The real Saint Patrick

 

Last March I had the unique privilege of celebrating Saint Patrick’s Day in Ireland. This “bucket list” trip was special and memorable for many reasons. I was able to spend time following the Saint Patrick trail and learn more about the man and missionary called Patrick. I discovered much information and inspiration at the new Saint Patrick Center, in Downpatrick, Northern Ireland, at the only museum in the world dedicated to the history and story of Saint Patrick: saintpatrickcentre.com.

During my travels I visited a number of historic sites including Saint Patrick’s Cathedral, Dublin, where it is said Patrick baptized converts in a well in A.D. 450, and also Saul Church, Downpatrick, where Saint Patrick built the first Christian Church in Ireland in A.D. 432.

This post has become somewhat of an annual tradition for me as I write about the story behind the celebration . . . the man called Patrick.

Kidnapped into slavery at age 16 and taken from his home in England to the land of savages in Ireland, Patrick had visions from God that gave him strength and led to his escape. So inspired and moved by God, once home in England he felt compelled to return as a missionary to preach the gospel in a land that had never heard the message of Christ before. The story continues and his writings are full of profound insights, theology, prayers, and confessions that challenge and inspire me deeply. I have included a portion of a hymn written by, or least attributed to, Patrick from around 430 A.D.

It should be noted that Patrick was not recognized as a “saint” until decades later, did not drive snakes out since there were none in Ireland at the time, did not use the three-leaf clover to describe the Trinity, and was basically kicked out of the priesthood for failure to submit to authority. He was, however, a great contextual theologian and missionary who reached an entire people for the Kingdom of God!

We have much to learn and celebrate from the rich and diverse history of our faith.           The traditions of past and present, while different from our own, provide a wonderful opportunity for our faith to increase. This national “holiday” of sorts, Saint Patrick’s Day, has given me an opportunity to learn to appreciate what God has been doing through servants like Patrick through- out the centuries. Of course, we can also expand our food and spirits horizons at our local Irish pub!

While last year I was in Dublin for the festivities, I will be in NYC, which may even have more revelers than the famed Irish city itself.  As I join in the cultural festivities today and in the years to come, I will always be reminded of my time in Patrick’s land.

So, as you listen to U2, thee Cranberries or DropKick Murphies (depending on your style) and raise a pint of Guinness, thank God for examples like Patrick, and may we all follow the example of a life of obedience, sacrifice, servant-hood, faith, prayer, and mission.

 

Prayer of Saint Patrick

Christ be with me, Christ within me,
Christ behind me, Christ before me,
Christ beside me, Christ to win me,
Christ to comfort and restore me,
Christ beneath me, Christ above me,
Christ in quiet, Christ in danger,
Christ in hearts of all that love me,
Christ in mouth of friend and stranger.
I bind unto myself the name,
The strong name of the Trinity;
By invocation of the same.
The Three in One, and One in Three,
Of whom all nature hath creation,
Eternal Father, Spirit, Word:
Praise to the Lord of my salvation,
salvation is of Christ the Lord.

Science for Youth Ministry

Luther Seminary has received a $1.2 million grant from the John Templeton Foundation to fund a three-year project called Science for Youth Ministry: The Plausibility of Transcendence. The project will catalyze faith-and-science conversations with young people through youth ministry and will produce materials to encourage those discussions.

More information on this project can be found on the Luther Seminary website and has a great introductory video from lead collaborator Andrew Root.  https://www.luthersem.edu/research/templeton_grant.aspx

I cannot count how many conversations with students I have had over my 15 years of youth ministry when they ask the daunting question:  Can Faith and Science be connected?

Concept of science and faith locked in battle, or harmony, depending on one’s perspective.

They really want to know whether or not their Christian faith (worldview and convictions) can be reconciled with scientific discoveries or “truths” they are learning in school.  In many ways, I suppose this is not a brand new phenomenon or challenge facing youth ministers.  I suppose that ever since the Scopes trial in the 1920’s, issues of faith/region vs. science/technology have surfaced.    Then it was the creation and evolution debate. Now it might range from gender/sexuality biological findings to theories of time-space travel or the possible discovery of life on other planets.

I am honored to be a part of this conversation and will be attending a writing symposium at Luther Seminary with Andrew Root and other youth workers/thinkers/writers.  Initially, we will base our pieces on the book Galileo Goes to Jail: And Other Myths About Science and Religion edited by Ronald L. Numbers.

http://www.amazon.com/Galileo-Other-Myths-Science-Religion/dp/0674057414/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1457642172&sr=1-1&keywords=galileo+goes+to+jail+and+other+myths+about+science+and+religion

I will write about my observations and reflections in later posts, as well as publish my article on this site.  For now,  I will say that throughout the history of humankind there have been misconceptions about how religion and science coincided in culture and in the hearts and minds of people of faith.  So, in many ways, what we are facing today is really not new or unique.  The actual questions and scientific discoveries may alter over time, but the general premise remains unchanged.

How, if at all, can my  faith coexist with science?  Can “ancient” religious views hold up against “modern” scientific discoveries?  Are those terms fluid or fixed..and for that matter, is one’s faith fixed or fluid?

For more information, and to get your hands on the forthcoming resources to help youth workers embark on this great journey, please visit the Science for Youth Ministry website  http://scienceym.org/

Also, join the online discussion and network by connecting on the Facebook page

https://www.facebook.com/scienceforYM/?fref=ts

“The Whole Thing is a Temple” – Rob Bell’s talk. here. now

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I4LJWg4zr1A

It is finally arrived!  The epic talk given by Rob Bell at the Progressive Youth Ministry conference this past February in Dallas, TX

I wrote a post a few weeks back about Rob’s memorable and almost magical presentation, but now you can actually watch it for yourself.  *See the YouTube link provided above

http://emergingyouth.com/2016/02/24/on-rob-bell-broken-foots-and-deep-mysteries/http://emergingyouth.com/2016/02/24/on-rob-bell-broken-foots-and-deep-mysteries/

Enjoy and feel free to post thoughts, comments, or questions (which I am confident Rob’s talk brings up and he commends!)

 

 

On the big E word….evangelism

That is one word which can bring embarrassment to Christians due to their lack of understanding, experience or lack of comfort. Unfortunately many pastors and church leaders then completely shun,  not only using that term, but actually doing it!

While at #PYM16, I attended a seminar lead by John West, the Visiting Assistant Professor of Evangelism  @johnvest

http://johnvest.com/
I first met John at PYM 14 in Chicago when his own church, the historic Fourth Presbyterian Church hosted the inaugural conference.  John is a brilliant thinker, passionate youth worker and was deeply committed in the re-imagining of Confirmation for today’s youth.  He now teaches on evangelism, faith and the advancement of Christianity within the intersection of progressive and conservative contexts.  I applaud his vision and commend his writings.

Part of this methodology lies in retaining the purpose of evangelism.  This is not about finding new tactics or strategies, but rather by entering into meaningful discussion with other and (most importantly) living authentic lives of faith as examples.

Re-imagining evangelism lies in discovering what resonates  within people, and how to bring others into greater resonance with God’s activity in their lives and the world around them.  That will, and must, look differently for different people, since everyone is wired uniquely. Therefore, how we communicate the gospel and how they understand, articulate and live it needs to also fit uniquely.

Some of his seminar was influenced by a recent book Unbinding the Gospel : Real Life Evangelism by Martha Grace Reese.

http://www.amazon.com/Unbinding-Gospel-Real-Life-Evangelism/dp/0827238088/ref=sr_1_sc_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1457468663&sr=8-1-spell&keywords=unbindng+the+gospel

Some challenging questions asked by the author, and also by John in the seminar include:

Is there good news in our churches?

Is there good news in our lives?”

Reese writes, “Our most important discovery is that a vivid relationship with God lies at the heart of real evangelism.”

The premise is simple but provocative:  You cannot give what you don’t have.”

We should be asking “How do you know God is real?”, rather than “What do you believe?”

Perhaps instead of seeing our “duty” of evangelism as an obligation to convince others our a particular set of beliefs, we can see ourselves as spiritual directors;  helping others to see God’s activity in their life and the world and then learning how to talk about it in real and relevant ways.

John offered some interesting questions to help engage in this process, which I have found to help discover an evangelism that doesn’t suck! (the subtext of his seminar title)

“What was the most important time in your life with God

“How have you experienced God’s presence in your life?”

Perhaps the most thought-provoking and convicting question asked was this:

Does it matter to you 
if other people 
follow Jesus? 
Why or why not?

In many ways, one’s answer to this question holds a key to how to think of and approach evangelism.  I suppose like every Q, this one assumes additional subterranean questions about heaven/hell, what “eternal life” is, the exclusivity of Christ, and whether or not one can live a full and flourishing life outside the contexts of Christianity. These are all worth contemplating in our highly pluralistic society and ever-changing religious context.

After fifteen years of ministry in the Chicago metropolitan area, most recently as the Associate Pastor for Youth Ministry at Fourth Presbyterian Church, John W. Vest currently serves as the Visiting Assistant Professor of Evangelism at Union Presbyterian Seminary in Richmond, Virginia. He holds degrees from Rice University (B.A.), the University of Chicago Divinity School (M.Div.), and McCormick Theological Seminary (D.Min.), and has studied at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. He is co-founder of the Progressive Youth Ministry conference, recently published a collection of confirmation sermons called It’s Not Conformation, and blogs about his “Adventures in Post-Christendom” at johnvest.com. An enthusiastic pitmaster, John dreams of one day achieving the mystical union of church and BBQ.    

Choosing Hope

This week our church had the privilege of welcoming Kaitlin Roig-DeBellis for a community event here in her home town of Greenwich, CT.

She is the is the author of Choosing Hope: Moving Forward From Life’s Darkest Hours and the Executive Director & Founder of Classes 4 Classes. https://classes4classes.org/

A local newspaper, the Greenwich Sentinel did a nice job covering event and you can watch a brief recap here:

https://www.greenwichsentinel.com/2016/02/25/former-sandy-hook-teacher-inspires-encourages-hope/

Kaitlin is a wonderful example of how a person who suffered through a horrific tragedy is able to move forward..not necessarily move on.

On December 14, 2012 gun shots sounded throughout the halls of Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, CT.  It was indeed a dark day for America and a day of unimaginable pain and loss for the parents of the innocent children whose lives were taken from them.

While my wife Lauretta and I welcomed our twin boys Jack and Blake into the world that same morning, we were simultaneously reading the reports of that attack back home.  Our faces were flooded with tears of joy (for the new life brought into the world) and tears of profound sadness (for the parents who would never hold their children again in this life).

It was a day that we will never forget, nor will Kaitlin Roig-DeBellis

Kaitlin was there that day, fulfilling her life-long goal working as a teacher.  Her heroic actions saved the lives of her 15 first-graders that day and she shared with us last evening the emotions and thoughts swirling through her mind during those life-and-death minutes between the shooter’s first fire and the SWAT team’s rescue.

I appreciated her vulnerability and honesty in sharing just how frightened and virtually crippled that day made her and how it was a long and painful process towards healing.  Through prayer and the immense support of family and friends, Kaitlin was able to move beyond that fateful day and not let that dark moment define her future.  She now seeks to help others do the same.

Through a powerful array of inspiration stories, poems, quotations and personal reflections, Kaitlin is able to offer a message of hope to all who have gone through difficult and dark times.  Each day we have an opportunity before us to choose hope.  This choice, as she states, is not always easy but is possible and helpful to bring healing. We cannot control the situations surround us, especially the choices and actions of others.  However we can choose our attitudes and actions and how we respond to situations and circumstances.  We will respond with fear and despair (which is crippling) or hope? (which is life-giving).  In her own words:  “Bad things happen to all of us, things that test us and impact us and change us, but it is not those moments that define.  It is how we choose to react to them that does.”

I believe that part of her own journey towards healing and health, was found in writing her story…as many survivors have done after tragedies.

http://www.amazon.com/Choosing-Hope-Moving-Forward-Darkest/dp/0399174451

By going through this process, she was able to reflect on her life’s purpose and calling to be an educator and advocate for children.   Though no longer teaching in one particular school, Kaitlin now educates children, teachers and schools across the nation. Her messages are still about choosing hope, but now Kaitlin is able to leverage her influence and use her platform for another vision.  Her organization Classes 4 Classes believes that “when we teach kids empathy and tolerance there is no room for hate.”

Classes 4 Classes provides a social network that promotes kindness and social curriculum by connecting teachers and students with other classrooms. Now in 10 states nationally, this Pay-it-Forward grass roots movement is exciting and much needed in our country and globally.  Part of Kaitlin’s vision is to see this movement of connectivity, compassion, kindness and generosity spread across the world.

Many people, such as myself, believe that education is a foundation of flourishing for any society.  Today’s children are indeed tomorrow’s leaders and Classes 4 Classes has a great opportunity of making a positive impact through developing life-long friendships that cross sociology-economic, cultural, racial and ethnic lines.   This is a beautiful and bold vision, which I am honored to bring awareness about and advocate for.

I was honored that she was willing to speak at our church and it was a true delight to facilitate a thoughtful and inspiring Q &A session following her presentation.  I consider her a friend, partner and colleague as together we strive to bring a message of hope into our schools, churches, families and societies.

On Rob Bell…broken foots and deep mysteries

Who begins a talk about the mysteries of the cosmos with a story about a broken foot and a Polish jack-of-all-trades miracle worker?

Rob Bell does.

In my last post, which was a review of the Progressive Youth Ministry Conference, I ended by alluding that Rob Bell spoke, without giving much print to him.

http://emergingyouth.com/2016/02/22/pym-16-progressing-in-the-cosmos/

Truth be told, Rob was indeed the featured “celebrity” speaker, the reason why some choose to attend the conference and for many the highlight of the weekend.

For ten years, much of my youth ministry teaching and pulpit preaching drew ideas and insights from Rob Bell’s books and Nooma videos.  I have always appreciated his thoughts and admired his way of communicating.  I know he has received a bad rap by a sub-sect of more fundamental Christians, but I still applaud his vision and was very happy to see him invited to come and speak at this year’s conference.

In classic Bell fashion, he cleverly crafted a story that helped illustrate how every question (and relative answer) always lends to another question…with a set of answers that inevitably lead to more questions..  Etc.. etc.

Every question and answer leads deeper down into mystery.

One of the basic premises of his talk was the view that all discoveries of humanity thus far, have actually done little to make sense of the human experience and emotions involved.  Scientists becomes theologians the moment they exclaim “Wow” at some wonder they observe. Similarly we become theologians when we experience something profound that no discovery can address.

To Bell, the world will always need those who can create spaces for people to share in the unexplained mysteries of life.  The human experience is rife with raw emotions that cannot be simply explained or rationed away.  These emotions and longings draw us inextricably together in ways that modern science (such as quantum entanglement) may beginning to now realize.

The posture for people of faith towards the advancement of the sciences should be an openness without fear that it will limit our view.  Rather, all discoveries and “truth” should be claimed and celebrated as an expanding of God’s presence in the cosmos and our particular lives.

This mindset does indeed enhance, rather than inhibit, our sense of the inter-connectivity of everything and that the presence of God does permeate in all, through all and with all.  This seems to concur with the ancients view of God and Jesus’ own beliefs.  The great religious traditions have a beautiful role to still play in the world, but too often focus on creating (and then defending/protecting/expanding) their own particular “temples” i.e. institutions, buildings, doctrines, denominations, creeds, etc..

The challenge, Rob offered, is for church to build up the temple in order to inspire others but not to focus on the temple…rather tear it down and let the Divine flood into the world.  This does not insinuate that God’s presence and activity is not already permeable throughout the cosmos, but rather how often people of faith believe that it somehow exists and operates almost exclusively within particularities.   The Jews certainly believed that to be true with the Divine and the Temple.  Jesus came onto the scene and radially revolutionized that concept in many ways, one of which was his conversation with a woman at a well:

¹ Jesus said to her, “Woman, believe me, the hour is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. ²² You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, for salvation is from the Jews. ²³ But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father seeks such as these to worship him. ²⁴ God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.”

Sadly, many Christians have continued this false dichotomy and almost dualism by insisting that God can only be found, understood and experienced through very specific (and often limited) means.  This may include one’s particular creed, denomination, theological view, style of music, method of baptism, etc. etc.. etc…

What if….

What if the whole thing is a temple? 

Everything and everywhere.  The heights and depths.  The earth and the heavens.  The past and the future.  Those of homo-sapien origins and perhaps those of extraterrestrial existence?

It seems to me that if this were true, it would expand God’s majesty and beauty, while at the same time enhancing the importance of every aspect of life.  No more would the sacred -secular divide exist, which appears to be what Jesus desired and ushered in.

Well, every question leads to other questions, so I will ruminate on this idea for some time but am glad that Rob came to not only entertain us comically, but also enlighten us theologically in brilliant Bell fashion.

PYM 16…progressing in the cosmos

 

The smoky smell of Texas meat and the taste of tacos remain in my mind and fresh on my person as I write a recap of the Progressive Youth Ministry Conference 2016 deep in the heart….of Texas.

This is the third PYM conference in which the organizer, the JoPa Group http://thejopagroup.com is attempting to create a unique, “one-of-a-kind” conference for progressively minded youth workers.  It is always difficult to define “progressive” because it is not necessarily a synonym for left-wing liberal (as some naively believe).  By definition the word alludes towards a hopeful progress or maturation of something that perhaps was working at the time, is now broken, or simply in need of new energy.   I’ll attempt to write more about that at a later time and why I have chosen on two occasions to attend this conference…and am glad I did.

Tony Jones, Doug Pagitt and John West once again teamed up to offer an eclectic array of seminars, speakers and experiences.  Although the overriding theme is youth ministry, this year’s specific focus Faith in an Age of Reason. Special sessions included Paul Wallace on “Finding God in the Evolving Universe” and Catherine Keller, “God, Mystery and Science”.  These were riveting and thought-provoking as both presenters, and the majority of attendees, see the correlation rather than confrontation of faith and science. This can, and should, open the religiously minded up to new scientific discoveries that actually expand our view of the majesty of God’s presence in the cosmos and our lives.

Progressives are learning and loving to not be afraid of science and do not believe that one must check their intellect at the door before entering a church or following Christ.  Scientific discoveries such as the Higgs boson”God particle”, quantum entanglement, and fifth-dimensional black holes are not seen as inhibitors of faith, but rather as enhancers of faith and the cosmic grandeur of God and inter-connectivty of everything.  This opens the door of wonder and awe to the possibilities of time-space travel and extraterrestrial life without fear of crumbling faith.

This year’s conference was hosted at the Cathedral of Hope, https://www.cathedralofhope.com/ a congregation of the U.C.C known regionally as a radical beacon of civil rights, justice and inclusivity. I also have another blog post drafted about this particular congregation in light of my personal experience there over five days.   Of course, this choice of host church is both symbolic and practical, thus granting freedom for the conference organizers to include members of the LGBT community as speakers and presenters.   This is no longer an issue for progressive churches and denominations but what has become an issue is the apparent devaluing of Jesus’s life, ministry, death and resurrection.

The issue at stake for many of the conference presenters and attendees?

How to get Jesus back into our churches and central in our lives.  The overall view is that many progressives, the pendulum has swung too far to the point where even talking about one’s experience of God, singing worship songs about Jesus, and inviting the Holy Spirit’s work is see as negative and almost embarrassing.

I was fortunate to arrive on Wednesday to attend “The Pulse” contemporary worship service and have not experienced a more Spirit-infused worship service in quite a while. It reminded me of many evangelical/charismatic services I have attended in the past…except it was not.  The same Spirit was clearly present and active as the congregation (mostly LGBT persons) declared their desire to passionately follow Christ and make Jesus the center of their lives.   The Senior Pastor time and time again throughout the conference stated that they are a church that is unapologetic about their passionate pursuit of Jesus.

The host church provided exceptional hospitality and an overwhelmingly warm welcome from the first day to the last, for that I am grateful and inspired.

The conference itself provided an array of plenary sessions, workshops, general sessions and alternative gatherings such as a live podcast of Homebrewed Christianity with Tripp Fuller homebrewedchristianity.com and a live concert at the Union Coffee House https://uniondallas.net/ with Grammy-Award winner Phil Madeira  http://philmadeira.net/

These were fun, lively, entertaining and thought-provoking.

The seminars I personally attended I hope to write about as well, but it seemed apparent to me that most attendees were interested in the practical implications/applications of theology and student ministry.  Most people who attended have youth groups to organize, bible studies to lead and students to counsel.  They were looking for ideas and insights and hoping they could return to their churches with heads and hearts inspired to continue their call…and with suitcases uncluttered from PYM “swag”.

The conference provided a good balance of “heady” material with “heart”, as seminar leaders hoped to encourage and equip us for our everyday calling.

Oh yeah…and Rob Bell spoke as well 🙂

Magi Musings…an Epiphany epilogue

(the Epiphany mural above was personally photographed by the author at the Saint-Etienne-du-Mont in Paris)

I must confess that before I moved to Paris to work at The American Church, I did not know what Epiphany was, so if you find yourself wondering the same question…no worries!

In the liturgical worship of the Christian calendar, Epiphany is celebrated on Wednesday January 6 this year with Epiphany Sunday on January 10th.  This celebration marks the arrival of the wise men or “magi” to worship the infant Christ.  Of course we do not know how many of them came to visit Jesus, but we do know that at least three significant and symbolic gifts were presented.  We also do not know when precisely they arrived, but most scholars maintain it was probably a few months (or even up to two years) after the birth of Christ.  Either way, it is important to celebrate their arrival of these first Gentiles to worship the Savior of the nations.

Epiphany also concludes the 12 Days of Christmas, which contrary to some, is the 12 days of giving gifts after Christmas, not before. Epiphany is celebrated among liturgical denominations and specifically within Orthodox Christianity. In fact, many of my friends both in France and here in Greenwich who are originally from places like Russia, Romania, Ukraine and Greece, wait until January to give and receive their Christmas gifts.  The season of Epiphany also marks the end of Christmastide and when the decorations are stored and festivities conclude, thus ushering in a new season of preparation for Lent.

The actual word Epiphany can be translated “manifestation”, “striking appearance” or “vision of God”.  It is a Christian feast day that celebrates the revelation of God the Son as a human being in the person of Jesus Christ. Western Christians commemorate principally (but not solely) the visitation of the magi to the baby Jesus, and thus Jesus’ physical manifestation to the Gentiles.

I rather enjoy rethinking my normal Christmas traditions and assumptions and appreciate the continuation of the season and spirit into January. I was always one who wanted to keep up decorations at least through New Year’s day, but now I actually have a theological reason to do so!

Concerning the magi, we do not know much about their story (background, beliefs, or future faith journey), but we know that they were guided and lead by light.  They responded in faith with what they had.  a vision. a desire. a star.  hope.

Many of us are on a similar journey.  We do not know where it will end up but we hope to encounter the Christ along the way.

I  wonder what they were thinking during the day, week, and months of their pilgrimage.  These individuals were scholars, astrologers, and cosmologists.  They were intelligent, observant, and rational people I assume.  They were men of science…and faith it appears and God revealed himself to them in means they could understand and interpret.

A reasonable conclusion from this story is that God worked, and works, in mysterious ways and we should not limited God to work only within traditional “religious” or even “Christian” parameters.

Many questions come to mind looking back upon this fascinating story

What the magi were hoping to find?

How much of God’s story did they know or understand?

I suppose we cannot know.  But we do know that God spoke to them in amazingly clear and directive ways and we may do well this season to ask if God is speaking to us?

Are we prepared to see divine signs of God’s guiding and direction in strange and unusual ways?

May we be open and ready to discover God, not only through these miraculous manifestations but also  in the commonplace; arts, conversations, culture, and sciences.

It has become clear to me that God desires to be discovered in all, and through all things.  He is a self-revealing God, and we should not box God in by our own expectations and limitations.  God will come to us.  The question is…we will let God do so?

How still we see thee lie….

Every year around this time, especially during a candle-lit Christmas Eve service,  we sing the familiar carol “O Little Town of Bethlehem” accompanied with nostalgic images of a quite, sleepy, peaceful village town in Israel.  Historically we believe this to be true, but alas times have changed.

I recently visited Bethlehem, situated in the Palestinian West Bank and what I found was rather disturbing.  The once peaceful environment is now literally walled out.

This is a complex history behind this, which is worth familiarizing yourself with but depending on which resources you read and people you speak with, the causes and impact vastly differ.

Yes, there are two sides to every story, but for most of my life living in America, I only heard one side of this story.

I recommend watching the link below for a brief observation of what is going on in Bethlehem, from an often unheard voice in this sad saga.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uA4U-rlkg9Q

Yes, I realize there is truth in both sides of the stories, but too often we never get to the point of honest dialogue and meaningful discourse when exposed to only one perspective.

For those seeking hope, reconciliation and restoration (and have not giving up hope even in the midst of the current strife and turmoil), there are some wonderful resources and organizations I have been made aware of recently.

I have highlighted three worth looking into.

One is a documentary, one is a conference and one is an NGO.

All aim to use the tools of truth, honesty, open conversation and friendship to bring an end to the hatred and hostility in the birthplace of the Prince of Peace.

http://littletownofbethlehem.org/

http://christatthecheckpoint.com/index.php/en/

https://www.musalaha.org/home/

O little town of Bethlehem,
How still we see thee lie!
Above your deep and dreamless sleep,
The silent stars go by.
Yet in thy dark streets shineth
The everlasting Light,
The hopes and fears of all the years,
Are met in thee tonight.

O morning stars, together
Proclaim thy holy birth
And praises sing to God, the King,
And peace to men on earth.
For Christ is born of Mary,
And gathered all above,
While mortals sleep, the angels keep
Their watch of wondering love.

How silently, how silently,
The wondrous Gift is giv’n!
So God imparts to human hearts
The blessings of His heaven.
No ear may hear His coming,
But in this world of sin,
Where meek souls will receive Him still,
The dear Christ enters in.

Jolly Ole’ St. Nicholas….. of Myra

I will never forget the day my parents broke the horrible news to me about Santa.  I had been watching TV and a commercial with the big man in a red suit appeared and I ran to the TV and kissed his image and exclaimed “Santa I love you!”.  It may have been the borderline idolatry and worship of this fictional character or the fact I was 16 that lead my parents to share the “truth” with me.  (Ok, I wasn’t exactly 16….).   So, they sat me down and told me the cold hard facts that put Santa on equal terms with the Easter bunny, Tooth Fairy, and Hulk Hogan. Yet I still choose to believe that Wrestle Mania was real!

I was crushed.  Certain fantasies are meant to only last so long I suppose.

Looking back what I find interesting is the “truth” about Santa Claus was more of demythologizing of him than shedding light on the actual truth of his origins.

I know many parents who do not let their kids believe in Santa (they use clever mind control tactics developed in Russia)

Others, without the budget or insanity, simply prohibited the images of jolly ole’ Saint Nick and the watching of Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer in their homes.  Now clearly, if you live in the U.S one would have to lock up your child inside to completely isolate them from Santa.  Besides, he knows when you are sleeping and knows when you are awake!

What many do is realize the cultural saturation of the Coca-Cola Claus propaganda, and at an early age tell their children he is simply a myth.  These kids then become more mature and sensible than their peers because they are not deceived into believing a lie.  Think about the mom in A Miracle on 34th Street and you begin to get the picture!

Now this can be done with a bit more tact and sensitivity than some parents use, and certainly more than Vince Vaughn in the following scene:

Don\’t drink the Kool-Aid from \”Fred Claus\”

Parents, please don’t get mad at me if you happen to take that approach.  To each his or her own.

However…..rather than the above mentioned approaches, here is what I propose and some close friends are doing.  (I think this can and should apply to all Christians and not just parents)

We can reclaim good ole’ St. Nick by sharing the story of the historical (and very real) Saint Nicholas.  I find it interesting that many people do not know there was a real clergy member of the Church named Nicholas, and those who do, know very little about his life and faith.

By teaching about the life journey and faith of saints like Nicholas, tribute is paid to the “cloud of witnesses” who have gone before us.  Theology, doctrine, discipleship, piety, and obedience can be on display and promoted during the season instead of just shiny little lights and Xbox games.

I personally believe that reclaiming Saint Nicholas back to the truly “Christian” aspect of Christmas can tie in the theological implications and reality of the incarnation with the cultural phenomenon that has become the holiday on December 25.

Attempting this dialogue and conversation may serve better than placing Santa at the nativity  (although I suppose I can appreciate the intent)

I am no expert of the life and teachings of Saint Nicholas, Bishop of Myra, but I will provide a brief synopsis and helpful links for further research and study.

Nicholas, who was born during the third century in the village of Patara. At the time the area was Greek and is now on the southern coast of Turkey. His wealthy parents, who raised him to be a devout Christian, died in an epidemic while Nicholas was still young. Obeying Jesus’ words to “sell what you own and give the money to the poor,” Nicholas used his whole inheritance to assist the needy, the sick, and the suffering. He dedicated his life to serving God and was made Bishop of Myra while still a young man. Bishop Nicholas became known throughout the land for his generosity to the those in need, his love for children, and his concern for sailors and ships. Under the Roman Emperor Diocletian, who ruthlessly persecuted Christians, Bishop Nicholas suffered for his faith, was exiled and imprisoned. The prisons were so full of bishops, priests, and deacons, there was no room for the real criminals—murderers, thieves and robbers. After his release, Nicholas attended the Council of Nicaea where it is reported he helped defend the deity of Christ in AD 325. He died December 6, AD 343 in Myra and was buried in his cathedral church, where a unique relic, called manna, supposedly formed in his grave.

Because of the many miracles attributed to his intercession, he is also known as Nikolaos the Wonderworker He had a reputation for secret gift-giving, such as putting coins in the shoes of those who left them out for him, and thus became the model for Santa Claus, whose modern name comes from the Dutch Sinterklaas.

There are many legends and fables about his miracles and acts of service which help explain the progression towards the modern-day creation of Santa Claus.

During this Christmas season, we should keep focused on the real miracle of Christ’s incarnation.  Let us never lose sight of that.  However, if you are like me and still really do enjoy the North Pole, those cute little elves, and leaving cookies for Santa, then perhaps getting back to the actual origins of Saint Nick just might keep yourself and kids balanced a bit more than previous years.

St. Nicholas of Myra

Bishop of Myra, Defender of Orthodoxy, Wonderworker, Holy Hierarch

(Also called NICHOLAS OF BARI).

Christianity Today- The Real Saint Nicholas

Catholic Online- Saint Nicholas

stories and tales about Saint Nicholas

Blog post from The Resurgence