On Saturday I was in the big chain drugstore and the Muzak or whatever it's called today was an innocuous instrumental version of Rudolph the Rednosed Reindeer. I heard singing, a child's voice belting out all the words. I peered around until I could see her and watched for a moment as she danced as well, while her father searched for something on the shelf. When the music stopped she just kept on singing, perfectly in tune. She hadn't finished all the verses so she needed to keep going.
I enjoyed the moment but, when in doubt, over-analyze. I wondered how she would do if the music was Silent Night or Away in a Manger. Do children know these carols the way they would have not all that long ago? We do live in a more multi-cultural society, although more than 80% of Canadians identify themselves as at least nominally Christian. That's the challenge though. Is it just a cultural Christianity rather than knowing and living the story which we see as The Story?
I had decided to share this incident with you today and when I came to work this morning there was an email from a St. Paul's member containing the BBC news headline Reindeer Ralph supplants Nativity. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/magazine/7125171.stm
A Muslim leader comments that Britain is a Christian country and he has no objection to hearing the Christian story as long as there is openness and respect of other traditions. More and more I realize that it isn't people of other faiths who are the challenge to our faith but our own indifference.
When we sing our Christmas faith this year at White Gift and the Living Nativity and Christmas Eve we are teaching a story that is so much more important than reindeer in the sky, whether they are Ralph or Rudolph.
I enjoyed the moment but, when in doubt, over-analyze. I wondered how she would do if the music was Silent Night or Away in a Manger. Do children know these carols the way they would have not all that long ago? We do live in a more multi-cultural society, although more than 80% of Canadians identify themselves as at least nominally Christian. That's the challenge though. Is it just a cultural Christianity rather than knowing and living the story which we see as The Story?
I had decided to share this incident with you today and when I came to work this morning there was an email from a St. Paul's member containing the BBC news headline Reindeer Ralph supplants Nativity. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/magazine/7125171.stm
A Muslim leader comments that Britain is a Christian country and he has no objection to hearing the Christian story as long as there is openness and respect of other traditions. More and more I realize that it isn't people of other faiths who are the challenge to our faith but our own indifference.
When we sing our Christmas faith this year at White Gift and the Living Nativity and Christmas Eve we are teaching a story that is so much more important than reindeer in the sky, whether they are Ralph or Rudolph.
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