Christianity is often called the most materialistic of all faiths, because of the message of Emmanuel—the Word became a human being. God pitched her/his tent among us. God is with us. This is good news of great joy, which shall be to all people!
How we interpret the Christmas story influences what we think the mission of the church is, and what our role as Christians might be.To help you reflect on what the Christmas story means to you, I offer the following contrasting interpretations.
One theology emphasizes the message of Emmanuel—God with us—with a singular emphasis on “with us.” The world is divided into two realms. There are those who are with Jesus and those who are not. The mission of those who are with Jesus is to bring the gospel to a world that does not know Jesus. This is the sacred mission of the church and its reason for being.
An alternative theology interprets the message of Emmanuel—God with us—more inclusively. God is present in the world. The world is not divided between those who are with Jesus and those who are not; but between people who are seeking the presence of God in the world and those who are seeking something or someone else. The sacred mission of the church is not to bring God/ Jesus to a world that does not know him, but to witness to the presence of God who is at work in the world.
Both of these theologies have a biblical foundation, which tells me that the conversation about the meaning of Emmanuel has been going on for a long time and we should not expect that it will end any time soon. The important question, therefore, is not who is right and who is wrong. We have to answer the question on a more personal level.
- What does Christmas mean to me?
- How then shall I live?
The true celebration of Christmas comes as we answer these questions. My Christmas prayer is that your answer to the good news of Emmanuel will give you peace and bring you great joy.
David Hansen