The idea of religious superstition playing a role in the current spiritual darkness that clothes most of western Europe had been rolling around in my head before an old friend of mine had a similar reflection after spending some time in Italy. To what extent are old religious traditions (specifically Catholic) a detrement to Christianity in western Europe? It seems that traditions such as the Christkind flying around and delivering gifts on Christmas Eve only reinforce the prevailing European conception that Christianity is nothing more than of collection of myths and superstitions. As a child you are taught to believe in Christkind much like American children are taught to believe in Santa Claus. The tragedy is that this silly story is linked to true faith and religion. Outgrowing belief in Santa Claus is something of a rite of passage for American children, but in Austria it is almost akin to renouncing your faith. Not believing in Christkind is not believing in Jesus. Children are strapped with guilt knowing that they should believe in Jesus, but faced with the absurdity of the Christkind story. I fear that often they throw the baby out with the bathwater. If the Christkind isn’t real, then Jesus isn’t either. And it follows that other traditions the church holds are likely fictional.
Fighting through these issues is a huge uphill battle for missionaries here that work as church planters with Austrians.
New Year’s Eve is a very festive time in Vienna. Various stages are set up all over the city playing anything from Oldies to Techno. Along the way you can also pick up hot gluhwein or punsch to keep warm. Our path that night took us to the Haus der Musik where they were teaching various dances. Some more traditional like Waltzes or Salsa, and others that I think they just made up as they went along. One in particular involved playing an air guitar and a butter churning motion. Once again I proved to myself that I have no rhythm whatsoever.
In Austria the Christmas season starts on December 5th when Krampus (think Santa’s alter ego) goes around and beats and whips all the naughty children. The good children leave a shoe outside their door that night and St. Nicholas (from whom we derive Santa Claus) puts fruit and nuts in them while they are sleeping. On Christmas Eve Austrians put up their Christmas trees often decorating them with candles (I’m still not sure how that works). During the afternoon on Christmas Eve the Christkind (or Christ Child) comes around and delivers gifts under the tree. If that wasn’t odd enough the ChristKind is almost always depicted as a female angel.