Issue link: http://denverseminary.uberflip.com/i/909943
DECEMBER 21 16 I have taken groups of Americans to Israel on many occasions, beginning in 1985. For Christians, all trips to this Holy Land must include visits to two crucial churches: the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem and the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem. These are the major Christian pilgrimage sites, for they mark the key events in our Savior's life: the Incarnation and the Crucifixion. Over the years, I've been intrigued by the way American evangelicals respond to what they encounter in these churches. Two phenomena strike me especially at this Advent season. First, many describe the ornate décor of these churches as gaudy: gilded walls, icons, hanging lamps, candles, crucifixes, Madonna and Child depictions, and much more—very different from what they're used to in churches back home. Many evangelicals find this style distracting and even off-putting. I have heard complaints that such features amount to meaningless ornaments or even idols. But I hope we can ask ourselves whether any kind of devotional art—western or northern, eastern or southern—is truly "better" than the others. The other phenomenon happens with different visitors we encounter at these sites: pilgrims from many countries, social backgrounds, and Christian traditions. While evangelicals often approach these places like tourists, chatting and taking selfies, we always witness worshipers who fall prostrate before the altars or even kiss the floor. These visitors are genuinely moved by being in these places that celebrate where their Lord was born and died. Again, to generalize, our evangelical tradition does not express devotion in these ways, but I hope we wonder humbly who might be more devoted to Jesus. Who, after all, is the judge of what is "appropriate" devotion? These experiences bring me to consider what forms true worship can take and to notice what might distract a follower of Christ from such true worship. As we approach Christmas again this year, these questions can be relevant. Does our own décor show our devotion to Christ? Or does it merely reflect cultural values? Will we allow the Spirit to move us to grasp the significance of Christ's birth and death, or will we choose to embrace the culture's trappings, telling us, "It's a Merry, Merry Christmas"? What will it look like for us to "worship in Spirit and in truth" this year? William W. Klein, PhD Professor of New Testament "Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth." —John 4:23–24 What Will Christmas Look Like?