Duvduv

It would appear rather unusual hat any churches in history would have observed a feast regarding the brit mila of their historical Jesus since it was affirmed in Galatians a and Acts 15, and in so many other writings that circumcision of the flesh is not required for gentiles, and certainly it would be no importance vis a vis the crucifixion and resurrection, especially since circumcision signifies the old covenant between God and the descendants of Abraham and a violation of Paulism.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Feast_o...sion_of_Christ

And among Ethiopian churches circumcision of infants is widely practiced despite Paulism.

Imagine that according to usual historical development of Christianity, even after 300-400 years of an alleged NT canon including the epistles of the "beloved apostle Paul," "Christians" still maintained this Jewish practice and enshrined its importance for their historical Jesus.

Toto

I don't see the problem. Christians celebrate the crucifixion of Jesus but don't practice it themselves.

You know about the Holy Prepuce? It is supposedly the only body part of Jesus that did not ascend to heaven.

stephan huller

The Coptic tradition in Ethiopia often represents an earlier form of the tradition than what survived in Egypt. It's very similar to the French in Quebec, which though often ridiculed in France, only preserves an archaic form of the original language.

Juststeve

Duvduv:

Jesus wasn't a Gentile, he was a Jew. I don't think Paul objected to circumcision for Jews. If Paul was a Jew he was circumcised himself.

Steve

Duvduv

Yes, I know. But if circumcisions are not important among gentiles, then celebrating his circumcision is no big issue. Why have a feast about it, and why did gentiles practice circumcision even after knowing the doctrines of Acts 15 and the epistles?!

Bronzeage

Paul's ruling on circumcision and Gentiles was a supreme act of salesmanship.

Toto

Sometimes, just about any excuse for a feast would do. If you looked, you might find this feast replaced a pagan feast.

Besides, while you say that circumcision is not important per se, Jesus is important, and events in the scriptures are important.

Modern gentiles have at times been persuaded that circumcision has health or other benefits. But it is not a religious rite.

I still don't see a real issue here.

Duvduv

Would a feast of circumcision be any more important to a Christian than a feast celebrating a bar-mitzvah? I don't think so. Unless there was less than a full commitment to the doctrines of the epistles about Jewish practices, including circumcision for gentiles.

Toto

The gospels don't say anything about a bar mitzvah, or I bet there would be.

Do you understand feast days? About every other day is a feast day in the Catholic or Eastern Orthodox church. It was just an excuse to eat a lot of food.

Today, for example, is dedicated to St. Januarius and Companions, Martyrs - an obscure saint who suspiciously has the same name as a Roman god.

Iskander

Feast of the Circumcision of Christ

In Circumcisione Domini et Octav Nativitatis, Pope Paul VI removed the Feast of the Circumcision of Christ from the liturgical calendar, and replaced it with the feast of the "Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God."

The Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God is a liturgical feast of the Blessed Virgin Mary celebrated by the Catholic Church on 1 January, the Octave Day of Christmas. In some countries this day is considered a Day of Obligation [the faithful are obliged to participate in the Mass ].

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solemni..._Mother_of_God