Summary Paper #1
RC Summary of the following documents:
- Should Adventists celebrate Christmas? – Ángel Manuel Rodríguez
- The Observance of Christmas – Ellen G. White
- Kersfees – M. du Plessis
December 25, a day accepted by the unbelieving world and by the Christian world generally as the day on which Christ was born.
Ángel Manuel Rodríguez, author of the article entitled, Should Adventists celebrate Christmas, “clarify that Adventists are not, nor should they be, against Christmas. Why would we be against a period of time when Christians remember the birth of our Saviour? However, since this festivity is not ordained by Scripture, we don’t consider it to be binding on believers. We recognize only one holy day, the Sabbath; and we keep it holy in obedience to our Creator and Redeemer.”
The author acknowledged the following:
- that the history of this feast remains unclear
- that the record of the day of Jesus’ birth has not been preserved
- that 25 December should not be changed
- that all attempts to reject the feast are based on the absence of biblical evidence
- that the matter should be left to the conscience of each individual
Ellen G. White in the article The Observance of Christmas, acknowledge that “the world at large celebrate the day, they show no honor to Christ.” In essence, the preference is shown to the day, but none to the one for whom the day is celebrated, Jesus Christ.
According to the article, when the day is celebrated to commemorate the birth of Christ and the followers of Christ have been instructed by precept and example that this was indeed a day of gladness and rejoicing, it can be a time of rejoicing for His followers.
For the author, the idea of giving and receiving gifts, keeping children entertained, the use of the tree in church, making melody and praising God should be done in good taste and should not be wholly condemned.
The article on Kersfees, authored by M. du Plessis, covers the historical origins of the day, the humanistic focus of its present day reality and concluded and encouraged the Christian church to use this day and its focus on spending quality time with family.
RECOMMENDATION
Regarding the matter of celebrating Christmas in the church, the TRC do not want to be prescriptive, but would like to propose the following recommendations:
Whereas, Christmas observance has become a cause for division in some churches
- Further that it has become commercialised and materialistic in its nature,
- Further that it is not authorised in Scripture,
- Further that it has its roots in paganism,
Recommended, that the celebration or observance of Christmas in the church be discouraged,
- Further, that individual churches be allowed to approve its observance only by a majority vote.
