Childermas: The Feast of the Holy Innocents

According to Chapter 2 of the Gospel of Matthew, when the three wise men arrived in Bethlehem after the birth of Jesus, they inquired of King Herod where to find the newborn King of the Jews. Herod told them that when they found the child, they should report back to him so that he in turn could worship the newborn Jesus. An angel warned them not to tell Herod, so they took a different route home and Herod, in a fit of rage, ordered that all male children under the age of two should be killed. Joseph had been warned by an angel in a dream to take Mary and Jesus and flee, so Herod's attempt on Jesus' life was thwarted. The children who were murdered are known as the Holy Innocents and are considered the first martyrs in the name of Jesus.

Scholars argue as to just how many children were killed because of Herod's edict. Early documents listed the number as high as 64,000; later ones state that in a town the size of Bethlehem, perhaps only six children would have been killed. Whatever their number, the Holy Innocents are remembered with a feast day of December 28.

Childermas is observed in various ways according to different traditions. In Spain and other Hispanic countries, Childermas is a day for pranks and fun much like April Fools Day. Foods that are red are eaten to recall the blood of the innocent children and all children are blessed with a special prayer. Anglicans remember Childermas with special prayer on December 28, and it is suggested that they also remember these infant martyrs weekly on the day of Childermas for that year (Fridays in 2007). The traditional song for Childermas is the Coventry Carol, which was composed for a mystery play in the sixteenth century.

For further information on the the commemoration of the Holy Innocents, please see The Desmond Tutu Centre for Leadership or Catholic Culture.

History's Greatest Christians: William Booth (1829-1912)

Born in England in 1829, William Booth was raised Anglican, but had a conversion experience when he was still young and became a street preacher for the Methodist Church in England. He moved from his childhood home to London, where he married Catherine Mumford, worked for three years as a pawnbroker, then became an ordained Methodist minister in 1858.

Booth's theology was simple and was inspired by the teachings of John Wesley: In order to be saved, a sinful man must personally accept Jesus Christ as his Saviour. Armed with this belief, Booth and his wife left Methodism in 1861 and set up a revival tent in a graveyard in East London with the hope of spreading the Gospel to the residents of the London slums. He enlisted the people he reached as workers to help with his mission, referring to them with military terms and titles. Over time, his ministry grew to include housing and food kitchens for the poor, always run with the help of "God's Army" of converts. Booth became a figure of international renown, and by the time of his death in 1912, his ministry had spread into 58 countries. It is known today as the Salvation Army, one of the best-known evangelical and humanitarian organizations in the world.

For more information about William Booth and the Salvation Army, please see Salvation Army USA or Blood and Fire: William and Catherine Booth and their Salvation Army by Roy Hattersley, copyright 2000 by Doubleday.

History's Greatest Christians: David Livingstone (1813-1873)

David Livingstone was born near Glasgow, Scotland, in 1813. At the age of 10 he had to go to work in a textile mill to support his family, but he was determined to get an education, so he would work 14 hours in the mill each day, then study for two hours each night at night school. Still determined to finish his studies when the school closed, Livingstone devised a way to attach a book to a spinning jenny at the mill in order to read while he worked. In 1836 he was admitted to university to study medicine and theology; in 1840, he became ordained. He intended to go to China as a medical missionary, but war broke out there and he chose Africa instead. Livingstone made a few trips back to England, during which he took up humanitarian causes such as the abolition of the slave trade, but spent most of the rest of his life doing mission work in Africa.

In addition to spreading the Gospel, Livingstone made many trips to explore the then-uncharted African interior. His trips led to many important discoveries, including that of Victoria Falls, the world's highest waterfall, and earned him such high accolades as the Gold Medal from the British Royal Geographical Society. He married Mary Moffatt, the daughter of a missionary in Africa, and together they had four children. Livingstone's wife and children often accompanied him on his exploring trips, but he deemed the conditions too harsh for his family and sent them back to England. On May 1, 1873, Livingstone died while kneeling in prayer. His servants buried his heart in Africa, but sent his body back to England to be entombed at Westminster Abbey following a public funeral.

For more information about David Livingstone, please see BBC Historic Figures or Into Africa: The Epic Adventures of Stanley and Livingstone by Martin Dugard, copyright 2003 by Doubleday.

Two From Galilee by Marjarie Holmes

Two From Galilee: The Story of Mary and Joseph was first published in 1972. It is a beautiful fictional rendition of the love story of Mary and Joseph. It is not meant to be an historical account of what happened in their lives, rather it is a fictional imagining of that it must have been like to experience what they went through. Marojorie Holmes digs deep into the hearts and minds of Mary, Joseph and other characters in the story using vividly detailed language to capture the emotions and provide a picture of this sacred event. If you are looking for a good read to help you reflect upon the true reason for the Christmas season, this novel is an excellent choice. Holmes follows this title with two sequels Three From Galilee: The Young Man from Nazareth and The Messiah. It has also been adapted into a musical.

History's Greatest Christians: St. Nicholas of Myra

December 6 marks the feast day of St. Nicholas of Myra, the great Christian bishop who is more popularly known as Santa Claus. In Holland and many other countries, children leave their shoes out on the night of December 5 for St. Nicholas to fill with money and small treats such as chocolate coins wrapped in gold foil. The Dutch brought this custom with them to the New World, where it evolved into the custom of Santa Claus that is popularly known today.

Nicholas was born in the fourth century AD in what is now Turkey. Though his parents were wealthy and he lived a life of privilege, Nicholas always possessed a heart for helping the poor, especially after his parents died. According to legend, Nicholas was consecrated as Bishop of Myra because a council of Bishops had met to decide on a new Bishop for Myra, and the one of them saw in a dream that they should consecrate the first man to walk through the church doors for prayer in the morning. That man was Nicholas, who used his power as bishop to help the poor. Many legends surround his great deeds, including that he saved three impoverished young women who could not marry because their father could not provide them with dowries. Without dowries, the young women faced lives of prostitution, but Nicholas visited them by night and threw bags of gold through their open window. For this reason, Nicholas is often depicted with three bags of gold.

Whatever the legends that may surround him, it is known that Nicholas was in fact a great defender of both the poor and the Christian faith. For his faith, Nicholas was tortured and imprisoned by Emperor Diocletian. He died on December 6, 345.

For more information on the life and deeds of St. Nicholas, see Who is Santa Claus: The True Story Behind a Living Legend by Robin Crichton, copyright 1987 by Canongate Publishing. Resources for celebrating the feast of St. Nicholas can be found at The St. Nicholas Center.

The Golden Compass

The Golden Compass by Philip Pullman comes to theaters December 7th and discerning Christians should be prepared. Pullman is a self-avowed atheist who uses his writing to attack organized religion. The Golden Compass is the first book in the His Dark Materials series which becomes progressively more offensive to those who believe in God. However, it also provides an excellent opportunity for Christians to engage in discussion of popular culture.

At FacingtheChallenge.org many pop culture issues from The Matrix to Harry Potter are dealt with and a section is reserved just for Philip Pullman. The sections entitled “How he describes the church” and “How he describes God” will help Christians better understand the ideas Pullman portrays in his books.

Christian Spotlight on Entertainment is a favorite of mine through Christiananswers.net and I rarely see a movie without checking here first. There is a short synopsis with links to articles on relevant issues addressed in the movie such as “atheism” and “daemons”. After the movie premiers there will be an official review posted, however, visitors are already giving their opinions on this controversial movie.

Sntjohnny.com provides access to many resources on Philip Pullman including a detailed analysis of the His Dark Materials series, archived interviews with Pullman himself and opinions of Christians from all over the internet.

Also, because this blog focuses on books and libraries I'd like to introduce a few books that are worth investigating. Shedding Light on His Dark Materials by Kurt Bruner and Jim Ware explains that, while trying to do the opposite, in the end Pullman actually proves that God exists. In Dark Matter: Shedding Light of Philip Pullman’s Trilogy by Tony Watkins the author investigates the author, the books and finally discusses the controversial topics that concern many Christians.

As Christians it is important to be aware of what is going on in the world. Don’t miss this important opportunity!