UK archbishops advocate for a non-shy Christmas

-22/12/05

The Archbishop of Canterbury


UK archbishops advocate for a non-shy Christmas

-22/12/05

The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, and his immediate predecessor, Lord (George) Carey, have urged Christians to not be reticent in celebrating Christmas, writes Martin Revis on Ecumenical News International.
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“There is a view around that practising Christianity and all the symbols that go with it embarrasses people of other faiths: and of course that is nonsense,” Carey, who retired in 2002, said in an interview on the GMTV television station.

Meanwhile Archbishop Williams, the leader of the worldwide Anglican Communion, has warned in an article in the Mail on Sunday newspaper against moves to downplay references to Christmas. “This year there seems to have been even more stories about the banning of Christian images and words by silly bureaucrats,” Williams wrote.

He added, “And it’s all because of a quite wrong-headed idea that our neighbours from other religious traditions will be offended by Christian symbols.”

But in an interview with Simon Mayo on BBC radio he also said that he thought the fuss about ìChristmas being bannedî had been exaggerated in the media.

The comments by Williams and his predecessor come as some Christian groups in the United States are filing lawsuits and launching protests against schools and organizations that remove nativity scenes from public locations, put up “holiday” instead of “Christmas” trees, and use the phrase “Happy Holidays” rather than “Merry Christmas”.

In Britain, a council in the Lambeth district of London was accused of having “banned” Christmas after one of its publications referred to seasonal “Winter lights” rather than “Christmas lights”. The UK Christian news service Ekklesia subsequently reported the council as saying the decision had been a “junior-level decision” and there had been no policy “that we should call the lights winter lights”.

Ekklesia director Jonathan Bartley says that the problem is not that other people take Christ out of Christmas, but that Christians do this themselves ñ in that they water down the disturbing social and political challenge of Jesus message to the status quo.

In Africa, churches in southern Sudan are gearing up for increased numbers at Christmas services due to a peace accord to end a decades-long civil war that means refugees who fled the conflict can return from camps where they spent many years.

“Our people are tired of being in camps. They want to go home,” the Rev Peter Tibi, deputy executive secretary of the New Sudan Council of Churches told ENI. “They have been there for too long and would want to participate in the rebuilding of their country.”

This story incorporates material from Ecumenical News International, with grateful acknowledgement.

[Also of seasonal interest on Ekkesia: Put which Christ back into Christmas? (Jonathan Bartley); What on earth are we waiting for? and The case for disorganised religion (Simon Barrow); Attack on Royal Mail over Christmas stamps; Britons opt for ethical Christmas gifts; christmas card alternative; Christian aid groups launch virtual gifts for Christmas; 5 steps for a more ethical Christmas; Narnia to be inspiration for Christmas services; Archbishop tackles Tsunami faith controversy in Christmas message; Zimbabwe archbishop will not be silenced; Time to act on injustice says Archbishop of Canterbury (Christmas 2004); Discomfort through the wardrobe (Giles Fraser); Why the Lion isnít safe (Glynn Cardy)]


UK archbishops advocate for a non-shy Christmas

-22/12/05

The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, and his immediate predecessor, Lord (George) Carey, have urged Christians to not be reticent in celebrating Christmas, writes Martin Revis on Ecumenical News International.
.
“There is a view around that practising Christianity and all the symbols that go with it embarrasses people of other faiths: and of course that is nonsense,” Carey, who retired in 2002, said in an interview on the GMTV television station.

Meanwhile Archbishop Williams, the leader of the worldwide Anglican Communion, has warned in an article in the Mail on Sunday newspaper against moves to downplay references to Christmas. “This year there seems to have been even more stories about the banning of Christian images and words by silly bureaucrats,” Williams wrote.

He added, “And it’s all because of a quite wrong-headed idea that our neighbours from other religious traditions will be offended by Christian symbols.”

But in an interview with Simon Mayo on BBC radio he also said that he thought the fuss about ‘Christmas being banned’ had been exaggerated in the media.

The comments by Williams and his predecessor come as some Christian groups in the United States are filing lawsuits and launching protests against schools and organizations that remove nativity scenes from public locations, put up “holiday” instead of “Christmas” trees, and use the phrase “Happy Holidays” rather than “Merry Christmas”.

In Britain, a council in the Lambeth district of London was accused of having “banned” Christmas after one of its publications referred to seasonal “Winter lights” rather than “Christmas lights”. The UK Christian news service Ekklesia subsequently reported the council as saying the decision had been a “junior-level decision” and there had been no policy “that we should call the lights winter lights”.

Ekklesia director Jonathan Bartley says that the problem is not that other people take Christ out of Christmas, but that Christians do this themselves – in that they water down the disturbing social and political challenge of Jesus message to the status quo.

In Africa, churches in southern Sudan are gearing up for increased numbers at Christmas services due to a peace accord to end a decades-long civil war that means refugees who fled the conflict can return from camps where they spent many years.

“Our people are tired of being in camps. They want to go home,” the Rev Peter Tibi, deputy executive secretary of the New Sudan Council of Churches told ENI. “They have been there for too long and would want to participate in the rebuilding of their country.”

This story incorporates material from Ecumenical News International, with grateful acknowledgement.

[Also of seasonal interest on Ekkesia: Put which Christ back into Christmas? (Jonathan Bartley); What on earth are we waiting for? and The case for disorganised religion (Simon Barrow); Attack on Royal Mail over Christmas stamps; Britons opt for ethical Christmas gifts; christmas card alternative; Christian aid groups launch virtual gifts for Christmas; 5 steps for a more ethical Christmas; Narnia to be inspiration for Christmas services; Archbishop tackles Tsunami faith controversy in Christmas message; Zimbabwe archbishop will not be silenced; Time to act on injustice says Archbishop of Canterbury (Christmas 2004); Discomfort through the wardrobe (Giles Fraser); Why the Lion isn’t safe (Glynn Cardy)]