All You Really Need to Know Cromes from Charlie Brown, the Grinch and Scrooged

A Christmas Reflection

It’s Christmas and Hannukkah Eve so I need to try to spread a little joy.

I am a now semi-retired Priest and retired Navy Chaplain. Christmas means so much to me despite my doubts and experiences of the past 15 or so years.

Believe it or not, I am actually a pretty learned theologian as well as a historian. I am probably a better historian than theologian, in fact on of my Deans at the Joint Forces Staff College said that I was “a historian masquerading as a chaplain, not that there is anything wrong with that.” But the theology of the Incarnation is extremely important to real Christian theology. The Incarnation not about creating some kind of Christian theocracy in order to usher in the Kingdom of God, instead it is about a God that chooses to become fully human, to be born of a woman, and comes into the world in the helplessness of an infant. Of course, he grows up to suffer death as a criminal, despised and rejected by the types of people that today’s theocracy minded “Christian leaders” emulate in thought, word, and deed.

With that being said I will not bore you with an essay citing historical references, Scripture, or quotations of theologians, pastors, and historians who are much more learned than me. So, please, if you feel the need to criticize my theology, feel free, but please, have the decency to arrange to do that over a beer or your favorite tasty beverage later. Don’t ruin your Christmas or Hannukkah, or whatever holiday you celebrate, or maybe don’t. I just want people to be happy, and be better people at least one day of the year.

The truth is when all is said and done, I learned everything that I need to know about Christmas from Merry Christmas Charlie Brown by Charles Schulz, and How the Grinch Stole Christmas by Dr. Seuss. That was later reinforced by Bill Murray’s performance in Scrooged, a modern adaptation of Charles Dickins’ A Christmas Carol.

To me it is fascinating because Schulz, who brought us Charlie Brown, Snoopy, and the whole Peanuts Gang for half a century was a Christian who battled depression and faith, yet his classic animated cartoon of Christmas which was released in 1965 has probably reached more people with the Christmas message than any great preacher of the past century or more.

The decision to include the speech by Linus was controversial, because of the expressly religious implications, by Schulz insisted that it be reatained.

I saw it for the first time when it was released in 1965, and now 53 years later it retains its freshness and innocence.

Charlie Brown: Isn’t there anyone, who knows what Christmas is all about?!

Linus: Sure Charlie Brown, I can tell you what Christmas is all about. Lights please?

And there were in the same country shepherds, abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them! And they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, “Fear not! For, behold, I bring you tidings o great joy, which shall be to all my people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ, the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you: Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.” And suddenly, there was with the angel a multitude of the Heavenly Host praising God, and saying, “Glory to God in the Highest, and on Earth peace, and good will toward men.

That’s what Christmas is all about, Charlie Brown.

Likewise, I think that Dr. Seuss, who was Jewish, may very well have done the same in his story about the Grinch.

But when we were going through some really rough times during seminary, we saw the movie Scrooged starring Bill Murray, Karen Allen, Robert Mitchum, Carol Kane, Bobcat Goldwaite and a host of others.

At the end of the film after being visited by the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present and Future, Murray playing the part of TV network president Frank Cross gets the revelation of what Christmas is all about. I think that it has a great message for all of us.

I know that to some people this might sound simplistic and hokey. But I have learned so much about Christmas and the Incarnation from others, of course many are Christians, but I have also learned from Jews, Muslims, and others, and of course from Charlie Brown, the Grinch, and Frank Cross. So for all of my friends and readers I simply repeat the words of Dr Seuss. Welcome Christmas, bring your cheer… Christmas Day will always be just as long as we have we…