Pensamientos para hoy (afterthought for today)
Don't jump to conclusions According to news reports, Rowan Williams, the Archbishop of Canterbury, has said in a BBC interview that the Christmas story is only a 'legend'.1 I have read the excerpts from the interview available at the British newspaper the Telegraph and on the Archbishop's official website. In the interview Archbishop Rowan says that he believes that Jesus was born in a manger. He believes also that Jesus' mother was named Mary and that she was a virgin. He believes that Mary was betrothed to a man named Joseph and that they had traveled to Bethlehem where Jesus was born. He believes that shepherds did come to see the baby Jesus just like the Gospel says and that magi also came to see Jesus. He believes also that there was some sort of star that led the wise men to the place where they found the baby Jesus. The Archbishop of Canterbury does use the word "legend" during the interview, but in my opinion he gives the impression that he believes that the events of the Christmas story in the Bible are true, historical facts. If you read the interview the reporter from BBC asks Archbishop Rowan: ". . . how much of it you think is true and crucial to the believing in Christmas. So start with . . . the baby Jesus in a manger; historically and factually true?" And the Archbishop answers: "I should think so; the Gospel tells us. . ." and Archbishop Rowan affirms his belief in every aspect of the story as reported in the Gospels: the virgin birth, the shepherds, and the wise men. Archbishop Rowan seems to indicate that he believes each of the main points of the story. He only refutes three parts of the traditional story--parts of the story that are nothing but legend and are not mentioned in the gospels. He says concerning the animals in the manger scene that "the oxes [sic] and asses; they don't figure very strongly in the gospels, so I can live without the ox and asses." He says also that the gospels don't mention how many wise men came to visit Jesus and that there probably was not snow on the ground.2 These comments hardly show that the Archbishop thinks the story of Jesus' birth is a legend. I guess we should not be surprised that the mainstream press would attack this high-profile religious figure. Unfortunately many people who are reading the misleading articles will come to the conclusion that even leaders in the church don't believe the Bible. Secularists and god-haters will do everything they can to spread their gospel of unbelief and skepticism. As we come into this most sacred time of year when we remember the birth of our Savior we will no doubt hear more from godless people who want to take Christ out of Christmas and replace the reason for the season with materialism and other forms of hedonism. May God help us to affirm the historical reality of the birth of our Savior as recorded in the pages of the Bible. And when we hear evil reports about church leaders, let's be careful not to jump to conclusions. Merry Christmas to your family from our family, Pastor Steve and Kathy, Paul, Mark, Lisa, and Julie December 21, 2007Footnotes1 Sophie Borland, Archbishop says nativity 'a legend' [web-page] Telegraph available at: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2007/12/20/nwise120.xml. 2007, Telegraph Media Group Limited 2007. Internet accessed on December 21, 2007. 2 Archbishop's interview with Simon Mayo: Edited transcript of the Archbishop of Canterbury's interview with Simon Mayo on BBC Radio 5 Live, [web-page] Telegraph available at: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2007/12/20/nwise220.xml. 2007, Telegraph Media Group Limited 2007. Internet accessed on December 21, 2007; Excerpt of interview with Simon Mayo on Radio 5 live Wednesday 19th December 2007 [web-page] The Archbishop of Canterbury available at: http://www.archbishopofcanterbury.org/sermons_speeches/071219.htm. 2007, Rowan Williams. Internet accessed on December 21, 2007
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