Childermas

Childermas

Often called Childermas, this day on the Christian calendar has traditionally been celebrated as the Feast of the Holy Innocents.  It is a day that solemnizes the slaughter of the children of Judea by Herod the Great following the birth of Christ. It has always been...
Word Play: Happy Holidays

Word Play: Happy Holidays

Happy Holidays! Don’t worry. I’m not using that phrase because it is now the politically-correct thing to do these days. I know only too well that the banning of carols, crèches, and Christ from a season that only has a whit of significance precisely because of...
Word Play: Humbug

Word Play: Humbug

Humbug is an old word of indeterminate etymology meaning “spectacle” or “hoax” or “jest,” often referring to some unjustified reputation or publicity. Of course, the word is most often associated with Ebenezer Scrooge, a character created by Charles Dickens in The...
Word Play: Merry

Word Play: Merry

“Merry Christmas.” It is likely that we will both say and hear that phrase more than a few times between now and Christmas. For us as believers, it serves as far more than a simple alternative to “Seasons Greetings” or “Happy Holidays.” We know only too well that true...
Christmas, the Gospel, and (Pro) Life

Christmas, the Gospel, and (Pro) Life

The Scriptures command a reverence for life. Embedded in every book and interwoven into every doctrine is the unwavering standard of justice and mercy for all: the weak and the strong, the great and the small, the rich and the poor, the lame and the whole, the young...