A Light to All the World

Evidenced by the colourful decorations in shopping centres and images of Father Christmas and his reindeer, the late minute rush to buy presents for family and friends and the arrival of the summer school holidays it’s obvious Christmas is upon us. As such, it’s a good time to ask what is the meaning of Christmas and why do so many Western countries like Australia celebrate the 25^th of December as such a memorable day?  In the same way Aboriginal activists argue for truth-telling about Indigenous history, culture and their celebrations the same can be said for this nation’s Western heritage.

To survive and prosper, societies need a strong moral and spiritual belief system that fashions human behaviour and how we interact with others.  In the same way we acknowledge Indigenous peoples and their unique culture and spirituality, it’s only right we do the same for Australia’s mainstream culture.

Christmas is seen by many as a time to give and receive gifts, to share hospitality with family and friends and to start that much needed holiday free from worry and stress.  For Christians, though, the birth of Jesus represents an epochal event that radically transformed history and the way we live.

As suggested by Pope Francis, “Standing before the manger, we understand that the food of life is not material riches but love. Not gluttony but charity, not ostentation but simplicity”.  The Christian message is to love thy neighbour as thyself and, as the Good Samaritan demonstrated, to show charity and sympathy to others.

When explaining the significance of Christmas, Pope John Paul 11 stated, “Jesus is born for a humanity searching for freedom and peace.  He is born for everyone burdened by sin, in need of salvation, and yearning for hope”.  In a dangerous world where evil and temptation exist Jesus’ teachings offer a guiding light illuminating the darkness.

While many argue Australia is a secular society and insist we now live in a post-Christian age, the reality is our heritage is a Christian one that underpins and enriches our institutions and way of life. While it’s true that since Federation in 1901 the percentage of Australians identifying as believers, Christianity at 43.9 per cent of the population, is the most popular religion.

Parliaments around Australia begin with the Lord’s Prayer and it’s no accident the preamble to the Australian Constitution includes the phrase “Humbly relying on the blessing of Almighty God”.  Our legal institutions are also underpinned by Christian teachings beginning with the Ten Commandments. While people now have a choice, for countless years anyone giving evidence in court swore on the Bible, and Christian concepts such as redemption and forgiveness explain why convicted criminals, often through good behaviour and repentance, are offered reprieves on their sentences. Especially at this time of year and in our current economic climate, where so many are suffering disadvantage and poverty, it is Christian-managed or -inspired organisations like the Salvation Army, Caritas, the St Vincent de Paul Society and Mission Australia that provide so much comfort and support.

The poet T S Eliot in his essay ‘Notes Towards a Definition of Culture’ argues even those who are not religious have to recognise Christianity’s impact on the arts, especially literature, music, architecture, sculpture and paining plus “our conceptions of private and public morality”. Eliot also argues religion, whether Hinduism, Judaism, Buddhism or Islam, is an essential aspect of any worthwhile and healthy culture and, in relation to Western nations like Australia, he warned “If Christianity goes, the whole of our culture goes”.

While it’s difficult to prove the two things are connected, it should not surprise at the same time the number of Australians identifying as Christian has declined society has seen a significant increase in rates of anxiety, depression and self-harm, the incidence of alcohol and drug abuse and the rise of single-parent families. Add domestic violence and the destructive impact of pornography and sexualisation of childhood and there is a no doubt too many people lack the moral compass and spiritual awareness that Christianity provides.

Jesus teaches while this world is far from perfect and people are prone to suffering, pain and sin, not all is lost. With the power of prayer there is redemption and forgiveness and the joy that comes from embracing God’s love.

Christmas is a time for celebrating with family and friends and giving and receiving gifts, at the same time it is vital to remember the greatest gift is the birth of Jesus and the promise of eternal salvation in the world to come.

Dr Kevin Donnelly is a senior fellow at the ACU’s PM Glynn Institute and editor of Why Christianity Matters in these Troubled Times