During a time of major cultural upheaval, it may not be all that shocking to learn of the proposed actions being considered by local, state, and federal lawmakers across the country: that the celebration of the birth of Christ be cancelled in America this year due to COVID-19 restrictions.
“To even suggest a cancellation of Christmas gatherings is truly an affront to Christians, the Bible, and the American Constitution,” says Dr. Richard Land, president of Southern Evangelical Seminary. “For Christians, gathering together for Christmas is not focused on the commercialization of the holiday. We are celebrating the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ. God is first and foremost in our lives. No one can deny Him or His presence or Christian recognition and worship of Him and His birth as our Savior.”
Across our nation, state governments stipulated various “Thanksgiving Gathering” restrictions upon the masses. For many, these restrictions were an insult, suggesting that the American people did not possess the keen understanding of the situation, or quite simply, the common sense to be cautious during a global pandemic.
“Thanksgiving, however important it is to Americans, is not a holy day. Christmas is. This Christmas, Christians will continue to be diligently cautious, meticulously wise, and carefully follow the proper social distancing and other COVID-19 safety measures.”
Dr. Land further stated, “But we will certainly not stop honoring Jesus by gathering to worship Him and to celebrate the greatest gift ever given—the birth of our Savior.
“I’m delighted that in legal actions brought by people of faith in California, Nevada, New York, and Colorado, the US Supreme Court has supported people of faith exercising what the Court accurately referenced as ‘the first freedom,’ the freedom to worship God according to the dictates of our own consciences. One very important way to protect that precious freedom is to defend it and to exercise it, no matter what local, state, and federal governments dictate. Our ultimate loyalty always belongs to God, not Caesar (Matt. 22:21), including our celebration of Christmas, the holiest of days.”
SES recently completed its premier annual conference in apologetics, which was boldly virtual in 2020. Over 1,500 attendees from some 28 states and Puerto Rico—and an estimated 23 different countries—heard from a record-breaking 75 speakers. All sessions are now posted online for on-demand viewing for attendees.
Dr. Land shares his insightful takes on pressing issues of the day in “Bringing Every Thought Captive,” a daily radio feature in which he discusses many timely topics. He also writes a regular weekly column for The Christian Post, where he serves as executive editor.
To learn more about the NCCA virtual conference, visit conference.ses.edu. For 27 years, SES’s National Conference on Christian Apologetics has given believers the tools, knowledge, and motivation to defend their beliefs in a culture that is sometimes hostile toward Christianity.