Christmas or Christmyth?     Rev. Ernie Mills

The birth narratives of Jesus found in Matthew and Luke are a form of backward looking. They were created after the “facts” of the life of Jesus. There are two different ways that we humans have viewed the Christmas stories. We either dismiss them as a fairy tale (legend) or interpret them literally, as if it really happened. Belief in the literal interpretation became a litmus test for what it means to be a Christian; as in the confessions of faith known as the Apostles and Nicene creeds. I would like to offer a third Alternative – a mythical, inner and spiritual interpretation. This way we can avoid throwing Christmas out or taking it literally.