Buddhist Catholic Contemplative Evangelical General Christian Hindu Jewish Latter-day Saint Muslim New Visions Progressive Christian

Beliefs

Topics

Columnists

Resource Library

Research Tools

Video

Podcasts

Thought Readers

Faith In Media Tracker

Newsletters

Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In Subscription Support

Follow Patheos

Home
Progressive Christian

christmas

Select a Category Advent Author Interviews Battle Over the Body and Blood of Christ Bearing Beauty Book Reviews Christian Education christian spirituallity christianity Christmas Church Church Leadership Contemplation Creation Care Death and Dying Death Penalty Disruptive Change Disruptors Series Easter Education Evolution and Faith Future of Progressive Christianity Gun Violence Health & Wellness Holy Week Interfaith Israel-Palestine Leading Differently Lent LGBTQ Living with Cancer Meditations on the Cross Mental Illness millennials Mimetic Mondays Monday Meditations Movie Reviews New Monasticism Pando Populus Parenting Patheos 10+1 Q&A Series PC(USA) Politics Pop Culture Practical Theology Series Prayer progressive christian Race Relations Reformation religion Religion and Politics Religion in America Rethink Church Social Justice Spirituality Spirituality of the Body Stump a Scholar Technology and Faith Thanksgiving Theodicy Trust Me Church Uncategorized Why I'm Still Christian Youth Ministry

Select a Month December 2025 April 2025 January 2025 September 2023 September 2022 May 2022 February 2022 January 2022 November 2021 October 2021 May 2021 February 2021 November 2020 October 2020 September 2020 June 2020 May 2020 March 2020 June 2019 March 2019 January 2019 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 February 2011 January 2011 December 2010 November 2010 October 2010 September 2010 August 2010 July 2010 June 2010 May 2010 April 2010 March 2010

November 2017

November 30, 2017

Top 10 Reasons Christians Should Stop Whining About Secular Xmas

I know we all lament the commercialization of Christmas. That said, it’s not worth getting...

December 2016

December 20, 2016

Fourth Week of Advent: When You’re Stuck in the Waiting

This is the fourth in a weekly series of Advent devotionals by the Rev. Elizabeth...

January 2016

January 04, 2016

Gifts Not Chains: Epiphany Wisdom for Foreign Aid (Matthew 2:1-12)

The turn of each calendar year is often filled with an influx of charitable giving,...

December 2015

December 08, 2015

Jesus Loves Santa (I Saw Them Together at Macy’s)

I had a religious experience at Macy’s department store in New York City when I...

November 2015

November 24, 2015

Christ is the Refugee: A Christmas Hymn

This Christmas season, Christians across Europe and the United States will sing carols in praise...

November 17, 2015

Waiting with Anticipation: The Blessing of Advent

Maybe waiting is the best part of the holiday season.

November 11, 2015

#RedCups, #Mizzou, #VeteransDay

Yesterday I stopped at Starbucks for a coffee, and a little Snow Man sugar cookie for...

November 09, 2015

It’s Not About The Cup: Christmas, Starbucks, and (fake) outrage

As the calendar turns to November we have found ourselves wading once again into the...

December 2014

December 23, 2014

Advent, Christmas, and the Messiness of Wombs

I never had children; never wanted to. So I haven't spent a lot of time...

December 22, 2014

Yes, Mary Did Know. But Do We?

By the Rev. Jude Harmon Chartbusting this holiday season is Pentatonix’s cover of “Mary Did...

December 18, 2014

When Jesus Stopped Believing in Santa

The day after the first Shabbat in Advent, Mary and Joseph took Jesus, who was...

December 07, 2014

Advent Begins in the Experience of the Oppressed

"If you, like the magi, seek out the newborn Jesus this season, then this is...

November 2014

November 28, 2014

A God with Skin on Her Face: Exploring the Mystery of Advent

Advent is derived from a Latin word meaning “arrival” or “coming.” The season of Advent...

November 18, 2014

Early Christmas Joy: Meditating with the Advent and Christmas Stories

The joy came to me early this year, in the form of Jan Johnson’s Taste...

November 17, 2014

Christmas as a Season: Sybil MacBeth’s “The Season of Nativity” and a Holiday Revolution

“The whole Nativity Season deserves to be relished.” ~Sybil MacBeth There is perhaps no holiday...

November 05, 2014

Away With the Manger

The annual rant is upon us: Thanksgiving is still weeks away, and already the stores...

November 04, 2014

Five Ways to Experience an Extreme Advent

By Sybil MacBeth Author, The Season of the Nativity: Confessions of an Advent, Christmas and...

December 2013

December 23, 2013

Mimetic Mondays: Finding God in the Mess

Despite years – and I mean YEARS – of therapy, I still run like a...

December 19, 2013

Peace on Earth: Contemplating the Possibility

The greeting cards arrive extolling, “Peace on Earth.” They come as messengers, revealing the longings...

December 19, 2013

Holy Babies!

I recently taught a class on World Religions, at least a few of them, with...

December 18, 2013

Light Beings: Fourth Sunday in Advent

By Sea Raven Lectionary Reflections for the Fourth Sunday in Advent Isaiah 7:10-16 ;Psalm 80:1-7, 17-19;...

December 13, 2013

Welcoming the Stranger: A Q&A with Jonathan Wilson-Hartgrove

Two of my favorite Patheos bloggers - Jonathan Wilson-Hartgrove and Bruce Reyes-Chow have published important books...

December 12, 2013

Birthing God: Women’s Experiences of the Divine

A few years ago, I sent out Christmas cards with a Meister Eckhart* quote on...

December 10, 2013

Being Human in December

A predominant message of this holiday season seems to be both loud and clear: Our...

December 09, 2013

Mimetic Monday: Reflecting on Christmas & the Incarnation by Stephanie Perdew VanSlyke, M.Div., Ph.D.

Why did the birth of Jesus matter to the early church? What did they think...

December 02, 2013

Seasons of Gifts: Preaching Advent, Christmas, and Epiphany

I invite you to consider how your preaching through this season invites us to dwell...

December 20, 2011

The Virgin of Guadalupe Speaks

Press Release: The Virgin of Guadalupe Speaks For immediate release At a press conference in...

October 2010

October 04, 2010

The Phallic Fetish Of Prayer

To help us better understand what has happened to prayer, I think we have to...