Christmas Is Political

Christmas Is Political

Commentary by Walter Hesford | FāVS News

The festival of Christmas is, like most human events, political.

This is not a bad thing, though people sometimes call something “political” to demean or denounce what makes them uncomfortable. For example, after almost every gun shooting, those who raise the need for tighter gun laws are told not to get political as this is a time for grief and prayers. But it is highly appropriate to express concern for the body politic when once again a grievous wound has been inflicted on this body.

When I assert that Christmas is political I’m not complaining that we’ve lost sight of “the reason for the season.” The reason that the birth of Jesus is celebrated near the winter solstice comes from pre-Christian pagan religions.

Nor am I worried when commercials shout “Happy Holidays” rather than “Merry Christmas” in order to be more inclusive in their marketing. Since consumer capitalism is our dominant religion, businesses can’t be blamed for practicing it (though I wish we consumers wouldn’t practice it so much).

What I am concerned about is that Christians who consider Christmas a religious festival may not remember how politically radical the commemoration of Jesus’s birthday was from its inception.

According to the Gospel of Luke, Jesus promises to be politically radical even while still in the womb. When the lowly, young, unmarried Mary learns that she is carrying the baby who will become the Messiah, Luke presents her as singing, “He [the Lord] has brought down the powerful from their thrones, and lifted up the lowly; he has filled the hungry with good things, and sent the rich away empty” (Luke 1:52-53, NRSV).

Jesus Is Not the Militant Messiah

While the baby in her womb will not become the kind of militant Messiah some in Israel were hoping for, he would challenge the power structure so courageously that it led to his crucifixion.

The political context of Jesus’ birth in Bethlehem is made clear in Luke’s oft-read rendering: “And it came to pass in those days that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be taxed” (Luke 2:1, KJV). Is this good news for those living within the Roman Empire? I doubt it.

John Merritt points out in “What Does ‘Evangelical’ Mean?” it was customary in the Roman Empire to announce the “good news” — the gospel — of the Emperor’s military victories, appearances and imperial rule.

‘The Kingdom Is at Hand’

The appropriation of the term “gospel” by Mark, by other gospel writers such as Luke and by Jesus, himself, is a radical counter-announcement. The good news is not that Roman imperial rule is at hand but that “the Kingdom of God is at hand.”

Jesus preached and embodied this gospel at the outset of his ministry (Mark 1:14-15) and continued throughout his ministry to call on us to share our food, care for the most needy and forgive debts so that the poor would be blessed in the Kingdom and the covenant community saved.

Judging by Luke’s Book of Acts, early Christians tried to follow the egalitarian, covenant principles of this Kingdom (v. 4:32) and so ran up against Roman imperial principles. Unfortunately in 313 CE, Emperor Constantine made Christianity the official religion of the Empire. Then, as now, the marriage of church and state corrupts Christianity and undermines its radical Christian mission.

To restore our mission, Christians this Christmas might consider reasserting its counter-cultural role by promoting and practicing politics that consider the welfare of all.

This could lead to a truly Merry Christmas some day.

The views expressed in this opinion column are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of FāVS News. FāVS News values diverse perspectives and thoughtful analysis on matters of faith and spirituality.