Syncretism...NOT!

I don’t have the stats handy, but the number of Jews who marry non-Jews is a growing number, with interfaith marriages becoming more typical in the last few decades. And so every year we get stories about interfaith families — which in this case means families where one parent is Jewish and one parent is Christian. And even though presumably this poses challenges every day — of how to inculcate religious faith in children, celebrate holidays, and remain religious — the press notices it once a year. Around Christmas....

Hanukkah might be a secondary Jewish holiday, but its religious significance speaks directly to the comingling of religions.

A brief history: Under the reign of Antiochus (around 170 B.C.), Jews were forced to violate the precepts of their faith and an altar to Zeus was erected in the Temple. Mattathias, a Jewish priest, and his five sons John, Simon, Eleazar, Jonathan, and Judah led a rebellion. Judah, who took over following his father’s death, became known as Judah Maccabee and under his leadership the Temple was liberated and rededicated.

A new altar was constructed in place of the syncretistic Zeus altar and oil was needed for the menorah in the Temple, which was supposed to burn throughout each night. Even though there was only enough oil for one day, the menorah burned for eight crazy nights. An eight day festival was declared to commemorate this miracle.

[ via GetReligion]

Why celebrate both?

"Early New Testament literature sees the new covenant as a renewal of the covenant (with Moses) on Sinai," said Richard A. Horsely, professor of religion at University of Massachusetts in Boston. "They regard Jesus Christ in the role of the new Moses."

When Hanukkah and Christmas are celebrated on the same day, it's natural to wonder how the two great religions are intertwined. For the earliest Christians -- who were, in fact, Jews -- that relationship wasn't something they had to ponder and sort out. Their faith was developing as they lived it.

Jesus and his followers saw his birth, life and death, said Horsely, "as a fulfillment of the history of Israel, its struggles, its expectations and its desire to be free to live under the kingdom of God, not under oppressive kings and emperors ... that's the message of both Christmas and Hanukkah."

Christian or Jewish: It's a holiday for all by Tim Townsend