The Puritans and Christmas

Status
Not open for further replies.
J

James Swan

Puritan Board Freshman
Greetings: I'm super-busy and not willing to take the time to research this out for myself (yes, I'm admitting my agenda: selfishness).

I just saw a report on a conservative news TV channel that the contemporary "war on Christmas" has roots that go back the original Puritans that settled in the new world. The report noted that the Puritans had fines against anyone found celebrating Christmas. Then the report said something like, after about 20 years of this, under British rule, Christmas was allowed to be celebrated.

Would someone be willing to provide a brief explanation as to the truth or falsity of this?

Thanks.
 
I don't know about when it was allowed, but New England famously ignored the day for a long time. I've been wanting to link to naphtali.com several times this morning for which see the American xmas article, but the cite is down and my tech is off somewhere for some reason this week.
James Swan said:
Greetings: I'm super-busy and not willing to take the time to research this out for myself (yes, I'm admitting my agenda: selfishness).

I just saw a report on a conservative news TV channel that the contemporary "war on Christmas" has roots that go back the original Puritans that settled in the new world. The report noted that the Puritans had fines against anyone found celebrating Christmas. Then the report said something like, after about 20 years of this, under British rule, Christmas was allowed to be celebrated.

Would someone be willing to provide a brief explanation as to the truth or falsity of this?

Thanks.
Click to expand...
 
It's probably safe to say that the comment you saw is not really enlightening. The Puritans had different reasons for opposing Christmas than we find in today's secular "war on Christmas." The Puritans saw the day's observance as a part of Roman Catholic idolatry, and opposed it because they wanted to honor Christ. The secularists today oppose it because they want to keep Christ from being honored.

Why one opposes the day matters a great deal. It is not fair to suggest the Puritans were like modern secularists.
 
Jack K said:
The Puritans saw the day's observance as a part of Roman Catholic idolatry, and opposed it because they wanted to honor Christ. The secularists today oppose it because they want to keep Christ from being honored.Why one opposes the day matters a great deal. It is not fair to suggest the Puritans were like modern secularists.
Click to expand...

Would you (or anyone here) know of any "modern day" "Puritans" that do not celebrate Christmas because of the influx of secularism? I'm particularly interested in any Reformed sects that do not celebrate Christmas.

Thanks. JS
 
James Swan said:
Would you (or anyone here) know of any "modern day" "Puritans" that do not celebrate Christmas because of the influx of secularism? I'm particularly interested in any Reformed sects that do not celebrate Christmas.

Thanks. JS
Click to expand...
Present! However, it's not that we abstain from celebrating because of secularism. It's because we're convinced from Scripture that only God can set a day apart as holy. For the church to do so without Divine sanction is idolatry.
 
TylerRay said:
Present! However, it's not that we abstain from celebrating because of secularism. It's because we're convinced from Scripture that only God can set a day apart as holy. For the church to do so without Divine sanction is idolatry.
Click to expand...

Hi Tyler,

Is this belief only located in your present church, or is it denominational?

Thanks, JS
 
James Swan said:
Would you (or anyone here) know of any "modern day" "Puritans" that do not celebrate Christmas because of the influx of secularism? I'm particularly interested in any Reformed sects that do not celebrate Christmas.

Thanks. JS
Click to expand...

When I was a kid, we were in Dutch Reformed circles where the issue was different from what we see here coming from the Presbyterian side of things. The continental Reformed tradition has been more accepting of church holidays, but concerned about secularization. Some of our Dutch Reformed friends would absolutely go to church on Christmas but would refuse to take part in anything that seemed to secularize the day: so no gifts, no tree, no holiday specials on TV, no fancy meals, no fruitcakes, no Christmas cards (unless they contained Scripture verses), no plastic reindeer in the front yard, certainly no talk of Santa Claus. The debates over what was allowable could get heated at times.

I don't recall knowing of any folks who refused to attend church on Christmas because the day had been secularized. There may have been some. But it was more common to attend church proudly as a statement that the day should not be secularized.

The fervor was similar to what I see in the Presbyterian debates over whether or not Christmas is appropriate in church—but it was all about Christmas outside of church.

I find the variety of positions and issues in the broader Reformed world to be an interesting phenomenon. This board has a lot of Presbyterian/Puritan influence (it's in our very name). I do love the Puritans. But as one whose spiritual roots are on the other side of the Channel, I also occasionally feel a bit discombobulated here. A few things—and Christmas is one of them—get approached from a very different angle.
 
This is a limited list of some denominations that at least seem to have mostly rejected the 'Christian' aspects of Christmas. They reject all on varying degrees of severity, and this is all based on my own personal observations of members and churches from these denominations:

Orthodox Presbyterian Church
Reformed Presbyterian Church of North America
Presbyterian Reformed Church
American Presbyterian Church
Westminster Presbyterian Church of the United States
Free Church of Scotland (Continuing)
Heritage Reformed Church
-
Now here is a list of churches I've had less interaction with its members but I assume feel similarly in general:

Reformed Presbyterian Church General Assembly
United Reformed Church of North America
Protestant Reformed Church

__

Let me point out once more, not every single member/church feels the same way about the holiday, but from my personal experience the rejection of celebrating Christmas within the church seems mainstream within the churches I mentioned. Celebrations within the home is a different story however.
 
Last edited:
W.C. Dean said:
This is a limited list of some denominations that at least seem to have mostly rejected the 'Christian' aspects of Christmas. They reject all on varying degrees of severity, and this is all based on my own personal observations of members and churches from these denominations:

Orthodox Presbyterian Church
Reformed Presbyterian Church of North America
Presbyterian Reformed Church
American Presbyterian Church
Westminster Presbyterian Church of the United States
Heritage Reformed Church
-
Now here is a list of churches I've had less interaction with its members but I assume feel similarly in general:

Reformed Presbyterian Church General Assembly
United Reformed Church of North America
Protestant Reformed Church

__

Let me point out once more, not every single member/church feels the same way about the holiday, but from my personal experience the rejection of celebrating Christmas within the church seems mainstream within the churches I mentioned. Celebrations within the home is a different story however.
Click to expand...
The HRC (like all traditional Dutch churches) observes a church calendar that includes Chrismas.
 
TylerRay said:
The HRC (like all traditional Dutch churches) observes a church calendar that includes Chrismas.
Click to expand...

True but their websites declares they highly discourage any celebration in the home, hence the inclusion. Also brother I forgot your church, the FCS(C)
 
A little off topic, but does anyone know what the early Reformed Baptist position was on Christmas? I haven’t seen any writing about it before. I’m talking Baptists in the 1600’s.
 
W.C. Dean said:
United Reformed Church of North America
Click to expand...

No, they're from the Dutch Reformed side of things. You shouldn't list them as being against the religious side of Christmas. They might discourage secular celebrations, as I mentioned the continentals are inclined to do, but they tend to favor church observance. They've backed off a bit from the old Church Order that mandated Christmas services, but Christmas services are still mentioned. From the URCNA Church Order:

Article 37 – Corporate Worship and Special Services The Consistory shall call the congregation together for corporate worship twice on each Lord's Day. Special services may be called in observance of Christmas Day, Good Friday, Ascension Day, a day of prayer, the national Thanksgiving Day, New Year's Eve and New Year's Day, as well as in times of great distress or blessing. Attention should also be given to Easter and Pentecost on their respective Lord's Days.​
 
Rutherglen1794 said:
A little off topic, but does anyone know what the early Reformed Baptist position was on Christmas? I haven’t seen any writing about it before. I’m talking Baptists in the 1600’s.
Click to expand...
For a more contemporary RB view of Christmas, Albert N. Martin's "Christmas and the Christian" series of sermons, which unsurprisingly morphed into a whole series on Christian liberty in general, is very good. His view is mine also, and I earnestly wish that more people who called themselves Reformed Baptists held it as well.
 
Jack K said:
When I was a kid, we were in Dutch Reformed circles where the issue was different from what we see here coming from the Presbyterian side of things. The continental Reformed tradition has been more accepting of church holidays, but concerned about secularization. Some of our Dutch Reformed friends would absolutely go to church on Christmas but would refuse to take part in anything that seemed to secularize the day: so no gifts, no tree, no holiday specials on TV, no fancy meals, no fruitcakes, no Christmas cards (unless they contained Scripture verses), no plastic reindeer in the front yard, certainly no talk of Santa Claus. The debates over what was allowable could get heated at times.

I don't recall knowing of any folks who refused to attend church on Christmas because the day had been secularized. There may have been some. But it was more common to attend church proudly as a statement that the day should not be secularized.

The fervor was similar to what I see in the Presbyterian debates over whether or not Christmas is appropriate in church—but it was all about Christmas outside of church.

I find the variety of positions and issues in the broader Reformed world to be an interesting phenomenon. This board has a lot of Presbyterian/Puritan influence (it's in our very name). I do love the Puritans. But as one whose spiritual roots are on the other side of the Channel, I also occasionally feel a bit discombobulated here. A few things—and Christmas is one of them—get approached from a very different angle.
Click to expand...
What you described is peculiar though, it was a statement that the day shouldn’t be secularized, but they don’t believe it to be a God-sanctioned official day of public worship (rightly so). The truth is they don’t want any day to be secularized. This is both noble and virtually impossible. The intent is good but I fear it could potentially be a fruit of faulty, man-centered doctrine. You can’t manufacture these things from the outside like cleaning the outer cup. I'm not sure what the balance should be. Obviously, we should always keep our hearts and minds fixed on the Lord and live accordingly as our regenerated hearts are inclined and moved by the Holy Spirit.
 
Last edited:
Rutherglen1794 said:
A little off topic, but does anyone know what the early Reformed Baptist position was on Christmas? I haven’t seen any writing about it before. I’m talking Baptists in the 1600’s.
Click to expand...

A much later era than what you are interested in, but here is an article that provides a very interesting history of Southern Baptists and how their view of Christmas has changed since the mid-1800s. A thought provoking read if interested.
 
B.L. McDonald said:
A much later era than what you are interested in, but here is an article that provides a very interesting history of Southern Baptists and how their view of Christmas has changed since the mid-1800s. A thought provoking read if interested.
Click to expand...
Interesting. Thank you.
 
I tried to pick the best fit among the many recent threads on this topic
for a thought I had today. As I was thinking about these discussions I was struck that Christ’s direction to the gathered Church is specifically to remember his death, and show it forth, until he comes. The church isn’t commanded to perform any remembrance of his incarnation, or the resurrection for that matter. And so it seems to me the church should tremble to be found doing so.
 
Jeri Tanner said:
I tried to pick the best fit among the many recent threads on this topic
for a thought I had today. As I was thinking about these discussions I was struck that Christ’s direction to the gathered Church is specifically to remember his death, and show it forth, until he comes. The church isn’t commanded to perform any remembrance of his incarnation, or the resurrection for that matter. And so it seems to me the church should tremble to be found doing so.
Click to expand...
I’m not arguing in favour of anything when I say this, but by that logic, a Good Friday service is the creme de la creme.
 
Rutherglen1794 said:
I’m not arguing in favour of anything when I say this, but by that logic, a Good Friday service is the creme de la creme.
Click to expand...
Well, not sure about all my logic p’s and q’s per se, but the instituted remembrance and showing forth of the Lord’s death is, of course, the Lord’s supper. Not a whole stated meeting/worship service.
 
Jeri Tanner said:
Well, not sure about all my logic p’s and q’s per se, but the instituted remembrance and showing forth of the Lord’s death is, of course, the Lord’s supper. Not a whole stated meeting/worship service.
Click to expand...
Ah, of course.
 
Jack K said:
Article 37 – Corporate Worship and Special Services The Consistory shall call the congregation together for corporate worship twice on each Lord's Day. Special services may be called in observance of Christmas Day, Good Friday, Ascension Day, a day of prayer, the national Thanksgiving Day, New Year's Eve and New Year's Day, as well as in times of great distress or blessing. Attention should also be given to Easter and Pentecost on their respective Lord's Days.​
Click to expand...

So I take it if they call the people are under duty to attend?
 
Jack K said:
Some of our Dutch Reformed friends would absolutely go to church on Christmas but would refuse to take part in anything that seemed to secularize the day: so no gifts, no tree, no holiday specials on TV, no fancy meals, no fruitcakes, no Christmas cards (unless they contained Scripture verses), no plastic reindeer in the front yard, certainly no talk of Santa Claus.
Click to expand...
Sign me up!
 
earl40 said:
So I take it if they call the people are under duty to attend?
Click to expand...

Strictly speaking there would be no requirement for the laity, but there is a cultural obligation and expectation that one would attend. I do know of one URC elder who does not attend such services but the minister would have no choice in the matter.
 
Poimen said:
Strictly speaking there would be no requirement for the laity, but there is a cultural obligation and expectation that one would attend. I do know of one URC elder who does not attend such services but the minister would have no choice in the matter.
Click to expand...
Daniel, do you know if there is a history in those first instituting the four evangelical feasts on the continent of doing so only for policy and order as the saying goes or was it common to use the Anglican defense from Esther and Purim to defend the church having actual authority to institute the keeping of these as some one noted here or another thread?
 
Poimen said:
Strictly speaking there would be no requirement for the laity, but there is a cultural obligation and expectation that one would attend. I do know of one URC elder who does not attend such services but the minister would have no choice in the matter.
Click to expand...

So the expectation, or duty, comes from the culture? Also a "call" to worship I believe places an obligation on the laity. :)
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top