Comedic Pundits like Stephen Colbert and Jon Stewart constantly celebrate Advent by mockingly referring to what Social Conservatives would call “The War on Christmas”, which they see as emblematic of American society’s rejection of Christianity. It would shock many to know that the first people who warred against Christmas were not post-60’s liberals however, but one of Protestantism’s most rigid groups. As my friend, a Presbyterian minister, puts it, Christians (or more specifically adherents to the Reformed faith) ought to fight to keep Christ out of Christmas. Yes, it was neither the Grinch nor wealthy American Jewry that begun the de-sacralization, but the Puritans.
Reformed Theology was initially divided on the issue of the Liturgical Calendar. One of the Great Scholastics of Calvinism wrote:
“The question is not whether anniversary days may be selected on which either the nativity, or circumcision, or passion, or ascension of Christ, and similar mysteries of redemption, may be commemorated, or even on which the memory of some remarkable blessing may be celebrated. For this the orthodox think should be left to the liberty of the church. Hence some devote certain days to such festivity, not from necessity of faith, but from the counsel of prudence to excite more to piety and devotion. However, others, using their liberty, retain the Lord’s day alone” – Francis Turretin “Insitutes of Elenctic Theology” (101)
Thus the Continental Calvinists living in 16th century England, and the Dutch Reformed Boers of South Africa, both celebrated their own traditional and national feasts with a clear conscience. However, principally in the 17th century, there began a movement developing out of the Regulative Principle of Worship (the Church can’t do anything not in the Scripture) which fought to ban the celebration of Christmas.
Oliver Cromwell was famous for outlawing Christmas, and the American Puritans also made their workers toil on this feast. As they interpretted the matter, the Sabbath was the only perpetual holiday of the New Testament people of God and so these other celebrations were Judaic at best, Popish at worst. Scrooge in Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol” was given the first name “Ebeneezer” which would have brought to the minds of the 19th century audience the fact that Puritans used names primarily from the Old Testament, and so Scrooge would be a parody of the Cromwellians. While Schama called Cromwells men “the Protestant Taliban on horseback”, there were no doubt, many people of goodwill acting out of their consciences, and so perhaps it’s cruel to add our “amens” to such a statement (though I have in the past).
In any case, hopefully the story of Oliver Cromwell, the Puritans, and the Banning of Christmas will make a good point in the conversation next time you hear someone groan over a “happy holidays” greeting.