Reuvenir, "light" also has an important role in Christian theology (though I guess it's expected since Christianity began as a sect of Judaism). One of the most beautiful passages in the New Testament is the Gospel of John's description of the nativity (I personally prefer to translate the Greek "logos" as "Idea" rather than "Word"):

"In the beginning was the Idea, and the Idea was with God, and the Idea was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being. What has come into being with him was life, and the life was the light of all people. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it." (John 1.1-5, NRSV)

Whichever holidays you and yours celebrate, may they be happy and blessed ones.

While George W. Bush, Barack Obama and I are all Christians, Bush is a Methodist (who has a strong prediliction to evangelical born-again theology a la Billy Graham and Jimmy Carter), Obama belongs to the United Church of Christ (the Congregationalists), and I'm a Presbyterian. I find this an interesting contrast between two Christian takes on a Jewish holiday.

Presbyterians, and to an extent Congregationalists, are of the Reformed tradition and the spiritual heirs of John Calvin. The uniting theme of Reformed theology is the supreme sovereignty of God. In a Reformed take on the Hannukah story, God is definitely the one who has ultimate control. While the triumph of the Maccabees over their enemies is crucial, the most important part of the story is what God does. Our response to the providence of God is our faith and our love of God and neighbor.

The evangelicals also believe in the almighty power of God, but it features in their theology differently. Since so much of the theology depends on active choices by people (Jesus choosing to die on the cross, the Christian choosing to be saved by Christ, etc), the verbiage tends to emphasize action more. In Bush's telling of the story, we see one man (with assumed divine help) Making A Difference. In Obama's, we see a group of people reflecting on the works of God.

This is not to say the Reformed view is passive and the evangelical view is active. Rather, it's the way two versions of Christians default to a certain set of words when called on to describe something spiritual.

1"In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.
2 And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.
3 And God said, Let there be light: and there was light." Genesis 1:1-3

Hanukkah is not just a tradition but a strong memorandum to everybody that light is THE power of our life. We all must remember that from any and each kind of darkness we can always reach the light. The Jewish People have practiced and therfeore proved that. This is what Hanukkah is about.
Happy Hanukkah and Happy Holidays to all, from the light of our candles we convey to you all The Light of God. God bless you all.
Reuven

Hmmm, an "Carstonio" appears yet again. Remember this is an anonymous blog and imposters abound.

It's pleasant to hear a commentator compare Bush II with Obama, and not spin it for controversy, or a reason for trashing either. Sometimes progressives and conservatives are in basic agreement, and there is no need to elevate a mole hill of difference into a mountain of controversy.

Have a blessed Hanukkah Festival, Mr. Hirschfield.

As there is supposed to be truth in advertising, there is also supposed to be truth in religion to include religious holy/holidays:

Christmas, the embellished story of the birth of a simple, preacher man named Jesus. As per most contemporary NT exegetes, his parents were Mary and Joseph although some say Jesus was a mamzer, the result of a pre-marital relationship between Mary and a Roman soldier.

http://www.earlychristianwritings.com/theories.html

Jesus was not born in Bethlehem at least the one we are familiar with and there were no pretty wingie thingies singing from on high, no slaughter of the innocents by Herod, no visiting wise men and no escape to Egypt.

"John P. Meier - Professor at Notre Dame

Meier [Marginal Jew I,216-219] notes that the "affirmation of Jesus' descent from David might easily be placed alongside his birth at Bethlehem as a theologoumenon (a theological insight narrated as a historical event) if it were not for the fact that numerous and diverse streams of NT tradition also affirm Jesus' Davidic lineage."

"Meier suggests that the belief that Jesus was "son of David" may have been held by Jesus' followers prior to his death, with his resurrection then being understood as a form of enthronement. However, he notes that such messianic views, whatever their provenance, cannot prove Jesus was "literally, biologically of Davidic stock."

http://wiki.faithfutures.org/index.php?title=007_Of_Davids_Lineage

Conclusion: the holyday of Christmas is historically a non-event. Ditto for the Feast of the Magi and the solemnity of Mary aka New Years day.

Kwanza

"Kwanzaa, which will be celebrated for the 44th time in 2009, was established by Dr. Maulana Karenga. The seven-day festival (December 26 – January 1) is secular, not religious, and aims to strengthen African cultural identity and community values while providing a spiritual alternative to the commercialism of Christmas."

Chanukah (Hanukkah)

"Hanukkah, the Festival of Lights, is one of the most joyous times of the Jewish year. The reason for the celebration is twofold (both dating back to c. 165 BCE): the miraculous military victory of the small, ill-equipped Jewish army over the ruling Greek Syrians, who had banned the Jewish religion and desecrated the Temple; and the miracle of the small cruse of consecrated oil, which burned for eight days in the Temple's menorah instead of just one."

"Originally a minor holiday, it has become more lavishly celebrated as a result of its proximity to Christmas."

Some candles burn for weeks so the menorah "miracle" is hardly miraculous.

Rabbi Wolpe can probably give us his take on the historical validity

"as it hints at the struggle against religious persecution felt by many Christians on the far right."

Umm, looks to me like you made that part up. You should re-examine your assumptions and other prejudices.

Ryan Haber (withouthavingseen)

It's obvious from Carstonio's comment about "...default religion of American society and government," that he was referring to the U.S., not either China, India or the developing world you refer to. Since those nations are sovereign nations, that neither president had authority over, how is their situation regarding religious liberty pertinent? And, since Carstonio mentioned only the US, how does it relate to his comment?

Carstonio,

You are apparently oblivious to the situation of Christians in China, large parts of India, and in much of the developing world, where they were never a majority or default religion, and experience severe reprisals for the practice of our faith.

Ryan Haber
Kensington, Maryland

"as it hints at the struggle against religious persecution felt by many Christians on the far right."

What those extremists describe as "persecution" really amounts to Christianity no longer being treated as the "normal" or "default" religion by American society, and by American government in particular. Religious freedom can only flourish when there is no such thing as a normal or default religion.