Article December 23, 1961 Issue

Signs of the Times

[Note second editorial in this issue, pp. 2225-2227.]

James DeF. Murch

Christian Herald

The Reverend James DeF. Murch, D.D.
in the Christian Herald
New York, New York

Santa Claus is a myth .... There is no religious element in Santa Claus .... If in the minds of the masses his image is allowed to supplant the person of our Lord Jesus Christ, whose birthday Christmas is supposed to celebrate, paganism will have won a new victory. I am for the campaign to "put Christ back into Christmas." ...

He cannot be put back into the paganized holiday we have created. Merely adding sacred music, nativity scenes and religious greeting cards to the shopping season madness of Main Street will not do it .... The only way Christ can have a proper place in His birthday celebration is to change the popular concept of Christmas through the testimony of the Church ....

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