{"id":97770,"date":"2022-12-04T23:34:09","date_gmt":"2022-12-05T06:34:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/danpeterson\/?p=97770"},"modified":"2022-12-09T23:00:24","modified_gmt":"2022-12-10T06:00:24","slug":"regarding-two-christmas-carols","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/danpeterson\/2022\/12\/regarding-two-christmas-carols.html","title":{"rendered":"Regarding Two Christmas Carols"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<\/head>

\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"De<\/a>
\u201cChrist in the Manger,\u201d by Georges de la Tour (ca. 1644)
Wikimedia Commons public domain image<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

I wrote two newspaper columns for Christmas 2013.\u00a0 Here they are:<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

The first verse of the popular late-nineteenth-century Christmas carol \u201cAway in a Manger\u201d (often mistakenly attributed to Martin Luther) ends peacefully with \u201cthe little Lord Jesus, asleep on the hay.\u201d \u00a0Unfortunately, though, \u201cThe cattle are lowing; the poor baby wakes, but little Lord Jesus no crying he makes.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Richard Mouw, the prominent Calvinist theologian who just completed two decades as president of California\u2019s Fuller Theological Seminary, spoke recently at the LDS Institute of Religion adjacent to Utah Valley University.\u00a0 He pronounced the carol\u2019s portrayal of an uncrying infant Jesus \u201cheresy.\u201d\u00a0 And he was right.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cJesus was a real baby,\u201d he reminded his large Mormon audience.\u00a0 \u201cThat baby cried.\u201d\u00a0 \u201cThere was no Superman suit under those swaddling clothes.\u201d\u00a0 Furthermore, Mouw said, the baby had no divine checklist that he was working through. \u00a0(\u201cLet\u2019s see.\u00a0 Wise men?\u00a0 Check.\u00a0 Shepherds?\u00a0 Check.\u00a0 Hmmm.\u00a0 Could have designed that camel a bit better.\u201d)\u00a0 So, said Mouw, when you come to this particular verse, \u201cYou should sing those words with your fingers crossed.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

He spoke humorously, but he was entirely serious.<\/span><\/p>\n

Among the perpetual temptations in the history of Christianity has been the false doctrine of \u201cDocetism,\u201d from the Greek verb \u201cdokeo,\u201d meaning \u201cto seem.\u201d\u00a0 It is, simply put, that Jesus Christ was fully God but not, really, fully man.\u00a0 He only seemed human.\u00a0 He merely appeared to be subject to human limitations, pains, and weaknesses.\u00a0 But this would be worrisome, for, if he only pretended to take upon himself our nature, it\u2019s not obvious how he could fully take upon himself our sins.\u00a0 If he didn\u2019t really suffer, he didn\u2019t really atone.\u00a0 He had to assume our human nature completely, or he wouldn\u2019t be completely able to redeem it\u2014and us.\u00a0 \u201cGod became man,\u201d declares the ancient Christian formula, \u201cso that man might become God.\u201d St. Athanasius the Great, fourth-century bishop of Alexandria and a principal figure at the Nicene Council, put it this way: \u201cThe Word was made flesh in order that we might be enabled to be made gods. . . . Just as the Lord, putting on the body, became a man, so also we men are both deified through his flesh, and henceforth inherit everlasting life.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Continuing, Professor Mouw cited the Book of Mormon.\u00a0 And, although frankly acknowledging that he doesn\u2019t share the Latter-day Saint view of its origin and doesn\u2019t consider it scripture, he cited Alma 7:11-12 with approval:<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAnd he shall go forth, suffering pains and afflictions and temptations of every kind; and this that the word might be fulfilled which saith he will take upon him the pains and the sicknesses of his people.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAnd he will take upon him death, that he may loose the bands of death which bind his people; and he will take upon him their infirmities, that his bowels may be filled with mercy, according to the flesh, that he may know according to the flesh how to succor his people according to their infirmities.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Quoting further, Mouw spoke of our common \u201cfaith on the Lamb of God, who taketh away the sins of the world, who is mighty to save and to cleanse from all unrighteousness\u201d (Alma 7:14).\u00a0 \u201cWhen it comes to the redemptive work of Christ,\u201d he concluded, \u201cwe say the same things.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

But all of this depends upon the truth of the shared conviction that \u201cIn the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.\u00a0 The same was in the beginning with God.\u00a0 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.\u00a0 In him was life; and the life was the light of men.\u00a0 And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not. . . .\u00a0 He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not.\u00a0 He came unto his own, and his own received him not.\u00a0 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name\u201d (John 1:1-5, 10-12).<\/span><\/p>\n

On the basis of this common faith, Latter-day Saints join the great Christian chorus that extends across two millennia and around the globe, rejoicing in the advent of Christ, knowing that \u201c<\/strong>the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us\u201d (John 1:14), \u201cthat God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself\u201d (2 Corinthians 5:19).<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"Beautiful<\/a>
Christmas lights at the Washington DC Temple
(LDS.org)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Many Western Christians observe a season called \u201cAdvent\u201d (from the Latin \u201cadventus,\u201d or \u201ccoming\u201d) during the month before they celebrate Christ\u2019s Nativity at Christmas. \u00a0Advent begins on the fourth Sunday prior to 25 December, and opens the liturgical year in the Moravian, Presbyterian, Methodist, Lutheran, Anglican, and Roman Catholic calendars. \u00a0(Eastern Christian communions celebrate a rough equivalent of Advent called the \u201cNativity Feast,\u201d but its role and function differ somewhat.)<\/span><\/p>\n

Latin \u201cadventus\u201d is equivalent to the Greek term \u201cparousia,\u201d which commonly refers to Christ\u2019s Second Coming. \u00a0Not coincidentally, therefore, Advent celebrations typically anticipate his glorious return in addition to commemorating his birth in Bethlehem. \u00a0Just as ancient Jews longed for the coming of the Messiah, modern Christians yearn for his Second Advent. \u00a0For this reason, some theologians call Advent \u201cthe season of already\/not yet.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Advent isn\u2019t biblical\u2014the first plain references to it appear late in the sixth century\u2014and it surely isn\u2019t required for salvation. \u00a0 But then, the same can be said of virtually every one of our Western Christmas traditions. \u00a0And, amidst the high-pressure commercialism and the rat race of contemporary Christmas observance (if that\u2019s really the word for what our society does), it seems a pretty good way of preparing spiritually for what is, after all, a supremely spiritual and religious holiday (i.e., \u201choly day\u201d). \u00a0Various Advent candles, calendars, and wreaths are used to mark the season and to mark off its days as they pass, as are different colors (e.g., in candles and vestments)\u2014notably purple, blue, and, sometimes, rose.<\/span><\/p>\n

The ecclesiastical Latin hymn \u201cVeni, veni, Emmanuel\u201d is a metrical version, in seven verses, of part of the vespers or evening liturgy for the final week of Advent.\u00a0 Its origins are unclear, but the text goes back in some form or another to at least the twelfth century, and possibly to the eighth.\u00a0 It\u2019s based on the prophecy in Isaiah 7:14, that God will give Israel a child symbolically called \u201cImmanuel\u201d (literally, \u201cGod with us\u201d), which Matthew 1:23 says was fulfilled in the birth of Jesus.\u00a0 The music appears to come from a fifteenth-century processional hymn for French Franciscan nuns, although it, too, may have eighth century origins in a Gregorian chant.<\/span><\/p>\n

The lyrics also echo a number of other prophetic themes. The \u201cRod of Jesse\u201d refers to the prophecy in Isaiah 11:1 concerning the father of David and the Davidic messiah. The term \u201cDayspring\u201d stems from a prophecy given by Zacharias, the father of John the Baptist, and recorded in Luke 1:78.\u00a0 The reference to the \u201cKey of David\u201d is inspired by Isaiah 22:22 (\u201cthe key of the house of David will I lay upon his shoulder\u201d), which in turn refers to Isaiah 9:6 (\u201cthe government shall be upon His shoulder\u201d).<\/span><\/p>\n

In the nineteenth century, John Mason Neale and Henry Sloane Coffin translated this medieval liturgical hymn into English, as \u201cO Come, O Come, Emmanuel\u201d:<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cO come, O come, Emmanuel, <\/span>and ransom captive Israel that mourns in lonely exile here until the Son of God appear.\u00a0 <\/span>Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel shall come to you, O Israel!<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cO come, thou Wisdom from on high, who ordered all things mightily.\u00a0 To us the path of knowledge show, <\/span>and teach us in her ways to go.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cO come, thou Rod of Jesse, free thine own from Satan\u2019s tyranny.\u00a0 From depths of hell thy people save, and give them victory over the grave.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cO come, thou Dayspring, come and cheer our spirits by thine advent here.\u00a0 Disperse the gloomy clouds of night, and death\u2019s dark shadows put to flight.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cO come, thou Key of David, come, and open wide our heavenly home.\u00a0 Make safe the way that leads on high, and close the path to misery.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cO come, O come, great Lord of might, who to thy tribes on Sinai\u2019s height in ancient times once gave the law in cloud and majesty and awe.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cO come, Desire of Nations, bind in one the hearts of all mankind. O, bid our sad divisions cease and be yourself our King of Peace.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

In the Roman Catholic Church, two verses of the hymn are sung each week of Advent, beginning with verses one and two on the first Sunday. On the second Sunday, verses three and four are sung and, on the third, verses five and six. \u00a0Finally, on the last Sunday, congregations sing the first and seventh verses.<\/span><\/p>\n

In their hope for Christ\u2019s return, modern Christians echo the messianic dream of ancient Israel.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

\u00a0 \u00a0 I wrote two newspaper columns for Christmas 2013.\u00a0 Here they are: \u00a0 The first verse of the popular late-nineteenth-century Christmas carol \u201cAway in a Manger\u201d (often mistakenly attributed to Martin Luther) ends peacefully with \u201cthe little Lord Jesus, asleep on the hay.\u201d \u00a0Unfortunately, though, \u201cThe cattle are lowing; the poor baby wakes, but […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1019,"featured_media":97806,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[2538,32592,1356,2517,7167,9541,32595,32604,1369,32601,18239,32598,27320,6162,32442],"class_list":["post-97770","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-advent","tag-away-in-a-manger","tag-christ","tag-christmas","tag-emmanuel","tag-fuller","tag-fuller-theological-seminary","tag-henry-sloane-coffin","tag-jesus","tag-john-mason-neale","tag-mouw","tag-o-come","tag-pasadena","tag-richard-mouw","tag-seasonal-holidays"],"yoast_head":"\nRegarding Two Christmas Carols<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"    I wrote two newspaper columns for Christmas 2013.\u00a0 Here they are:   The first verse of the popular late-nineteenth-century Christmas\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/danpeterson\/2022\/12\/regarding-two-christmas-carols.html\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Regarding Two Christmas Carols\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"    I wrote two newspaper columns for Christmas 2013.\u00a0 Here they are:   The first verse of the popular late-nineteenth-century Christmas\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/danpeterson\/2022\/12\/regarding-two-christmas-carols.html\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Sic et Non\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2022-12-05T06:34:09+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2022-12-10T06:00:24+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/wp-media.patheos.com\/blogs\/sites\/186\/2022\/12\/800px-Georges_de_La_Tour_001.jpeg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"768\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"617\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Dan Peterson\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Dan Peterson\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"8 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/danpeterson\/2022\/12\/regarding-two-christmas-carols.html\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/danpeterson\/2022\/12\/regarding-two-christmas-carols.html\",\"name\":\"Regarding Two Christmas Carols\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/danpeterson\/#website\"},\"datePublished\":\"2022-12-05T06:34:09+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2022-12-10T06:00:24+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/danpeterson\/#\/schema\/person\/77113e9b09701bd1599fa272c4f65045\"},\"description\":\"    I wrote two newspaper columns for Christmas 2013.\u00a0 Here they are:   The first verse of the popular late-nineteenth-century Christmas\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/danpeterson\/2022\/12\/regarding-two-christmas-carols.html#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/danpeterson\/2022\/12\/regarding-two-christmas-carols.html\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/danpeterson\/2022\/12\/regarding-two-christmas-carols.html#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/danpeterson\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Regarding Two Christmas Carols\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/danpeterson\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/danpeterson\/\",\"name\":\"Sic et Non\",\"description\":\"\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/danpeterson\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":\"required name=search_term_string\"}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/danpeterson\/#\/schema\/person\/77113e9b09701bd1599fa272c4f65045\",\"name\":\"Dan Peterson\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/danpeterson\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/5ed1a72d26805e35a503e3167599df7c?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/5ed1a72d26805e35a503e3167599df7c?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"Dan Peterson\"},\"description\":\"\\\"Life was very unsatisfying until I discovered Dan's blog, which gave me a reason to live.\\\" (gemli, 7 November 2019)\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/danpeterson\/author\/danpeterson\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Regarding Two Christmas Carols","description":"    I wrote two newspaper columns for Christmas 2013.\u00a0 Here they are:   The first verse of the popular late-nineteenth-century Christmas","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/danpeterson\/2022\/12\/regarding-two-christmas-carols.html","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Regarding Two Christmas Carols","og_description":"    I wrote two newspaper columns for Christmas 2013.\u00a0 Here they are:   The first verse of the popular late-nineteenth-century Christmas","og_url":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/danpeterson\/2022\/12\/regarding-two-christmas-carols.html","og_site_name":"Sic et Non","article_published_time":"2022-12-05T06:34:09+00:00","article_modified_time":"2022-12-10T06:00:24+00:00","og_image":[{"width":768,"height":617,"url":"https:\/\/wp-media.patheos.com\/blogs\/sites\/186\/2022\/12\/800px-Georges_de_La_Tour_001.jpeg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"author":"Dan Peterson","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Dan Peterson","Est. reading time":"8 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/danpeterson\/2022\/12\/regarding-two-christmas-carols.html","url":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/danpeterson\/2022\/12\/regarding-two-christmas-carols.html","name":"Regarding Two Christmas Carols","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/danpeterson\/#website"},"datePublished":"2022-12-05T06:34:09+00:00","dateModified":"2022-12-10T06:00:24+00:00","author":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/danpeterson\/#\/schema\/person\/77113e9b09701bd1599fa272c4f65045"},"description":"    I wrote two newspaper columns for Christmas 2013.\u00a0 Here they are:   The first verse of the popular late-nineteenth-century Christmas","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/danpeterson\/2022\/12\/regarding-two-christmas-carols.html#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/danpeterson\/2022\/12\/regarding-two-christmas-carols.html"]}]},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/danpeterson\/2022\/12\/regarding-two-christmas-carols.html#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/danpeterson"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Regarding Two Christmas Carols"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/danpeterson\/#website","url":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/danpeterson\/","name":"Sic et Non","description":"","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/danpeterson\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":"required name=search_term_string"}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/danpeterson\/#\/schema\/person\/77113e9b09701bd1599fa272c4f65045","name":"Dan Peterson","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/danpeterson\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/5ed1a72d26805e35a503e3167599df7c?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/5ed1a72d26805e35a503e3167599df7c?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"Dan Peterson"},"description":"\"Life was very unsatisfying until I discovered Dan's blog, which gave me a reason to live.\" (gemli, 7 November 2019)","url":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/danpeterson\/author\/danpeterson"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/danpeterson\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/97770","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/danpeterson\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/danpeterson\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/danpeterson\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1019"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/danpeterson\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=97770"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/danpeterson\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/97770\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/danpeterson\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/97806"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/danpeterson\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=97770"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/danpeterson\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=97770"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/danpeterson\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=97770"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}