A Case of Syncretism—

The Christmas pageant was over—or so I thought.  Christ’s birth to Mary and Joseph had been announced by angels, dressed in pure white.  Their faces were brown and their message In Telugu, for we were in South India.  The shepherds had staggered on stage, acting half drunk, but herding the smaller children down on all fours as the sheep.  Not quite what I was reared to expect, but something I could explain in terms of cultural differences.  Unlike Palestinian shepherd, who are known for their sobriety and piety, Indian shepherds are known for their drink and dancing.  But the message was not lost, for at the sight of the angels the shepherds fell to the ground, frightened sober.

The wise men and Herod had appeared on stage in regal splendor.  Now we sat cross-legged and crowded, as the shepherds, wise men, and angels gathered with Mary and Joseph around the manger.  A fine ending to the Christmas story.  Suddenly, out jumped Santa Claus!  With a merry song and dance, he began to give out presents to Jesus and the others.  He was the hero of the pageant.  I sat stunned. – P. Hiebert, Anthropological Insights for Missionaries. 13