Christmas is less than a week away, so we’re sharing some of the blog’s best posts related to the holiday season. Enjoy, and Merry Christmas!
Saving Scrooge: The Real Meaning of “A Christmas Carol” by Wesley Gant
The message is clear: Scrooge was rich, didn’t give to the poor and didn’t care for Christmas. But to come away from the story thinking this was the source of his condemnation is to miss the whole point. Ebenezer Scrooge was haunted not because of his wealth or lack of charity alone, but because he had narrowed his perspective and misplaced the true value in life; material security had become his priority—for its own sake—while the love of friends, family and neighbors had been completely neglected.
Something Besides Economics for Christmas by Joy Pullmann
By entering our physical world, Christ redeemed it. This means money, computers, fingers, people and houses can be good, but they are not ends in themselves. Material things are not the point of existence, or the right metric by which to measure life.
Why “White Christmas” Is America’s Favorite Song by David Wilezol
As a recording, “White Christmas” shines on the strength of Crosby’s tender baritone. The lyrics aren’t explicitly about America, but the song is nonetheless an appeal to the American heart and the experiences of the ordinary American. There’s a reason “White Christmas” is the most popular song of all-time: Berlin’s love and understanding of his country informed a body of work that has for decades made our days merry and bright.
“A Christmas Carol”: A Capitalist Story by Jacqueline Isaacs
The lesson of Brooks, Henderson and Dickens is that the government cannot be generous. If the government takes over the responsibility of caring for the poor, then we will all be Scrooges. What benefits our soul, and what led to the redemption of Ebenezer Scrooge, is the personal responsibility to take care of the poor. The New Scrooge took responsibility for caring for the poor in his community. He identified the needs and made the decisions and sacrifices necessary to fill those needs.
The Christmas Discord of Sufjan Stevens by Elise Amyx
Known for his unconventional instrumentation, theatrical performances and lyrical masquerades of rich Christian imagery, Sufjan Stevens is a refreshing alternative for Christian music-lovers disaffected by contemporary Christian bands. Stevens’s recent Christmas album sustains his reputation for eccentric originality, but his theological message is a product of the over-spiritualized culture young evangelicals have grown weary of.
The Right to Say ‘Merry Christmas’ by T. Kurt Jaros
I’m currently spending a year studying here in the UK. Part of my experience here has been witnessing the differences between how the UK and USA treat the Christmas season. I was honestly surprised. Nobody here says, “Happy Holidays.” Everybody, from the cashiers at the local grocery store to the guys working at Subway, everybody says, “Merry Christmas.” I found this surprising given that roughly ten percent of the population attends church services regularly.