Is Christmas a Pagan Holiday?

Christmas—a very mention of the word produces delight and expectation in the hearts of people everywhere. Or does it? For some Christians, Christmas is a much-anticipated season to celebrate the birth of Christ. For others, it is also a time to encourage family closeness and tradition. But still others refuse to celebrate at all, insisting that the season is rooted in pagan ritual and should be avoided. Added to this controversy is the growing concern of many Christians to “put Christ back in Christmas” while the expanding secular culture of commercialism is forgetting the babe in the manger altogether. For instance, a national survey indicated that “just over a tenth of Americans today believe Jesus Christ of Nazareth is the focus of  Christmas, with almost nine out of ten people saying the holiday has become less religious.” 1 Much of the controversy for Christians, however, is largely due to ignorance and speculation. Add to this varying misinterpretations of Scripture, and this creates a recipe for confusion. For believers on any side of the issue—whether a synthesis of celebrating Christ’s birth and family tradition, an insistence upon focusing on Christ alone, or a rejection of the season altogether—a clear understanding of history and the Bible, plus reasonable common sense, must rule any discussion of Christ and Christmas. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/scottaniol/support