Evangelical Christians are adopting ”” and adapting ”” the rituals of Advent, the four weeks leading up to Christmas that are traditionally celebrated by Catholics, Lutherans, Eastern Orthodox and other liturgical churches.
They’re giving a new, personalized spin to the prayers, candles and calendars to track the building excitement, and set a spiritual tone day by day. This year Advent begins on Sunday.
Popular evangelical authors are offering readings and composing prayers for the Advent season. And Family Christian Stores, the nation’s largest Christian retailer with 301 stores nationwide, has seen sales of Advent-related items climb 35% in the past year.
[blockquote]This year Advent begins on Sunday.[/blockquote]
Gee, look, so does Easter! What a coincidence! I only happens 100 times every century!
I love the way journalists check their facts!
Advent is not a “bolt-on” created to help folks help sell calendars! Rather it is (like the other Seasons) the Church’s attempt to reflect and recall God’s actions in the Salvation history.
The reference to Advent beginning on Sunday struck me as odd, too, until I remembered AP style: “Use Monday, Tuesday, etc., for days of the week within seven days before or after the current date.” So “Advent begins on Sunday” means that Advent begins on Sunday, Nov. 30. The reporter isn’t stating the obvious; she’s just using AP style.
The reporter is using “Sunday” to indicate the coming Sunday, November 30. Non-Christians, and Christians who don’t observe the liturgical calendar may not know. But the statement tells them when Advent begins. It’s that simple.
It could have been worded better. For example: “In the western tradition the 1st Sunday of Advent is always 4 Sundays before December 25.” Regardless, it is nice that other denomination are rediscovering the Church year.
I was just discussing this topic with a co-worker. As an evangelical, he was adamant about not observing Advent, Lent — any of it, except the obvious high holy days Christmas and Easter. We got into another discussion about Epiphany. In the church year, it’s 12 days after Christmas (January 6) but in reality it was probably at least two years before the wise men showed up. So, in his view, why observe it?
Hmmm, “…a new, personalized…” Yep, those two words sound about right.
My sister goes to a Covenant church. A couple of years ago, they decided to start celebrating Advent a week early — it was more convenient to their schedule that way. My sister was appalled — I believe her exact words were, “You can’t do that!” — but the pastor was completely baffled by her protest. Why shouldn’t they shift it around for their convenience? It was only Advent, after all.
Elle (#3) is right about the wording – it’s just standard AP usage to say that it starts *this* Sunday. It has been interesting to me to see so many denominations adopting Advent in recent years. When I became Episcopalian around 1980, only our church and the equally small Catholic church observed Advent and folks in all the other churches didn’t know what it meant, when it was, etc.
The problem is the wording the author uses – “This year”. That implies that it does not always start on a Sunday.
I agree with you, Harry, and believe he should have left out “this year”. Sorry, I overlooked that.
in #6, flaanglican wrote:
[blockquote]…In the church year, it’s 12 days after Christmas (January 6) but in reality it was probably at least two years before the wise men showed up. So, in his view, why observe it? [/blockquote]
the obvious answer is that the Epiphany we will mark this coming January is actually Epiphhany 2006, going with Christmas 2 years and 12 days prior.
Ross, well of course it is only Advent, but it is also part of an over all Church year. It should be part of a package. If they are only observing only that part of the Church year called Advent, then I guess I doesn’t matter where you put it nor do you have to have 4 Sundays I suppose.
One tiny additional correction – the Eastern Orthodox start Advent, aka the Nativity Fast, on 15 November, which occurs on a Sunday about one year in seven. [smiley] Yic, Bill
Greetings –
Just to be accurate, the Orthodox Church does not observe the tradition of Advent (four candle and a wreath, no advent calendars). The Orthodox faithful participate in a Nativity Fast and hear special readings leading up and preparing for the Nativity of our Lord.
Blessings –
BJ
Greetings once again –
The Nativity Fast is from November 15 – December 24, with a special break for Thanksgiving Day in the US only. The Orthodox Church does not count the four Sundays leading up to Christmas as is done in Advent. Forgot those two points. For more information about the Orthodox Church, visit http://www.goarch.org. And, if you ever find yourself in the south Atlanta area, please come visit St. Christopher Hellenic Orthodox Church in Peachtree City, Georgia. We would love to have you visit.
Blessings –
BJ Spanos
15, and, correct me if I am wrong, they start their church year on a different date. But that’s neither here nor their. The important thing for me is that the Church year and lectionary (whether Western or Orthodox) provides a structure through celebration and Scripture to recall the ministry of Jesus and it helps us to be more intentional Christians.
Dear Br. Michael –
Yes, the Orthodox year starts on September 1st. I agree with your point about providing a structure to prepare for the Nativity of our Lord and recall the ministry of Jesus. The Orthodox Church’s structure is nearly 2000 years old and is beautiful. When it changes, which is not often, it takes a long time with a lot of prayer and consideration and is not prone to quick responses to the whims of culture. I find this very encouraging and supportive to my spiritual journey.
Blessings –
BJ
[blockquote] Why shouldn’t they shift it around for their convenience? It was only Advent, after all.[/blockquote]
I am gonna guess by that statement that they are probably skipping the no meat fish wine oil or animal products (including dairy) thing as well. It’s awfully inconvenient with all those Christmas parties.
Under the mercy,
[url=http://ad-orientem.blogspot.com/]John[/url]
An [url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gj4pUphDitA]Orthodox [/url] Christian
Re # 17
Br. Michael,
Your observation is correct. Since our liturgy is also an expression of Orthodox theology and doctrine we guard it jealously from any tinkering. Minor changes have been introduced over the many centuries, a word here… a gesture there. But liturgical development is organic. There is no committee that revamps things every so many decades. Anyone magically transported from the imperial court of the 5th century to an Orthodox Church today would recognize the liturgy (though there would doubtless be some minor differences).
Even the Calendar is taken far more seriously than in most other religious confessions. The Church calendar was largely fixed b canons in the first four centuries of the Church. The decision in 1923 by the Ecumenical Patriarch to unilaterally revise parts of the calendar to bring it more inline with the papal calendar used by almost all western Christians sparked huge controversy which continues to this day.
Under the mercy,
[url=http://ad-orientem.blogspot.com/]John[/url]
An [url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gj4pUphDitA]Orthodox [/url] Christian
Isn’t Advent a penitential season? I would be thrilled if people who observe Advent in church would observe it at home, too. And I don’t mean just lighting the Advent candles. Don’t start decorating until closer to the Christmas season, which liturgically speaking is between Dec 24 and Jan 6. I am frustrated that so many folks, including Christians, start celebrating Christmas starting right after Thanksgiving and end it on Dec 26. Delay the decorating this year by a couple of weeks, and keep things up until Epiphany. Unless like me your decorations stay up for weeks and weeks due to dreading the task of taking them down and packing them away! Observe Advent and celebrate Christmas.
As to 12th night, it is instructive and probably significant, that January 6th is the day that the sun finally starts rising earlier in the morning. This is the day the year REALLY starts to move. The sun starts setting later in the afternoon about December 8th, and in my heretical pagan fashion, this is when I set up my tree. On the 21st, all the junk wood and slash from the preceding year go up in a giant bonfire to celebrate sunreturn. We do not dance naked around the fire although we do drink hard cider in unseemly quantities and throw snowballs at each other. The Heretic in Maine