Who's knocking? Insights into Christmas

Who's Knocking? Insights into Christmas | Christian Schacherreiter | Reading and Discussion

Christian churches in good old Europe have seen better days. The number of people attending Mass is declining, while the number of people leaving the church is rising. Denominational ties are dissolving, and those who feel a spiritual need often turn to the colorful esoteric market. But all is not yet lost.

Unfazed by the churches’ decline in influence, Christmas—by far the most popular tradition in Christian celebration culture—remains a staple. It is, of course, unlikely that the majority of those celebrating believe in the divine Savior of the world, “conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary.” But the hope for love, harmony, and peace associated with the myth of Christ’s birth is likely—thank God!—a fundamental human need.

Anyone who knocks on Christian Schacherreiter’s door is invited on a varied tour. He explains the theological core, the religious symbolism, and the historical evolution of Christmas. He takes a look at festive cooking pots, tables laden with gifts, and the Christmas offerings from the film industry. He traces the successful Catholic tradition of the Nativity scene all the way to Latin America, and the mystery of the “Immaculate Conception” at least as far as Mariazell. Knowledgeable, entertaining, humorous, yet also respectful of profound religious beliefs that have come from afar.

Christian Schacherreiter, born in Linz in 1954 and raised in the Innviertel region, studied German language and literature, history, and violin in Salzburg. In the 1970s and 1980s, he enjoyed success alongside musician Gerald Fratt with cabaret-style songs (including “Salzburger Stier” in 1982); until 1992, he was a freelancer for ORF (literature and radio plays); he taught for many years at high schools and universities; he is a columnist and literary critic for the “Oberösterreichische Nachrichten”; and he is a member of the Adalbert Stifter Institute in Linz. Numerous publications in academic journals, newspapers, and magazines.