REJOINDER

May I use the privilege of this space and time to wish US ALL the Best of this Season’s compliments – for you and all yours too in Christ Name. Amen.

1. I am persuaded to place this rejoinder to the submission by an unknown author to me (us) on the contra of Christmas and _Xmas – (italics, mine). I am certain Mate Michael found the write up fascinatingly interesting and that it will be good fresh knowing to our Mates here hence, he decided to rebroadcast the article to us.

I’d therefore hasten to confirm that indeed that piece came timely; it’s Christmas Season and all finding it will naturally be attracted to read. I expressed same curiosity and so also had to read through the lines of that article too.
However, it is crucial and for the purpose of eliminating misrepresentation of primordial ecclesio-theological facts to State the while the original author of that write up has furnished credible historical details with reference to the changing of the original pagan environment that warranted the introduction of the FEAST as well as his stint about the ancient language root meaning of the Word _Christ_as a biblical vocabulary, it is IMPORTANT to point out that the Author’s averment that the word Xmas_is atheists’ calculated deception by which Christians unknowingly and in self- contradiction, confess there’s a ‘No Christ’ XMAS* Faith in place of the true meaning of Christmas.

In that, the Author offers a more misleading information.

I find his analogy of the letter X in relation to its usage in Xmas erroneous too!

May it interest you to learn that the Holy Land into which Christ was born was part of the Greco-Roman World. So the effect of Hellenism or helenist (greek) culture was present in the life and diction of the early Church. In fact, the New Testament Scripture translated the Hebrew Meshiach i.e., the anointed One to ‘Christos’ or Christ. Know that the English Letter X is Greek Chi from where the Word Christ was formed or developed. It is popular knowledge that the early Church was persecuted by the authorities, So certain sign languages and symbols, the meaning of which were known to her members alone, were created. XMAS was one of such just as the symbols of Fish and the Crosses were used. The X in Xmas connotes Christ in its Greet reading. It is not a cancellation or elimination of the same; neither was it a form of incursion by atheists and enemies of Christ. Rather it is a coded way in which the church continued to make reference to the name of Christ in the Christmas Feast against the thrust of intense persecution.

Thanks for your quality time, expended.

May your Xmas be merry and Holy in Christ Name. Amen.

The Very Rev Dr. Fyneface N. Akah JP., DSSRS., Emeritus Anglican Provist of the Cathedral Church of St. Paul, Diobu Port Harcourt, is The President of Lynn Chancel Port Harcourt and the Sittinf Executive Chairman of Rivers State universal Basic Education Board.
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