Friday, December 11, 2009

Happy Holydays

An interesting thought occurred while Wife and I were having a conversation about preparations for Advent and Christmas at her school. She made two comments about goings on and I questioned both of them. One being that at a parochial school she wasn’t certain all the teachers were practicing Christians, and the other that they didn’t seem to “get” Advent.

Ever the contrarian, while I agreed that the school should be called to task if all teachers weren’t nominally Christian; at the same time, I suggested she be more tolerant of different denominations approaching Christmas from different angles. Our understanding of Advent as preparation for the Incarnation and awaiting Christmas from a point of anticipation stems from our denominational tradition, and not all folks have the same “take” on the season. For some it’s more of an “it’s already here and will culminate on Dec 25th”, rather than just begin and last for an ensuing 12 days.

That took me to the thought that: “It would seem many evangelical &/or pentecostal denominations seek to focus only upon: ‘Jesus died to save me from my sins’; while I see the Christ’s crucifixion almost completely thru the lens of resurrection and God’s subsequent redemption of mankind.” Kind of like the difference between the “God’s ‘gonna get you for that” God of the Old Testament and my “There but for the Grace of God go I” God of the New.

Going one step further, while I hold a “sure and certain hope in the resurrection”, my wife is “confident” in her salvation. Same words – different perspective. But then wife says: “She’s not that Anglican; but I am.”

Y’all all prepare, each in your own manner, for our Lord’s coming. However, do make ready.