It is always easier to lament and critique the new paganism of secularism’s blatant idolatry than to see how easily the church-and we ourselves-twist or dilute the message of the incarnation in order to suit our own tastes. But sadly, we have various ways of turning the Savior into a kind of Santa Claus.
Santa Clause Christianity
For one thing, in our worship at Christmas we may varnish the staggering truth of the incarnation with what is visually, audibly, and aesthetically pleasing. We confuse emotional pleasure-or worse, sentiment-with true adoration.
For another thing, we may denigrate our Lord with a Santa Claus Christology. How sadly common it is for the church to manufacture a Jesus who is a mirror reflection of Santa Claus. He becomes Santa Christ.
Santa Christ is sometimes a Pelagian Jesus. Like Santa, he simply asks whether we have been good. More exactly, since the assumption is that we are all naturally good, Santa Christ asks us whether we have been “good enough.” So just as Christmas dinner is simply the better dinner we really deserve, Jesus becomes a kind of added bonus who makes a good life even better. He is not seen as the Savior of helpless sinners. Continue Reading>>>
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