Advent and lighting of candles - origin?

  • Thread starter Thread starter rien
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
R

rien

Guest
A friend of mine recently said the lighting of candles by any Christian is “papist”. Now I know this is not correct. The Jewish tradition of lighting candles being one pre-cursor I believe to the Orthodox and Catholic tradition.

Can anyone give me a more detailed exposition on Advent, the lighting of candles and “historic” Christianity as it flowed from Judaism? How should I answer this person?
 
rien said:
A friend of mine recently said the lighting of candles by any Christian is “papist”… How should I answer this person?
Click to expand...
Give him a wedgie. I don’t have any information for you about Advent or candles, but I have found that a wedgie is usually the best way to answer persons who use words like “papist”. They don’t usually listen to reason.

No, I’m not serious. It’s just that I’ve been tempted to do this so many times…
 
rien said:
A friend of mine recently said the lighting of candles by any Christian is “papist”. Now I know this is not correct. The Jewish tradition of lighting candles being one pre-cursor I believe to the Orthodox and Catholic tradition.

Can anyone give me a more detailed exposition on Advent, the lighting of candles and “historic” Christianity as it flowed from Judaism? How should I answer this person?
Click to expand...
I have heard that the Advent wreath was started in the lutheran church. According to this same source, Luther also started the decorating of Christmas trees. Of course, this was all said by people who were raised Lutheran, so I have no “papist” source for any of this. 😉
 
Joe_Kelley said:
It is my reccollection that the Advent Wreath started as a Lutheran custom and spread. Christmas trees also came from Germany, but whether from Luther or from before his time I am not sure.

Re Jewish candles see [Chanukah Primer](http://www.aish.com/chanukahguide/chanukahguidedefault/Chanukah_Primer.asp) Everything you need to know about the Festival of Lights.
Click to expand...
Does anyone have a source for the Advent Wreath/candle starting with Luhternaisn? I don’t want to tell my friend who thinks its ‘papist’ otherwise unless I have a source.
 
"‘Actual origins are uncertain. There is evidence of pre-Christian Germanic peoples using wreathes with lit candles during the cold and dark December days as a sign of hope in the future warm and extended-sunlight days of Spring. In Scandinavia during Winter, lighted candles were placed around a wheel, and prayers were offered to the god of light to turn "the wheel of the earth’’ back toward the sun to lengthen the days and restore warmth.

By the Middle Ages, the Christians adapted this tradition and used Advent wreathes as part of their spiritual preparation for Christmas. After all, Christ is ‘the Light that came into the world’ to dispel the darkness of sin and to radiate the truth and love of God (cf, John 3: 19-21). By 1600, both Catholics and Lutherans had more formal practices surrounding the Advent wreath."

link: catholiceducation.org/articles/religion/re0132.html
 
ElizabethPH said:
"‘Actual origins are uncertain. There is evidence of pre-Christian Germanic peoples using wreathes with lit candles during the cold and dark December days as a sign of hope in the future warm and extended-sunlight days of Spring. In Scandinavia during Winter, lighted candles were placed around a wheel, and prayers were offered to the god of light to turn "the wheel of the earth’’ back toward the sun to lengthen the days and restore warmth.

By the Middle Ages, the Christians adapted this tradition and used Advent wreathes as part of their spiritual preparation for Christmas. After all, Christ is ‘the Light that came into the world’ to dispel the darkness of sin and to radiate the truth and love of God (cf, John 3: 19-21). By 1600, both Catholics and Lutherans had more formal practices surrounding the Advent wreath."

link: catholiceducation.org/articles/religion/re0132.html
Click to expand...
So, that would follow my thought that it was an adapted pagan tradition the Church used to get more followers.
 
NewUlm1976_2000 said:
So, that would follow my thought that it was an adapted pagan tradition the Church used to get more followers.
Click to expand...
No not necessarily.

Besides OP said that they were told it was original from a ‘papist’ practice not a pagan one?
 
Leopard said:
Give him a wedgie. I don’t have any information for you about Advent or candles, but I have found that a wedgie is usually the best way to answer persons who use words like “papist”. They don’t usually listen to reason.

No, I’m not serious. It’s just that I’ve been tempted to do this so many times…
Click to expand...
I need my rolling in the aisles smiley.
maybe we could change this to "use this question as a wedge to ask what do you mean by ‘papist?’ OR ‘why do you say that?’ and you may be able to initiate a rational discussion. Or not.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top