What matters - and what doesn't - about Christmas?
Baines, who is the Bishop of Croydon, poses this question to get us all to think about what Christmas really means, whilst also gently pointing out that we are probably all guilty of falling for ideas of Christmas as presented by the marketing experts and portrayed in such films as Love Actually and White Christmas, plus the usual 'Christmas songs'.
He shows how easy it is to throw God (and baby Jesus) out of Christmas along with Santa Claus as we become too old for 'fairy stories'.
He also questions the theology and impact of some of the best known carols suggesting that maybe we should rename one classic 'Oh Come All Ye Faithless' (or even Fretful) and points out, as we all know really, that the 'little Lord Jesus' probably did cry.
But this is not a rant against what Christmas has become - more a rallying call for Christians to become counter cultural. Given the impact of the current credit crunch he suggests that, with all our 'material' certainties thrown into crisis, now might be an appropriate time to look beyond the hype and find hope.
For non-believers he makes a pretty good case to suggest that if they look beyond the 'presented' Christmas into the real they might just find something of what they are looking for.
Baines, who is the Bishop of Croydon, poses this question to get us all to think about what Christmas really means, whilst also gently pointing out that we are probably all guilty of falling for ideas of Christmas as presented by the marketing experts and portrayed in such films as Love Actually and White Christmas, plus the usual 'Christmas songs'.
He shows how easy it is to throw God (and baby Jesus) out of Christmas along with Santa Claus as we become too old for 'fairy stories'.
He also questions the theology and impact of some of the best known carols suggesting that maybe we should rename one classic 'Oh Come All Ye Faithless' (or even Fretful) and points out, as we all know really, that the 'little Lord Jesus' probably did cry.
But this is not a rant against what Christmas has become - more a rallying call for Christians to become counter cultural. Given the impact of the current credit crunch he suggests that, with all our 'material' certainties thrown into crisis, now might be an appropriate time to look beyond the hype and find hope.
For non-believers he makes a pretty good case to suggest that if they look beyond the 'presented' Christmas into the real they might just find something of what they are looking for.
