A Mom’s Guide to the Church Calendar
Advent. Lent. Holy Week. For some of us, these mark regular rhythms in our church experience, often accompanied by familiar songs, readings, or traditions. They may be the sum total of our church’s yearly “calendar” or fit alongside a myriad of other dates—all designed to systematically tell the story of Christ’s birth, life, death, and resurrection. To others, though, a liturgical calendar structure like this might sound like rote religious ritual, foreign and formal. Having spent time in a variety of churches and denominations over my own lifetime, I’ve seen many perspectives on the church calendar played out, with strong, biblically formed arguments made both for and against certain observances.
Does it compromise the gospel at all to be tied to prescribed celebrations? Do Christian holidays have pagan roots? What’s the big deal with the church calendar anyway? As gospel-driven moms, we may wonder how to navigate these questions well, in our homes and our churches. Here are three simple points to keep in mind as we sift through varying opinions on adherence to a set church calendar (or not):
A Historic Precedent
The Christian faith has ancient roots, so when we face practical questions like these, it can be beneficial to examine what our brothers and sisters thought or did in centuries prior. While we’re all fallible humans, prone to blunders and blind spots, consistent threads of tradition in church history can often illuminate our thinking on Christian practice. When it comes to the church calendar, we see specific celebrations take shape very early on in the church’s history. We find record of Easter celebrations (also known as Pascha) very shortly after Jesus’ ascension, with direct roots in the Jewish Passover.[1] Christmas appears on the Christian calendar, as far as scholars can tell, around the third century, without any known connection to surrounding pagan holidays.[2] Evidence of Advent celebrations also emerges in the third century, and additional seasons or dates on the church calendar (like Epiphany, Lent, Ash Wednesday, Ascension Day, and Pentecost Sunday) find their roots in historic church tradition as well.[3]
While observances like these aren’t prescribed by Scripture, God does call his people to remember the story of redemption. In the Old Testament, he establishes feasts and festivals (like Passover) for his people as memorials and celebrations of his deliverance, to be continued throughout the generations.[4] In the New Testament, he ordains regular gatherings of believers for celebrations of worship, baptism, corporate prayer, and communion to further remind us of what Christ has accomplished for our salvation. Historical church holidays are not one in the same, but God’s Word lays a precedent for intentionally commemorating his work of redemption, as these days seek to do.
A Helpful Practice
Insofar as they further our gospel remembrance, specific church calendar observances can be helpful in believers’ lives. They are rhythms set forth by brothers and sisters before us as continual reminders of what Christ has done. Mike Cosper puts it this way: “The church calendar was designed to walk believers through the story of the gospel every year, from the incarnation to the ascension. If we allow historic prejudice to color our perspective too heavily, we lose sight of the brilliant, pastoral creativity that shaped some of the church’s inventions.”[5]
We all order our lives by one calendar or another—maybe by holiday customs and shopping cycles (Valentine’s Day, Memorial Day, Labor Day, etc.) or by our own summer vacations, school schedules, and soccer seasons. In and amongst these busy days of motherhood, we’re prone to wander and forget what’s most important—most central on the agenda. The church calendar gives us opportunities to remember, to infuse our days with gospel hope:
The entire Church calendar from Advent to Pentecost is an unveiling of the triune God. The Father sends the Son, who comes at Advent and who is born at Christmas, the Son who suffers during Lent and suffers death on the cross and is raised triumphantly at Easter. And then the Father and the Son send the Spirit at Pentecost. . . . The remainder of the Church calendar, the remainder of the Church year after Pentecost, is a time for reflection on that God, the God of the gospel. . . . Our time is reckoned Christianly. The Church calendar keeps our focus where it should be, on Jesus Christ.[6]
While the sum truth of the gospel is for every day in every year, having specific seasons to reflect on specific aspects of Christ’s work can ground and grow us as we study, meditate, sing, fast, or celebrate in a more intentional way. Whether or not our church tradition observes some or all of these “holy days,” orienting our own devotional life or family culture around the church calendar can be a helpful framework for regularly walking through the story of salvation and remembering the preciousness of our Savior.[7]
A Humble Posture
Wherever we choose to land on church calendar observance, however, let’s remember to always carry our traditions and Christian freedoms in open hands. Scripture warns us of putting too much stock in our religious practices, at the expense of true gospel belief and right worship of Christ.[8] And Colossians 2:16-17 adds, “Let no one pass judgment on you in questions of food and drink, or with regard to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath. These are a shadow of the things to come, but the substance belongs to Christ.” As believers, the end of all our choices—including how to order our years—should be to glorify Jesus and grow in the gospel. One mom might find she does that best in the context of regular rhythms and liturgies of grace on a formal church calendar. To another, that structure might feel binding and burdensome—the opposite of what drives her heart to worship Christ. Either way, our salvation and merit before God doesn’t hinge on marking (or abstaining from) certain seasons and celebrations, and we can hold those positions humbly.
At Risen Motherhood, we’ve found many aspects of the church calendar helpful as we try to faithfully engage with our kids and build a culture of discipleship in our homes. Along those lines, we often share themed content during Advent, Lent, etc. to help other moms capture these seasons for gospel growth. If that doesn’t fit you or your family, that’s fine! As with all convictions that aren’t black-and-white in God’s Word, we want to pursue charity and grace, regardless of where we fall on non-essential issues. As Eric Schumacher says, “God does not require believers to recognize ‘holy days’ and extra-biblical traditions. . . . So long as we’re living by faith in the completed work of Christ—a faith that works itself out in love for others—we’re free to do as we please.”[9]
As we each intentionally examine the cadence of our lives year to year, choosing what customs and celebrations to pass onto our kids, we can echo the prayers of the psalmist: “Teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom” (Psalm 90:12). May we live each day in light of God’s Story, for his glory.
[1] https://phyliciamasonheimer.com/is-easter-pagan/
[2] https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/kevin-deyoung/is-christmas-a-pagan-rip-off/
[3] https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/9-things-know-christian-calendar/
[4] Exodus 12; Leviticus 23
[5] Mike Cosper, Rhythms of Grace: How the Church's Worship Tells the Story of the Gospel (Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2013), 107.
[6] https://www.logos.com/grow/christians-church-calendar/
[7] For more practical specifics, check out these R|M resources on Lent, Advent, and Seasons and Rhythms
[8] Isaiah 1:11-20; Matthew 15:1-9; Mark 7:1-9
[9] https://www.risenmotherhood.com/blog/gospel-thinking-how-do-we-decide-our-family-traditions
