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Author: Susan K. Roll
Publisher: Peeters Publishers
ISBN: 9789039005316
Category : Christmas
Languages : en
Pages : 300
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Book Description
Christmas exerts an enormous attraction today even apart from its Christian character as a celebration of the incarnation of God in the Person of Jesus. Even marginal or indifferent Christians crowd the churches on Christmas Eve and in highly commercialized and technologized Western societies the Christmas season is celebrated with enthousiasm. Yet Christmas entered the calendar of feasts relatively late, by 336 C.E., and the reason for its introduction and quick spread remain speculative and based on fragmentary evidence. Towards the Origins of Christmas addresses both the contemporary Western celebration of Christmas, and its deep historical roots in the church of the fourth century. The book presents a thorough investigation of the patristic texts and evidence cited by liturgical scholars in the late 19th and 20th centuries to support two main theories: the Calculation theory and the History of Religions theory. This historical research is set in the framework of the contemporary experience of Christmas; the dynamics of time and the liturgical year; the inculturation of liturgy; and underlying elements of dualism and patriarchal power paradigms which linger beneath the often commercial and sentimental character of Christmas today. Suzan K. Roll was born in Clarence Center, New York (USA) in 1952. She holds degrees in classical languages and pastoral theology, and in 1993 received a Ph. D. from the Faculty of Theology of the Catholic University of Louvain (Leuven), Belgium, summa cum laude with the gratulations of the jury. She has thaught and published in the field of liturgy, sacraments, pastoral theology, and presently teaches at Christ the King Seminary, Buffalo, New York (USA).
Author: Susan K. Roll
Publisher: Peeters Publishers
ISBN: 9789039005316
Category : Christmas
Languages : en
Pages : 300
Get Book Here
Book Description
Christmas exerts an enormous attraction today even apart from its Christian character as a celebration of the incarnation of God in the Person of Jesus. Even marginal or indifferent Christians crowd the churches on Christmas Eve and in highly commercialized and technologized Western societies the Christmas season is celebrated with enthousiasm. Yet Christmas entered the calendar of feasts relatively late, by 336 C.E., and the reason for its introduction and quick spread remain speculative and based on fragmentary evidence. Towards the Origins of Christmas addresses both the contemporary Western celebration of Christmas, and its deep historical roots in the church of the fourth century. The book presents a thorough investigation of the patristic texts and evidence cited by liturgical scholars in the late 19th and 20th centuries to support two main theories: the Calculation theory and the History of Religions theory. This historical research is set in the framework of the contemporary experience of Christmas; the dynamics of time and the liturgical year; the inculturation of liturgy; and underlying elements of dualism and patriarchal power paradigms which linger beneath the often commercial and sentimental character of Christmas today. Suzan K. Roll was born in Clarence Center, New York (USA) in 1952. She holds degrees in classical languages and pastoral theology, and in 1993 received a Ph. D. from the Faculty of Theology of the Catholic University of Louvain (Leuven), Belgium, summa cum laude with the gratulations of the jury. She has thaught and published in the field of liturgy, sacraments, pastoral theology, and presently teaches at Christ the King Seminary, Buffalo, New York (USA).
Author: Joseph F. Kelly
Publisher: Liturgical Press
ISBN: 0814648851
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 184
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Book Description
When was Christmas first celebrated? How did December 25 become the date for the feast? How did the Bible’s “magi from the East” become three kings named Melchior, Caspar, and Balthasar who rode camels from three different continents to worship the newborn Christ? How did the Feast of the Nativity generate an entire liturgical season from Advent to Candlemas? Why did medieval and Renaissance artists portray Joseph as an old man? When did the first Christmas music appear? And who was the real Saint Nicholas? These and many other questions are answered in this revised and expanded edition of The Origins of Christmas. The story of the origins of Christmas is not well known, but it is a fascinating tale. It begins when the first Christians had little interest in Christ’s Nativity, and it finishes when Christmas had become an integral part of Christian life and Western culture. The Origins of Christmas covers a variety of topics in a concise and accessible style, and is suitable for group discussions.
Author: Heather Lefebvre
Publisher: CF4Kids
ISBN: 9781527103344
Category : Juvenile Nonfiction
Languages : en
Pages : 0
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Book Description
History of Christmas from Bethlehem to today Bible readings, questions, recipes and activities Beautiful colour illustrations
Author: Hugh Chisholm
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Encyclopedias and dictionaries
Languages : en
Pages : 1090
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Book Description
This eleventh edition was developed during the encyclopaedia's transition from a British to an American publication. Some of its articles were written by the best-known scholars of the time and it is considered to be a landmark encyclopaedia for scholarship and literary style.
Author: Christian Rätsch
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
ISBN: 1594776601
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 559
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Book Description
An examination of the sacred botany and the pagan origins and rituals of Christmas • Analyzes the symbolism of the many plants associated with Christmas • Reveals the shamanic rituals that are at the heart of the Christmas celebration The day on which many commemorate the birth of Christ has its origins in pagan rituals that center on tree worship, agriculture, magic, and social exchange. But Christmas is no ordinary folk observance. It is an evolving feast that over the centuries has absorbed elements from cultures all over the world--practices that give plants and plant spirits pride of place. In fact, the symbolic use of plants at Christmas effectively transforms the modern-day living room into a place of shamanic ritual. Christian Rätsch and Claudia Müller-Ebeling show how the ancient meaning of the botanical elements of Christmas provides a unique view of the religion that existed in Europe before the introduction of Christianity. The fir tree was originally revered as the sacred World Tree in northern Europe. When the church was unable to drive the tree cult out of people’s consciousness, it incorporated the fir tree by dedicating it to the Christ child. Father Christmas in his red-and-white suit, who flies through the sky in a sleigh drawn by reindeer, has his mythological roots in the shamanic reindeer-herding tribes of arctic Europe and Siberia. These northern shamans used the hallucinogenic fly agaric mushroom, which is red and white, to make their soul flights to the other world. Apples, which figure heavily in Christmas baking, are symbols of the sun god Apollo, so they find a natural place at winter solstice celebrations of the return of the sun. In fact, the authors contend that the emphasis of Christmas on green plants and the promise of the return of life in the dead of winter is just an adaptation of the pagan winter solstice celebration.
Author: Bruce David Forbes
Publisher: Univ of California Press
ISBN: 0520933729
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 198
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Book Description
Written for everyone who loves and is simultaneously driven crazy by the holiday season, Christmas: A Candid History provides an enlightening, entertaining perspective on how the annual Yuletide celebration got to be what it is today. In a fascinating, concise tour through history, the book tells the story of Christmas—from its pre-Christian roots, through the birth of Jesus, to the holiday's spread across Europe into the Americas and beyond, and to its mind-boggling transformation through modern consumerism. Packed with intriguing stories, based on research into myriad sources, full of insights, the book explores the historical origins of traditions including Santa, the reindeer, gift giving, the Christmas tree, Christmas songs and movies, and more. The book also offers some provocative ideas for reclaiming the joy and meaning of this beloved, yet often frustrating, season amid the pressures of our fast-paced consumer culture. DID YOU KNOW For three centuries Christians did not celebrate Christmas? Puritans in England and New England made Christmas observances illegal? St. Nicholas is an elf in the famous poem "The Night Before Christmas"? President Franklin Roosevelt changed the dateof Thanksgiving in order to lengthen the Christmas shopping season? Coca-Cola helped fashion Santa Claus's look in an advertising campaign?
Author: Michael Patrick Barber
Publisher:
ISBN: 9781950939848
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 190
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Book Description
What does the Bible really say about the birth of Jesus? How did the celebration of Christmas become associated with things like Santa Claus and decorated trees? In The True Meaning of Christmas: The Birth of Jesus and the Origins of the Season, biblical scholar Michael Patrick Barber offers an inspiring look at the Bible's accounts of Jesus' birth and the development of the Christmas season. Along the way, he answers numerous questions, including: How is the Christmas story related to ancient Jewish expectations?Why is Jesus said to be laid in a "manger"?Who are the Magi?What is the mysterious Christmas star?How did December 25th become the date of Christmas?How did Saint Nicholas become "Santa Claus"? As Dr. Barber will show, to find our way "home" at Christmas, we need to first return to Christmas's home in the story of the Bible. Only by carefully reflecting on the stories of Jesus' birth can we hope to celebrate Christmas in the way it is meant to be celebrated and discover the real joy it promises!
Author: Dwight Hutchison
Publisher: Dwight Hutchison and the Association Signes Célestes
ISBN:
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 402
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Book Description
Was there a meaningful stellar sign over Bethlehem? What did it look like to someone looking up at the night sky? Did wise men really come from the East seeking Israel’s Messiah sometime after the birth of Jesus? The biblical account of the wise men and the star that announced the coming of the Messiah of Israel has inspired and puzzled people for two millennia. Important aspects of Babylonian astronomy seem to be involved in understanding the star’s appearing. But in addition, The Lion Led the Way also explores the men and events from a profoundly Jewish perspective. The traditional Jewish names of stars and planets, Jewish symbols, as well as Jewish dates, all seem to be keys to unlocking the mystery of the famous star. The star of Bethlehem was not the brightest of the heavenly lights, nor was it the most spectacular starry manifestation of all time. However, it was part of the most meaningful set of celestial events in human history. The God of Israel is surprising. His ways are not our ways; his thoughts are not our thoughts. The star gives us a concrete example of God’s intervention in the universe. Book website: www.star-of-bethlehem.info
Author: Steven H. Propp
Publisher: iUniverse
ISBN: 1462059945
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 468
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Book Description
Its the Christmas seasonthe most wonderful time of the year for most people in River City, California. But for Jehovahs Witnesses Lawrence and Brad, its a time for them to try to explain the truth about this holiday season to the people of the community. Their earnest efforts may earn them ridicule, disagreement, or a door slammed rudely in their faces, but they persistand are sometimes able to find a mind and heart receptive to their urgent message about Jehovahs coming Kingdom. Whereas for Elders Skousen and Marshalltwo Latter-day Saint (Mormon) missionariesthe season is another opportunity to share their Churchs distinctive interpretation of the Christian gospel; but their efforts are often rebuffed, as well. In the course of their work, these two pairs of men engage in dialogue with traditional Christians, as well as members of the Church of Christ; the Community of Christ (RLDS); Seventh-day Adventists; and Oneness Pentecostalsnot to mention skeptics, atheists, and the increasing numbers of people who lack any particular religious beliefs. But when a local church brings in a researcher to give a series of lectures on Cultsand specifically targeting the Jehovahs Witnesses and Mormonsa confrontation is ensured, where theological and biblical concepts collide in a public forum. Who, if anyone, really has the Truth? Can one still discover the true meaning of Christmas in the midst of passionate disagreements over the validity of the holiday season? Are objections raised about the secularization and rampant commercialism of the modern celebration valid? Spend a holiday season (or any other season) with some interesting and intellectually-stimulating characters, as they explore these and other challenging questions. (Readers of the authors earlier novel, A Multicultural Christmas, will be pleased to see a brief reappearance of two characters from that book.)
Author: Elias Smith
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Theology
Languages : en
Pages : 638
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Book Description
