The struggle I am having with the sermon is the problem with the Christmas story and I have it every year. There is much of the story that we know has problems historically. What do we do with the Christmas story when most scholars doubt that much of it actually happened. Consider this:
What if there is no record of the census? What if Herod was not really King when Jesus was born? What if there couldn't have been shepherds out in the field? What if there is no record of the Magi? What if there is no certainty that Jesus was born in Bethlehem? What if there is no historical documentation of the killing of children that would have caused Mary and Joseph to leave Bethlehem and go to Egypt?
What if most of the story was made up by the church wanting to give us a birth narrative because there was no birth narrative?
Is it right to tell the story as if it is factual?
Is it right to tell children the story in church and in worship?
What do you think about that? If you have some thoughts write me at charlesschuster@fcfumc.net. If you are willing to share your thoughts with others click on the box below.
I look forward to hearing from you.
Charles Schuster
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1 comment:
Chuck,
Thank you for the thoughts in today's blog. Correct me if I am wrong but isn't historical 'correctness' a problem with many Biblical stories? Did Noah really fit two of every animal on the ark? How many people did the loafs and fishes feed? My favorite is how can we teach creation when in my eyes science has proven evolution as a fact?
I think that the church should not hide these questions but state them as an honest uncertainty. We have a BELIEF in which FAITH is a big part. This journey is not a scientific debate, but a spiritual undertaking. I think this is why we celebrate the SPIRT of Christmas and not the carbon-dated certainty of it.
In my humble opinion,
Rob Vangermeersch
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