creligious beliefs\u201d. A secular belief is not formally attached to a religion, or has become detached from a particular religion over time. In this sense, Christmas has come to embody a kind of \u201csecular spirituality\u201d<\/a>. This has much more in common with the dominant symbols and aspirations of our age (such as leisure, pleasure, social control and consumption) than it does with its religious roots.<\/p>\n

Understanding Christmas<\/h2>\n

Christmas, as the name suggests, is linked to the birth of Jesus the Christ. As a professor of theology, I have often jokingly said, \u201cChrist is not Jesus\u2019s surname\u201d. The word \u201cChrist\u201d comes from the Greek word \u03a7\u03c1\u03af\u03c3\u03c4\u03bf\u03c2<\/em> (Chr\u00edstos), which is the Greek translation for the Hebrew word \u201cmessiah\u201d (\u05de\u05b8\u05e9\u05b4\u05c1\u05d9\u05d7\u05b7<\/em> or m\u0101\u0161\u012ba\u1e25<\/em>). For Jewish people, and later for Christians (people who name themselves after their messiah, Jesus the Christ), the messiah was God\u2019s promised liberator<\/a> \u2013 a King who would come to liberate God\u2019s people from their oppressors and lead them in peace and prosperity.<\/p>\n

Christians believe that Jesus is the promised messiah (according to passages in the Bible, such as Isaiah 9:6-7, John 4:25 and Acts 2:38). He came preaching a message of love, peace and anti-materialism. <\/p>\n

Early in Christian history, Christians began to celebrate the birth of Jesus the Christ (the promised liberator) in special services, what became known as the \u201cmass\u201d<\/a> after the Latin word missa<\/em>. Hence, it was the combination of those two words that later became one word, Christmas, a feast that celebrates liberation, peace and joy through the messiah.<\/p>\n

When presented in these terms, it would not be surprising to ask what the contemporary presentations of Christmas (particularly in the western world) have to do with the celebration of Jesus the Christ. Santa Claus, snowmen and reindeer seem to have replaced Jesus and his disciples. <\/p>\n

Instead of focusing on messianic liberation and anti-materialism, Christmas is focused on parties, family gatherings, and gift-giving. In other words, like so much of western modernity, the focus has turned from the sacred to the secular<\/a> and from God to the human self.<\/p>\n

Research shows<\/a> that there are seven primary activities and experiences that are attached to the contemporary Christmas holiday:<\/p>\n