The Christian traditions are oblivious to many Protestants

[BrewMax]

It amazes me how many people that claim to be Christians don’t practice the traditions of Christianity like Advent and Lent. I was talking with a guy I know well that attends a non-denominational church and he knows nothing of Advent, Lent and the creeds and such. I even read the yard sign in front of their church that says, we have no creed but the Bible. How can so many of these people be so in the dark about ancient Christian traditions? Apparently it is not important to them or they just throw out what they don’t understand. Any ideas here?

 

[brosam]

It amazes me how many people that claim to be Christians don’t practice the traditions of Christianity like Advent and Lent. I was talking with a guy I know well that attends a non-denominational church and he knows nothing of Advent, Lent and the creeds and such. I even read the yard sign in front of their church that says, we have no creed but the Bible. How can so many of these people be so in the dark about ancient Christian traditions? Apparently it is not important to them or they just throw out what they don’t understand. Any ideas here?

Most Christians celebrate Advent, although it isn’t taught in scripture.

 

[BrewMax]

Most Christians celebrate Advent, although it isn’t taught in scripture.

Advent is merely the 24 days leading up to Christmas. This is a time of preparation for the joyous birth of our Lord.

 

[SyCarl]

It amazes me how many people that claim to be Christians don’t practice the traditions of Christianity like Advent and Lent. I was talking with a guy I know well that attends a non-denominational church and he knows nothing of Advent, Lent and the creeds and such. I even read the yard sign in front of their church that says, we have no creed but the Bible. How can so many of these people be so in the dark about ancient Christian traditions? Apparently it is not important to them or they just throw out what they don’t understand. Any ideas here?

Many Protestant Churches practice them although not necessarly in the same way as Catholic. For example during Advent in our church there is a reading and lighting of and Advent candle each Sunday.

 

[BrewMax]

Many Protestant Churches practice them although not necessarly in the same way as Catholic. For example during Advent in our church there is a reading and lighting of and Advent candle each Sunday.

mine too.

 

[brosam]

Advent is merely the 24 days leading up to Christmas. This is a time of preparation for the joyous birth of our Lord.

Yes, I’m aware of that.

 

[BrewMax]

Yes, I’m aware of that.

Just pointing out that just because the Bible doesn’t exactly refer to this time as Advent doesn’t mean it isn’t Scriptural. Trinity is not a word found in Scripture but we know that it is absolutely Scriptural that our God is trinitarian.

 

[brosam]

Just pointing out that just because the Bible doesn’t exactly refer to this time as Advent doesn’t mean it isn’t Scriptural. Trinity is not a word found in Scripture but we know that it is absolutely Scriptural that our God is trinitarian.

The difference is that the Trinity is taught in principle, if not by name. Advent is not.

That doesn’t mean that it’s bad or that it shouldn’t be celebrated, only that there is no Biblical basis for it or against it, so it falls under the category of adiopheron.

 

[BrewMax]

The difference is that the Trinity is taught in principle, if not by name. Advent is not.

That doesn’t mean that it’s bad or that it shouldn’t be celebrated, only that there is no Biblical basis for it or against it, so it falls under the category of adiopheron.

I can accept what you said on the subject. There was no real preparation spoken of indepthly for Christ’s birth. Advent is strictly for the benefit of the followers of Christ now.

 

[Contarini]

It amazes me how many people that claim to be Christians don’t practice the traditions of Christianity like Advent and Lent. I was talking with a guy I know well that attends a non-denominational church and he knows nothing of Advent, Lent and the creeds and such. I even read the yard sign in front of their church that says, we have no creed but the Bible. How can so many of these people be so in the dark about ancient Christian traditions? Apparently it is not important to them or they just throw out what they don’t understand. Any ideas here?

The Reformed tradition, from which most other forms of Protestantism derive, threw out most of the Christian year for several reasons:

1. It isn’t prescribed in Scripture;
2. It teaches people to think some times are holier than others; and
3. It distracts from the weekly Sabbath (and celebration of Christ’s resurrection), which they believed was taught in Scripture.

And yes, I agree that it’s not at all clear why the weekly Sabbath (transferred to Sunday) should be treated as holy when the yearly Passover or Pentecost should not be. Christmas is somewhat different, since there is no OT basis for it.

Anglicans were the main holdouts (within the broadly Reformed tradition of Protestantism), though Strasbourg reinstituted parts of the Christian year as well (this was before Strasbourg became Lutheran–the Lutherans of course never abandoned the Christian year). However, much English-speaking Protestantism has roots in Puritanism, which explicitly rejected this conservative Anglican approach and traditionally did not celebrate any part of the Christian year.

The Christian year is coming back, though. Most of my students are either nondenominational or belong to very low-church denominations, but they routinely speak of giving things up for Lent. It’s quite astounding to me–this was not the way most evangelicals talked when I was their age, a mere 10-15 years ago!

Edwin

 

[BrewMax]

The Reformed tradition, from which most other forms of Protestantism derive, threw out most of the Christian year for several reasons:

1. It isn’t prescribed in Scripture;
2. It teaches people to think some times are holier than others; and
3. It distracts from the weekly Sabbath (and celebration of Christ’s resurrection), which they believed was taught in Scripture.

And yes, I agree that it’s not at all clear why the weekly Sabbath (transferred to Sunday) should be treated as holy when the yearly Passover or Pentecost should not be. Christmas is somewhat different, since there is no OT basis for it.

Anglicans were the main holdouts (within the broadly Reformed tradition of Protestantism), though Strasbourg reinstituted parts of the Christian year as well (this was before Strasbourg became Lutheran–the Lutherans of course never abandoned the Christian year). However, much English-speaking Protestantism has roots in Puritanism, which explicitly rejected this conservative Anglican approach and traditionally did not celebrate any part of the Christian year.

The Christian year is coming back, though. Most of my students are either nondenominational or belong to very low-church denominations, but they routinely speak of giving things up for Lent. It’s quite astounding to me–this was not the way most evangelicals talked when I was their age, a mere 10-15 years ago!

Edwin

I know that the Gregorian kalender is followed by not only Roman Catholics but Anglicans as well as Lutherans. On many Sundays, the Bible readings are the same ones in all of these churches. Orthodox Christians do not follow this hence their Easter is usually celebrated later than ours. But, much of Protestantism has chosen to walk away from the liturgical calender. Your info. given in your post was useful as to why in this matter, thank you.

 

[Le_Cracquere]

It amazes me how many people that claim to be Christians don’t practice the traditions of Christianity like Advent and Lent. I was talking with a guy I know well that attends a non-denominational church and he knows nothing of Advent, Lent and the creeds and such. I even read the yard sign in front of their church that says, we have no creed but the Bible. How can so many of these people be so in the dark about ancient Christian traditions? Apparently it is not important to them or they just throw out what they don’t understand. Any ideas here?

For people such as your friend, it’s often not a matter of consciously “throwing out” anything. Many generations ago, and perhaps an ocean away, their predecessors may have consciously jettisoned certain things, but I assure you that it’s possible to grow to adulthood in a Protestant church without ever hearing or learning the meaning of foreign terms such as “Advent,” “Lent,” “creed,” etc. --I’m living proof…

Maybe this’ll help: the Catholics and high-church Protestants I’ve come to know in adulthood apparently learned about concepts such as these by a sort of cultural osmosis–Advent, Lent, and so forth appeared to be concepts one just grew up knowing about. I never heard them until I was an adult, and it’s astonishingly difficult to find out things that must seem elementary to you–how does an “Advent calendar” work, anyway? Either you know nothing about such matters, or you’re so naturally steeped in them that you don’t bother documenting how they work–“who doesn’t know about [Mass/Advent/Lent/whatever?]” Answer: An almighty lot of us.

 

[Sr_Sally]

I was astonished too the first time I met someone who had grown up in a protestant tradition that didn’t celebrate the church year, learn the creeds etc. Since then, I have come to understand that many, many people don’t.

I just go about my way, following the traditions I grew up with and explaining as I go when the questions come in. I haven’t run across any hostile protestants, so that helps too! Most are happy to know about old traditions and the reasons behind them.

 

[ralphinal]

This has been an enjoyable post! A slight history lesson. In the colonial days of the United States, there were multiple denominations represented, separated by geography as much as doctrine. Many times, the reason a colony, or even a town or village, was founded was a religious ideology. In some of the New England area, Christmas was against the law (only Sunday was celebrated). As the mix of different denominations became the “American Protestant” church, some things stayed and some changed. For example, Christmas became a national holiday. The celebration of Advent and Lent, common in the high church and Roman Catholic areas, did not become incorporated into the whole. Some of the reasons have already been listed on here. One that is missed is that many current denominations are off-shoots from other denominations. As a previous poster stated, they grew up without the basis of a litergical calander.

I have several friends who have learned about Advent and Lent, and added them into thier faith lives. They feel enriched by the process. It seems to help put Jesus back into Christmas and it makes the Easter season more alive. I know of a couple of churches here in Alabama that have recently added the seasons in as well. I always smile when the members tell me about the “new” way or preperation for Easter and Christmas.

 

[johnnydigit]

Just pointing out that just because the Bible doesn’t exactly refer to this time as Advent doesn’t mean it isn’t Scriptural. Trinity is not a word found in Scripture but we know that it is absolutely Scriptural that our God is trinitarian.

yup, and the same goes for all other Catholic traditions and dogmas. they just aren’t as easy to understand as the Trinity and so are superficially rejected.

I can accept what you said on the subject. There was no real preparation spoken of indepthly for Christ’s birth. Advent is strictly for the benefit of the followers of Christ now.

right again. like Advent, Mary is the help provided for the benefit of followers of Christ. no doctrine, tradition, or dogma is meant to circumvent Christ to reach the Father. they all serve to direct people to Christ. unfortunately, misunderstanding leads people to believe otherwise, just as they who may have rejected Advent believe it to be a hindrance rather than a help.

that’s one of the reasons why i like the Catholic Church. it is like one big map with many ways for the many different believers to become closer to Christ. it is universal, unlike Protestant churches, where many end up trying many different maps until they find one that “fits” their journey - their lifestyle and what they understand and believe. in the process all these different maps divide, clash, and scatter about the body of Christ.

 

[LilyM]

The Reformed tradition, from which most other forms of Protestantism derive, threw out most of the Christian year for several reasons:

1. It isn’t prescribed in Scripture;
2. It teaches people to think some times are holier than others; and
3. It distracts from the weekly Sabbath (and celebration of Christ’s resurrection), which they believed was taught in Scripture.

Edwin

Really? Some times of the year aren’t holier than others? Why bother celebrating Christmas or Easter themselves then?

In fact since no time of year is supposed to be holier than any other why not do away with Sundays themselves - it ISN’T in scripture that the early church met only once a week and only on a specific day of the week.