Christmas & Calvinism

There are some Calvinists who object to Christmas on traditionally Puritan grounds. From that standpoint I’m going to quote from an overview of Christmas in relation to historical Reformed theology, which was originally published by Prof. David Engelsma, in the 1994-95 issues of the Standard Bearer. This is for the benefit of some Calvinists who may labor under the misimpression that Christmas represents a break with Reformed tradition.

Keep in mind that, as Protestants, Reformed traditions are entitled to no greater instinctual deference than any other theological tradition. If we take sola Scriptura to heart, then all theological traditions have to pass Biblical muster–in terms of whatever the Bible teaches, commands, permits, or forbids.

The Protestant Reformed Churches' practice of observing Christmas is a long and honorable tradition in the Reformed Churches that trace their spiritual descent to the Synod of Dordt. Article 67 of the venerable Church Order of Dordt (1618/1619) requires that the Reformed churches "shall observe in addition to the Sunday also Christmas...."

This observance consists of a public worship service on December 25. The elements of this service are the same as those that make up the congregation's worship on the Sabbath. The minister preaches on some aspect of the birth of Christ, usually, and preferably, the history in the gospels. The congregation hears the blessed gospel of the incarnation and praises God with appropriate psalms in congregational singing.

Objection against Dordt in this provision and practice is invariably in terms of the "regulative principle" of worship: observance of Christmas is not prescribed in Scripture.

But this is a misunderstanding of the "regulative principle." This is evident from the fact that Dordt permitted, indeed prescribed, observance of Christmas even though the great Reformed synod was committed to the "regulative principle" as laid down in Question 96 of the Heidelberg Catechism. Dordt saw no conflict between the requirement of the second commandment that we worship God only in the "way ... He has commanded in His Word" and the observance of Christmas at a Reformed worship service. The fathers of Dordt saw no conflict because there is none.

The "regulative principle" requires that the elements of public worship–the "how" of worship–prescribes in His Word, whether the public worship be on the Lord's Day or on some special occasion. The "regulative principle" certainly does not forbid the church ever to gather for worship on another day than Sunday or on another occasion than the regular remembrance of Christ's resurrection on the first day of the week.

The Heidelberg Catechism explains the fourth commandment as requiring that "I, especially on the sabbath diligently frequent the church of God." The Catechism does not say, "exclusively on the sabbath."

The Westminster Assembly likewise allowed for the observance of days of public fasting and of public thanksgiving in addition to the observance of the sabbath (see "The Directory for the Public Worship of God").

Calvin looked askance at the celebration of Christmas in his day because of the corrupting of that celebration by Roman Catholicism (see I. VanDellen and M. Monsma, The Church Order Commentary, Zondervan, 1941, p. 273).

He did not, however, flatly forbid it as a transgression of the second commandment. As I noted in my review of Wulfert de Greef's The Writings of John Calvin: An Introductory Guide (Baker, 1993), Calvin went along with the Geneva church's observance of the four great feast days that did not fall on a Sunday, including Christmas. When the Council decided to abolish these observances, Calvin wrote a correspondent that, if he had been asked for advice, he would not have supported this decision (see de Greef, The Writings of John Calvin, p. 57; my review of this book appeared in the September 29, 1994 issue of the Standard Bearer).

This is the kind of wisdom that we defenders of the "regulative principle" must demonstrate in our application of the principle, lest we fall into a rigid, stifling (and divisive) legalism and, thus, imperil the principle itself.

The term "Christmas," according to Webster's Ninth New Collegiate Dictionary, derives from a word meaning "Christ's mass." From this, nothing follows concerning use of the word by the true church. According to Baker's Dictionary of Christian Ethics (ed. Carl F. H. Henry, Baker, 1973), the word "Sunday" is "derived from pagan sources and denotes the day devoted to the sun" (p. 653). This does not rule out Christians meeting for worship on this day or using the word to refer to the day on which they engage in public worship.

There is no basis in Scripture for the Reformed churches' commemoration of Christ's birth on December 25.Neither is there basis in Scripture for their observing a Day of Prayer on the second Wednesday of March annually. Nor is there such basis in Scripture for services of public worship in observance of "notable judgments," "some special blessing," and "days of public thanksgiving," as allowed by the Westminster Assembly's "Directory for the Public Worship of God" and as actually held by Presbyterian churches in the Scottish tradition.

The Reformed and Presbyterian churches have the liberty to observe these special occasions by worship services on other days than the Lord's Day. This is really our liberty. It is our liberty in Christ Jesus. The Belgic Confession asserts this liberty in general terms: "it is useful and beneficial that those who are rulers of the church institute and establish certain ordinances among themselves for maintaining the body of the church" (Art 32). The Second Helvetic Confession of 1566, in its day a Reformation creed of standing, distribution, and influence, expresses this liberty in specific terms:

Moreover, if in Christian liberty the churches religiously celebrate the memory of the Lord's nativity, circumcision, passion, resurrection, and the ascension into heaven, and the sending of the Holy Spirit upon the disciples, we approve of it highly (Chapter 24, in Reformed Confessions of the 16th Century, ed. Arthur C. Cochrane, Westminster, 1966).

That which churches maintaining the "regulative principle" do not have liberty to do is to introduce into the worship service itself, whether on the Lord's Day or on a special occasion, any other element of worship besides those commanded by Scripture. As the Heidelberg Catechism explains, God requires in the second commandment that we not worship Him "in any other way than He has commanded in His Word" (Q. 96).

The "regulative principle" of public worship does not care on what day, in addition to Sunday, the church may gather for public worship, or that the occasion may be celebrating the birth of Christ or some notable judgment. The concern of the "regulative principle" is that when the church does gather for worship she worships God only as He has commanded in His Word; using the sacraments; publicly calling upon the Lord (which includes congregational singing of the Psalms); contributing to the relief of the poor; and doing all in spirit and in truth (see Heid. Cat., Q. 103; John 4:24).

The Reformed churches that stand in the tradition of Dordt do not accuse, and never have accused, their Presbyterian brothers and sisters who stand in the tradition of Westminster of any wrong-doing as regards their worship. It is perfectly alright in our judgment that the Scottish Presbyterians do not observe Christmas by a public worship service on December 25, or any other date.

We make no effort to bind their consciences.

When, on the other hand, our Presbyterian brothers and sisters accuse the Reformed churches standing in the tradition of Dordt of transgressing the second commandment, because they do observe Christmas, we warn them, "Beware, lest in applying the good principle you 'fall into a rigid, stifling (and divisive) legalism, and, thus, imperil the principle itself.'" This was, and is, my warning, not to those who choose not to observe Christmas, but to those who are inclined to charge Article 67 of the Church Order of Dordt, and the Reformed believers adhering to it, with violation of the second commandment.