St Andrews Encyclopaedia of Theology (Aug 2023)
Christian Year
Abstract
The Christian, or liturgical, year sets human lives within God’s story of creation and salvation, sanctifying moments, days, years, and lives. Calendar and hourly time become God’s time as the Christian year encompasses and intermingles past, present, and future. Following the key themes of this encyclopaedia, this entry will provide an overview of the scriptural roots of the Christian year, along with its historical development in communities within a range of traditions, Catholic, Orthodox, and Protestant. Note that the present diversity of theologies and practices of Christian communities throughout the world makes it impossible for one essay, even focused on only one practice, to comprehensively present all understandings. The diversity of humanity is exhibited in the Christian year through a variety of debates arising from the value that a church or tradition might place on observing various holy days; how the Christian calendar is related to other calendars; whether the gospel and the Christian year itself is considered countercultural, assimilated to colonizers’ calendars, or accommodated to Indigenous calendars; and how much society and environment should affect an understanding of the Christian year. The theological implications of this practice of ‘hallowing our days’ through observing the seasons of the year centred around Jesus (Paschal mystery/Easter and incarnation/Christmas) are a constant reminder of God’s presence. The practice of the Christian year and some interactions with science and the natural world will be considered. Ultimately, the Christian year is an ever-deepening cycle which, alongside or in contrast to the seasons of nature, can grow faith in individuals and communities now and into the future.
