Page 12 - 200912 - The 'X' Chronicles Newspaper - December 2009

12 The Origin of “Xmas” 12 The Origin of “Xmas” The Origin of "Xmas" "xmas." the chi-rho monogram (see Chrismons), a The Origin of "Xmas" symbol that by the fourth century became part by Dennis Bratcher by Dennis Bratcher It is as if the term "Xmas" used anywhere in of the official battle standard of the emperor public is part of some diabolical grinchly plot to Constantine. Some people seem to get worked up easily subvert Christmas. This is implied in other about things that are either largely irrelevant or places as well. A 2005 poll on the website Another example is the symbol of the fish, one incidental, or that they do not really understand. bible.com, a popular biblical resource site, has of the earliest symbols of Christians that has This seems to be the case with some religious this question: "What concerns you the most been found scratched on the walls of the folk when the topic is an aspect of Christianity about how the world is attacking Christmas, a catacombs of Rome. It likely originated from that is personally important to them. Christian holiday?" The four choices given in using the first letter of several titles of Jesus order are: (Jesus Christ Son of God Savior). When For example, around Christmas each year there combined these initial letters together spelled are always those who loudly decry the use of the 1) Using an "X" to replace Christ’s name in the Greek word for fish (icquV, ichthus). abbreviation "Xmas" as some kind of Christmas - i.e. Xmas; blasphemy against Christ and Christianity. This 2) Banning manger scenes from public places; The exact origin of the single letter X for Christ concern has been elevated recently with the 3) Substituting "Happy Holidays" for "Merry cannot be pinpointed with certainty. Some claim public debates about manger scenes and the Christmas"; that it began in the first century AD along with substitution of "holiday" for Christmas in stores 4) Emphasizing Santa Claus over Baby Jesus. the other symbols, but evidence is lacking. and government venues. Among religious Others think that it came into widespread use by folks, the objection to Xmas is usually along the Certainly, the question does not imply what the the thirteenth century along with many other line that people have taken Christ out of web site itself thinks of the answers. But the fact abbreviations and symbols for Christianity and Christmas and replaced him with an unknown that this issue can still be included with the various Christian ideas that were popular in the (since the Greek letter chi, [C,c] which looks other fears that people have about Christmas Middle Ages. However, again, the evidence is like the English letter x, is the symbol for an illustrates a continuing and significant level of sparse. unknown quantity in mathematics). misinformation mixed with people’s concerns. And the less than neutral language of the In any case, by the fifteenth century Xmas For example, on the "Voice of Prophecy" web question ("world," "attacking," "Christian") emerged as a widely used symbol for Christmas. site is an article entitled "You Can’t "X" out certainly leaves the impression that using In 1436 Johannes Gutenberg invented the Christ." "Xmas" is part of some worldly plot to printing press with moveable type. In the early overthrow Christendom. days of printing typesetting was done by hand You’ve heard the classic story about the little and was very tedious and expensive. As a result, boy who noticed the huge red-and-green sign This misunderstanding and fear mongering abbreviations were common. In religious spray-painted on a department story: "Happy about the use of "Xmas" is not a new publications, the church began to use the Xmas." And he wondered aloud about the X. phenomenon. I heard the same kinds of abbreviation C for the word "Christ" to cut Why was it X-mas? And finally, in a forlorn comments in sermons many years ago. It was down on the cost of the books and pamphlets. voice, he asked his dad: "Did they cross Christ especially prevalent among those Christians and From there, the abbreviation moved into general out of Christmas, Daddy?" And the father had church leaders who wanted or needed to see the use in newspapers and other publications, and never thought of it that way before, but finally world in negative and threatening terms (see "Xmas" became an accepted way of printing nodded. "Yes, Son, I guess they did." And it The Jonah Syndrome), or who tended to see "Christmas" (along with the abbreviations Xian makes you think. everything in society as part of some grand and Xianity). Even Webster’s dictionary conspiracy of Satan or the inexorable working acknowledges that the abbreviation Xmas was Well it certainly does make one think. It makes out of God’s own predetermined plan, without in common use by the middle of the sixteenth one think how uninformed or misinformed, and really knowing all the facts or complexities of century. unnecessarily militant with that misinformation, the situation (see Christians and Urban so many Christians are concerning their own Legends). So there is no grand scheme to dilute Faith. The story illustrates what could have been Christianity by promoting the use of Xmas a marvelous opportunity to teach a child about I have no doubt that some people write "Xmas" instead of Christmas. It is not a modern some of the important symbolism of the because they are too busy or too lazy to write invention to try to convert Christmas into a Christian Faith. But it was an opportunity lost, out the whole word. And no doubt some secular secular day, nor is it a device to promote the in this story at least, because many Christians people, who are just as uninformed as commercialism of the holiday season. Its origin do not understand their own iconography and Christians, see "Xmas" as a way to avoid is thoroughly rooted in the heritage of the symbolism. The results are often battles waged writing "Christ." And certainly there are secular Church. It is simply another way to say against windmills while far more consequential and commercial motives in the fact that Christmas, drawing on a long history of issues for the Faith are neglected (a modern "XMAS" appears in ads and signs because it symbolic abbreviations used in the church. In example of Matt. 23:23). can be larger and more attention getting in the fact, as with other abbreviations used in same amount of space (more bang for the buck). common speech or writing (such as Mr. or etc.), Now, in all honesty, the article on that web site But those factors do not take away the the abbreviation "Xmas" should be pronounced focuses on the secular commercialization of thoroughly Christian origin of the word "Christmas" just as if the word were written out Christmas, something to which most Christians "Xmas." In this instance, all of the hype and in full, rather than saying "exmas." I know would object or at least with which they hysteria over supposedly taking Christ out of Understanding this use of Christian symbolism are uncomfortable (note similar comments by Christmas by writing "Xmas" instead of might help us modern day Xians focus on more Ken Collins in Christmas Facts [external link]). spelling out "Christmas" is both uninformed and important issues of the Faith during Advent, and But the fact that the use of "Xmas" can be misdirected. bring a little more Peace to the Xmas Season.[] associated so easily with crass commercialization rather than locating it within Abbreviations used as Christian symbols have a For all your ‘X’ Mas Shopping Needs the Christian tradition itself reveals a lack of long history in the church. The letters of the www.xzonexmaslist.com understanding of heritage and history. word "Christ" in Greek, the language in which the New Testament was written, or various titles The same perspective is obvious in this for Jesus early became symbols of Christ and response to a BBC broadcast on the meaning of Christianity. For example, the first two letters of Dare to Believe - Dare to be Heard Christmas: the word Christ (cristoV, or as it would be written in older manuscripts, CRISTOS) are the With Rob McConnell in The ‘X’ Zone The time has come to separate the religious Greek letters chi (c or C) and rho (r or R). These festival of Christmas from the trading season of letters were used in the early church to create www.xzoneradio.com