Miracle on 34th Street (1947)

****

An excerpt of a review recently posted on Schaeffer's Ghost:

Miracle on 34th Street is, in many ways, a quintessential example of the heart-warming ‘Christmas’ movie. There isn’t even a whiff of the real Christmas story, of course. That would be too much to ask. Instead, it celebrates Christmas by decrying selfish commercialism and encouraging kindness and goodwill—though it is worth noting that much of the ‘progress’ is itself motivated by pure, unadulterated self-interest. For example, Mr. Macy endorses Kris’s new policy of sending shoppers elsewhere if Macy’s cannot supply their needs because he believes that it will benefit him to be perceived as kind and customer-oriented. Gimbel follows suit so as not to miss out on the public relations benefits of this ‘kindness.’ The two retail giants compete for the role of generous benefactor not because they actually are generous, but because they wish to appear generous in order to receive a financial benefit. And Macy later defends Kris in court not because he actually believes his claims, but because to do otherwise would be bad for business. Similarly, the judge who presides over Santa’s trial is reluctant to lock Kris away not because it would be unjust to do so, or because of any desire to uphold the ‘spirit of Christmas’, but because he fears it would hurt his chances of re-election. Thus, there is a broad streak of humorous skepticism behind this touchy-feely tale, which gives the story a depth and complexity that is lacking in much of the usual holiday treacle.

Full review available here.

White Christmas (1954)

***

An excerpt of a review recently posted on Schaeffer's Ghost:

The overall theme is one of continued connectedness, obligation, and sacrifice. On some level, this works itself out comically (as in Wallace’s continued sense of obligation to Davis for saving his life, and Davis’ shameless willingness to exploit that sense of obligation). But there are more serious implications as well. [...] Wallace and Davis undertake to move their entire show—cast, sets, and all—to rural Vermont to help out their old Army general. This is far from a low cost endeavor. It is nothing short of an act of personal sacrifice. And when Wallace exhorts his fellow veterans to come to Vermont to show appreciation for General Waverly, they do so. That they would leave their families on Christmas Eve, and at a moment’s notice, is evidence of a deep devotion to the General. 

The interesting thing is that none of these individuals were supposed to have been terribly good friends. [...] Time and time again, Wallace and Davis remind each other that they are doing this or that undesirable task ‘for a pal in the Army.’ The emphasis is clearly on ‘Army’, not ‘pal.’ The connection between them is not personal; it is based on a shared commitment to and service of a particular cause—a common experience that transcends personalities, professions, geography, and even time. On the strength of this connection, Wallace, Davis, and the other veterans of the 151st Division make costly sacrifices.

Full review available here.

The Top Shelf: Christmas Edition

For those of you gearing up for the holidays, I figured I'd collect all my holiday posts to date in one place. Because I am all about making your life easier.

I've reviewed a few Christmas-related devotionals over the years, including The Meaning Is in the Waiting: The Spirit of Advent by Paula Gooder and God Came Near by Max Lucado, both of which are excellent resources for preparing your heart for the Christmas holidays and meditating on the real reason for the season. 

If biography's more your speed, I also reviewed The Saint Who Would Be Santa Claus, by Adam C. English.

For the musically inclined, Calvin Stapert's Handel's Messiah: Comfort for God's People is an excellent read.

And of course Dickens' classic A Christmas Carol is a holiday must-read--and a short one at that.

If you're not looking for a whole book, I also did a blog series on the Gospel content of 13 well-known Christmas carols, including What Child Is This?, The First Noel, Good Christian Men, Rejoice, We Three Kings, and perennial favorite O Holy Night, just to name a few.

I've also posted some thoughts on the incarnation, with an assist from theological bigwigs like G.K. Chesterton, C.S. Lewis, and J.I. Packer.

And of course, we mustn't forget the Christmas movies! I've reviewed both White Christmas and Miracle on 34th Street, as well as the best Christmas movie of all time: Die Hard.

Merry Christmas, everybody!

The Saint Who Would Be Santa Claus, by Adam C. English

**

An excerpt of a review recently posted on Schaeffer's Ghost:

This is, I think, a great reminder to Christians of the importance of humble, everyday acts of obedience. Most of us will never participate in or even witness a physical miracle. We can’t calm the sea for endangered sailors or multiply the supply of wheat or ooze magical healing goo from our tombs, as Saint Nicholas is rumored to have done. And even if we have the opportunity to punch a heretic, it might be best to abstain (criminal assault laws being what they are). Nevertheless all of us can be good stewards of whatever blessings we have received. And while our salvation comes not from our good works but from our position in Christ and his atoning death on the cross for our sins, He calls His justified people to a life of obedience. Trusting in His grace and relying on His power, we can obey God in the small things and trust that in His sovereignty He can use these small daily obediences to bring glory to His name in ways we could never imagine.

Full review available here.

The Gospel According to Die Hard

*****

An excerpt from a review posted on Schaeffer's Ghost:

All through the Old and New Testaments we see the recurring themes of sin, sacrifice, grace, and the love that grace produces, described in terms of marriage, infidelity, separation, and unmerited rescue.

But this particular version of the story doesn’t come from the Bible.  It doesn’t even come from the romance shelf of the Christian Fiction section in your church library.  The source is perhaps a surprising one:  It’s the plot of Die Hard.

That’s right.  Die Hard.  Bruce Willis, Alan Rickman, Bonnie Bedelia, and a host of Hey! It’s That Guy-types from the 1980s.  Hardly the place you’d expect to find the gospel.  There’s swearing, for Pete’s sake.  And violence.  But then, the gospel is a bloody business, isn’t it?  Sin isn’t pretty—it’s messy and filthy and disgusting and costly.  And the cross isn’t clinical or antiseptic.  The rescue of the church from the hostile forces of sin was not without consequences.  Serious, bloody consequences.

Full review available here.

More thoughts on the incarnation

I recently stumbled across the quotation I had such difficulty placing in my earlier post.  And no wonder, for it's not a Lewis quote at all, but an observation from J.I. Packer's excellent book Knowing God.  As you might expect, he says it much better than I could.

[T]he real difficulty, the supreme mystery with which the gospel confronts us, [...] lies not in the Good Friday message of atonement, nor in the Easter message of resurrection, but in the Christmas message of Incarnation. The really staggering Christian claim is that Jesus of Nazareth was God made man [...], and that he took humanity without loss of deity, so that Jesus of Nazareth was as truly and fully divine as he was human.

[...] It is here, in the thing that happened at the first Christmas, that the profoundest and most unfathomable depths of the Christian revelation lie. [...] The more you think about it, the more staggering it gets. Nothing in fiction is so fantastic as this truth of the Incarnation.

This is the real stumbling block in Christianity. It is here that Jews, Muslims, Unitarians, Jehovah's Witnesses, and many of those who feel the difficulties concerning the virgin birth, the miracles, the atonement and the resurrection have come to grief. [...] But once the Incarnation is grasped as a reality, these other difficulties dissolve.

If Jesus had been no more than a very remarkable, godly man, the difficulties in believing what the New Testament tells us about his life and work would be truly mountainous.  But if Jesus was the same person as the eternal Word, the Father's agent in creation, 'through whom also he made the worlds' (Heb 1:2 RV), it is no wonder if fresh acts of creative power marked his coming into this world, and his life in it, and his exit from it.  It is not strange that he, Author of life, should rise from the dead.  If he was truly God the Son, it is much more startling that he should die than that he should rise again. 

[...] And if the immortal Son of God did really submit to taste death, it is not strange that such a death should have saving significance for a doomed race.  Once we grant that Jesus was divine, it becomes unreasonable to find difficulty in any of this; it is all of a piece and hangs together completely.  The Incarnation is in itself an unfathomable mystery, but it makes sense of everything else that the New Testament contains.

~J.I. Packer, in "God Incarnate", from Knowing God

Caroling the Gospel (But Not Really), Bonus Round: Some Children See Him

[NOTE:  This is from a series I did on another blog.  Hence the tardiness.  I promise, it was timely when I first wrote it.  The full series is available here.  Enjoy!]

This Christmas carol doesn't actually include the gospel, but it does address an aspect of the Christmas story that is often overlooked.  Written by an American jazz musician in the 1950s, it's probably one of the most politically correct Christmas songs around--which accounts for its popularity among recording artists (though lots of folks are unfamiliar with the song).  I love this Tennessee Ernie Ford version. 

Caroling the Gospel XII: I Wonder as I Wander

[NOTE:  This is from a 12-part series I did on another blog.  Hence the tardiness.  I promise, it was timely when I first wrote it.  The rest of the series is available here.  Enjoy!]

This carol--one of my favorites--has an unusual backstory.  In 1933, a folklorist/singer collected a song fragment in Appalachian North Carolina--he heard a little girl sing it, and after asking her to sing it several more times, he used the song fragment to compose "I Wonder as I Wander."  Perhaps that's why the song always sounds best when sung by a female voice with little or no instrumental or choral backing, and the best backing usually has a bluegrass feel to it.  It is a solitary song (hence the use of the first person singular) and the haunting melody works well unadorned by musical accoutrements.  I really like the Jewel/Sarah McLachlan version, which strips the song down to just the melody with a single subtle vocal harmony, but I can't seem to find the video online.  Joanie does an ok job though.

Caroling the Gospel XI: Of the Father's Love Begotten

[NOTE:  This is from a 12-part series I did on another blog.  Hence the tardiness.  I promise, it was timely when I first wrote it.  The rest of the series is available here.  Enjoy!]

This is, I think, the oldest carol I've looked at.  The words date from the early 5th century, and the music--Divinum Mysterium--was written in the 11th century.  Which makes a lot of sense--the music feels old.  This song works best sung by an acapella men's choir, largely in unison (in other words, as monks in the 11th century might have sung it).  It was translated from the original Latin into English in the mid-19th century.  With nine verses, it's usually truncated in church services or musical performances--the first, sixth, and ninth verses are the ones I've heard most often, though the third and seventh verses are particularly gospel-filled.

Caroling the Gospel X: O Holy Night

[NOTE:  This is from a 12-part series I did on another blog.  Hence the tardiness.  I promise, it was timely when I first wrote it.  The rest of the series is available here.  Enjoy!]

As this song is also known as Cantique de Noel, it's hardly surprising that this beloved carol originated in France.  Written in the 1800s to a pre-existing poem, the literal translation of the French is actually quite a bit meatier than the modern version--check it:

Midnight, Christians, it is the solemn hour,

When God-man descended to us

To erase the stain of original sin

And to end the wrath of His Father.

The entire world thrills with hope

On this night that gives it a Savior. 

People kneel down, wait for your deliverance.

Christmas, Christmas, here is the Redeemer,

Christmas, Christmas, here is the Redeemer!

May the ardent light of our Faith

Guide us all to the cradle of the infant,

As in ancient times a brilliant star

Guided the Oriental kings there.

The King of Kings was born in a humble manger;

O mighty ones of today, proud of your greatness, 

It is to your pride that God preaches.

Bow your heads before the Redeemer!

Bow your heads before the Redeemer!
 
The Redeemer has overcome every obstacle:

The Earth is free, and Heaven is open.

He sees a brother where there was only a slave,

Love unites those that iron had chained.

Who will tell Him of our gratitude,

For all of us He is born, He suffers and dies. 

People stand up! Sing of your deliverance,

Christmas, Christmas, sing of the Redeemer,

Christmas, Christmas, sing of the Redeemer! 

'To erase the stain of original sin and to end wrath of His Father . . . for all of us He is born, He suffers and dies.'  This is some striking gospel language.  But a few years later, along came a Unitarian minister who did his own 'translation' and surprise!  Most of the gospel-y bits got removed.  This new sanitized version is the one we know today, more's the pity.

Caroling the Gospel IX: The First Noel

[NOTE:  This is from a 12-part series I did on another blog.  Hence the tardiness.  I promise, it was timely when I first wrote it.  The rest of the series is available here.  Enjoy!]

'Noel', of course, is the French word for 'birthday' (as in 'joyeoux noel'), from the Latin 'natalis'.  Despite this French connection, the carol has its origins in 18th century England, specifically Cornwall (which is why you may have seen it anglicized as 'the first nowell').  This is yet another carol that tends to be excerpted in popular versions (of which there have been many).

 

Caroling the Gospel VIII: Good Christian Men, Rejoice

[NOTE:  This is from a 12-part series I did on another blog.  Hence the tardiness.  I promise, it was timely when I first wrote it.  The rest of the series is available here.  Enjoy!]

Set to a tune knowns as 'In Dulci Jubilo', this German/Latin hymn dates back to the Middle Ages.  That's right--it was originally a macaronic blend of both German and Latin.  The most well-known English translation dates from 1853. 

Caroling the Gospel VII: Lo, How a Rose E'er Blooming

[NOTE:  This is from a 12-part series I did on another blog.  Hence the tardiness.  I promise, it was timely when I first wrote it.  The rest of the series is available here.  Enjoy!]

This lesser known carol--both lyrics and music--hails from 16th century Germany (though a fifth verse was added later).  The 'rose' referenced has been connected to Mary (by the Catholics) and to Jesus (by the Protestants) since the song first appeared.  The slow pace and eerie harmonies make this a less common choice for carolers, though it's yielded some interesting professional arrangements.  Usually only the first two verses get any attention, but it's worth examining in its entirety.

Caroling the Gospel VI: We Three Kings

[NOTE:  This is from a 12-part series I did on another blog.  Hence the tardiness.  I promise, it was timely when I first wrote it.  The rest of the series is available here.  Enjoy!]

We're back to the 19th century with this one, but we're staying on U.S. soil.  Originally written for a Christmas pageant in New York City, this song has been covered time and again by popular artists, from the Beach Boys to the Barenaked Ladies (I actually really like their version) to Blondie.  Jose Feliciano even recorded a version.  However, as with many other carols, the pop versions (and sometimes even the church versions) are usually somewhat truncated.

Caroling the Gospel V: Sweet Little Jesus Boy

[NOTE:  This is from a 12-part series I did on another blog.  Hence the tardiness.  I promise, it was timely when I first wrote it.  The rest of the series is available here.  Enjoy!]

Another lesser known carol--dating not from 18th or 19th century Europe, but from the 1930s in this very country.  Composed by Robert MacGimpsey in 1934, it was written in the style of an African American spiritual, and some versions even include the non-standard grammar and spelling associated with the genre. 

Caroling the Gospel IV: Hark! The Herald Angels Sing

[NOTE:  This is from a 12-part series I did on another blog.  Hence the tardiness.  I promise, it was timely when I first wrote it.  The rest of the series is available here.  Enjoy!]

The lyrics to this classic carol were originally penned by the great Charles Wesley, though according to his preference they were set to a much more sombre tune.  Also, he opened with the amusing line "Hark! how all the welkin rings" ('welkin' being an archaic term for 'sky').  By the time William Cumming updated the music to the tune we know today (by Mendelssohn), the words had changed, too. 

Caroling the Gospel III: Joy to the World

[NOTE:  This is from a 12-part series I did on another blog.  Hence the tardiness.  I promise, it was timely when I first wrote it.  The rest of the series is available here.  Enjoy!]

Not the Three Dog Night one.  Originally composed by hymn-writing rockstar Isaac Watts as a celebration of Christ's second coming, this hymn was quickly adopted for use at Christmastime and is now the most published Christmas hymn in North America.  Though I suspect the full, four-verse version is considerably less popular.

Caroling the Gospel II: The Holly and the Ivy

[NOTE:  This is from a 12-part series I did on another blog.  Hence the tardiness.  I promise, it was timely when I first wrote it.  The rest of the series is available here.  Enjoy!]

This lesser-known carol may have roots in pagan traditions--ivy and holly songs were symbolic of the competition between male (holly) and female (ivy)--but the version handed down to us today is rich with gospel imagery.

Caroling the Gospel I: What Child Is This?

[NOTE:  This is from a 12-part series I did on another blog.  Hence the tardiness.  I promise, it was timely when I first wrote it.  The rest of the series is available here.  Enjoy!]

I've been reading through an online devotional on Christmas carols, and while it's been sort of interesting, it's not terribly well done.  And as Stephen King says, sometimes inspiration comes not in good writing, but in bad.  The kind of writing that makes you think "hey, I can do better than that!"  So I decided to think/write about some Christmas carols.  Specifically, I want to focus on the Christmas carols that contain the gospel.  Which is not to say that the ones that don't contain the gospel are bad.  But sadly, there are a lot of Christmas songs that non-Christians could sing (and mean) without any understanding of or belief in the gospel.

I'll start with one of my favorites--What Child Is This?

Lewis, Chesterton, and the Incarnation

[T]he Christian story is precisely the story of one grand miracle, the Christian assertion being that what is beyond all space and time, what is uncreated, eternal, came into nature, into human nature, descended into His own universe, and rose again, bringing nature with Him. It is precisely one great miracle. If you take that away there is nothing specifically Christian left. [...] Conversely, once you have accepted that, then you will see that all other well-established Christian miracles [...] are part of it, that they all either prepare for, or exhibit, or result from the Incarnation. 

~C.S. Lewis, in "The Grand Miracle", from God in the Dock

The central miracle asserted by Christians is the Incarnation.  They say that God became Man. Every other miracle prepares for this, or exhibits this, or results from this. [...] What can be meant by 'God becoming man'? In what sense is it conceivable that the eternal self-existent Spirit, basic Fact-hood, should be so combined with a natural human organism as to make one person?

~C.S. Lewis, in "The Grand Miracle", from Miracles

We tend to gloss over the miracle that is Christmas, fixating instead on the miracle of Easter, or even Christ's miracles of healing and provision while on earth.  Christmas doesn't seem that big a deal, theologically.  A baby was born to virgin, but we aren't really sure why it matters.  After all, he doesn't really do much until he's a grown man.  It's his death that matters most, right?  And his subsequent resurrection?  Heck, the early church didn't even celebrate Christmas as a distinct holiday--not for a couple hundred years, anyway.  They celebrated the resurrection by meeting every Sunday, but there's no mention of observing Christmas (or Easter, for that matter--at least not as an annual thing--and because of its connection to Passover, we actually know when Easter was).  And the Puritans weren't big on Christmas at all; they rebelled against it as a Catholic invention and claimed it was infested with pagan elements and lacked any biblical justification.