The Meaning of Gifts by Paul Tournier Christmas in Japan and Cameroon
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The Meaning of Gifts Christmas in Japan Liberating Christ from Christmas December 1969 by Paul Tournier and Cameroon by Richard John Neuhaus by Lucille Wipf/ Peter Fehr Bop istHerold Volume 47 December 1969 No. 20 The Meaning of Gifts, Paul Tournier, 4 Christmas in Japan, Lucille Wipf, 6 Christmas in Cameroon, Peter Fehr, 7 History of the Baptist Herald, M. L. Leuschner, 8 A Post-Christmas Prayer, Charles Waugaman, 12 Valley View Baptist Plans to Organize and Build, Herbert Vetter, 13 Love is a Feeling, Walter Trobisch, 14 Liberating Christ from Christmas, John Neuhaus, 15 Coming World Peace and Evangelism, Mark H atfield, 18 An Agnostic and Christmas, 21 Baptist Herald Index, January to December 1969, 26 Ask the Professor, Gerald Borchert, 10 God's Volunteers, JO Youth Scene, Bruce Rich, 11 Book Reviews, B. C. Schreiber, 12 We the Women, Mrs. Herbert Hiller, 22 Insight Into Christian Education, edited by Dorothy Pritzkan; Children are Natural Believers, Ervin Gerlitz, 23 Bible Study, James Schacher, 24 Our Churches in Acti on, 28 In Memoriam, 31 News & Views, 32 As I See It, Paul Siewert, 32 What's Happening, 32 Editori al: A New Look, Sharing the Christmas Event, 34 Open Dialogue, 34 Mo111hlv Puhlication of the Editor: Joh n Binder o f the · North A 1ll!·rica11 Baptist Editorial Assis/a/I/: Bruno Schreiber /?ager IVilliwm Press G eneral Conference Business M anager: Eldon Janzen HOPE. 7 308 /\fadisnn Street l:."ditMial Co111 111ittee: John Bi11der the promise of Christmas Forest Park. Illinois 60130 G rrhard Panke. Arthur Garling PEACE . the message of Christmas Gl'rald Borchert. Eldon Ja 11 ze11. LOVE · · · the reason for Christmas The Bapti.<t H erald is a 111 e111her of the Asrncia1ed Church Prc,,·s. Subscription Price: 53.50 per year i11 1he United State.< or Ca11ada (54.00 i11 foreign countries). - 53.00 per year for "'Cl1111"ch Fa111ily May these be real in your life and your Jiving S11/iscrip1io11 Plan." and for 111i11i.He1·s a11d 111issio11arics - 51.00 pPr year for .m1dr11ts. service111e11 a11d rNidc111s in ho111es for 1111• agillf!. - 35 C l'lllS for single copies. A II address c/1<111g1· corresprm now and in the decade to come. de11c1· i.I' 10 he addressed to Baptist H erald Subscription Depar1111 e111. 7308 J\ l adiso11 St .. Forest Park, Ill. 60130. Six weeks notice required for change of address. When ordl'ri11 g a cha11ge. please gil'e the effective date a11d fum ish a11 addre.H stencil i111pressio11 fro111 a rece/I/ issue. Advertising R ates: 54.00 per inch .•i11gle colu11111 . 114 inches ll'ide. A II editorial correspo11 d1•11cl' is to " " addrc.uwl to Joh11 Bimler, 7308 Madi.w111 St .. For<'.\'/ Park. Ill. 60130. A II hu.\'ill<'.\'S corn•spomle11cr is to addressed to the staff of Roger Williams Press, Forest Park, Illinois Eldon Ja11~ c11. 7308 Madi.1·011 St .. Fort's/ Park. ll/. 60130. Second class postagt paid at Forest Park. Ill. 60130 a11d at additional 111aili11g o/Ticrs. News r<•pon1•d and 1•ie ws expresscd i11 this 111ag11zi11e are 11 01 11 ece.1'.1·arily the position of tltc Nor1l1 A111erica11 Baptist G1•111•ral Co11/ae11ce. (Printed i11 U.S.A.) December 1969 3 riding his new bicycle or of seeing the groceryman's Jocked-up cupboard containing the gifts, the running and or a long time I have wanted to write about gifts. which I am presenting to myself; it is not just fo r the young daughter. Sometimes I, too, will offer. to drive guessing of the imagination, the rituals - stockings hang What has been told me in confidence has im pleasure of writing but equally for the public recognition someone home just for the pleasure of the dnve or of ing on the fireplace, or the poetry that must be recited F pressed upon me the importance of their role in so much coveted by me. showing him the superiority of my car. From such moti life. Gifts have many meanings, deep and subtle, both before the gifts can be opened. For children, as for On the other hand, vacation time is for spending, not vations our scruples, our connivances, and our crazy epi adults, gift means party and party means gift. And no for those who give and those who receive. T he signifi earning. It is a kind of truce in the midst of life's war sodes are spawned innumerable. Someone makes a ges one can say how great is the thirst for parties and gifts cance is no less for those who hope for, but do not re fa re. It is li kewise a gift to which everyone feels he ture of great generosity, while in reality he has for a long which li es hidden in every human breast, even in the ceive; nor is it less for those who do not give or do not has a legal right, ever since our changing way of life time been secretly waiti ng for the chance, for his own oldster's, who feigns surprise as he exclaims, " But you receive the gifts proffered to them. has generalized the two-week holiday. I watch my money satisfaction. Many times, also, people arrange for others shouldn't have done it! I'm too old to be receiving gifts!" H ere I am, on vacation, happy to be able to apply my Jess closely than normally; I buy frivolously, things I to present them with gifts which they would not dare The mystery of the surprise plays a big role. Basically, self to writing. Yet, before giving myself the pleasure of would never permit myself at any other time. I feel quite buy for themselves. everyone is always living in a vague and more or less undertaking a new work, I have wanted to finish up other free to waste time or to use it, according to my own ersonally, I should like to be always malcing gifts - conscious hope of someday receiving something for which works I have promised. This task is a kind of present good pleasure. I do not forget my friends. For them I to everybody as well as to myself. But, is it really in he had never dared ask, some regal gift symbolized so which I've given myself and whi ch I enjoy as a reward shall take back a little surprise, or else perhaps simply order to make others happy, or is it in fact for my well in our fairy tales. Doubtless, fairy tales captivate for finishing off other duties. Thus I find myself deep in the gift of thought, transmitted by a postcard. Pown sa tisfaction in making others happy? Is it in order to us because of their marvelous poetry. Yet, their power this study. T here are gifts not only for others; there are Good and bad conscience constantly play a part in be appreciated by others? God gives me the gift of 24 lies also in what Jung has call ed the "collective u ncon those we give ourselves, generous or parsimoni ous, ac the number of gifts, pleasures, or self-indulgences which hours a day; yet he is kind enough to accept in return the cording to the formation we have had. we allow or refuse ourselves. Everyone takes care not scious," that which unites all men from one pole to the little time I give back to him. H appily he is interested in other, and from the most civilized to the most primitive, There is, as well, a whole series of rewards or punish to spoil himself, or at the ve ry least. not to let it appear all that I do and is not selfish. Thus I am able to consider that which stirs them all in the presence of archetype ments which we give ourselves as prizes fo r our accom so. A man on vacation, or after passing a test, will al as a gift not only the time I set aside for worship but images. They also grip us because of a certain "sym plishments. We set them up to benefi t ourselves in two low himself things he would never dare do without such also the time I spend in all my other activities. bolic accomplishment," as Mme. Sechehaye has called ways: both to receive the prize and to fulfill the task. a pretext; a patient similarly will celebrate some minor When a father enjoys seeing his child playing with the it : Both in the child and in the adult there is identifi First of all there are those which we a ll ow ourselves in success by taking chocolate, or wi ne, or a cigarette, toys he has given him, is it not the child who is givi ng to cation with the hero to whom the fairy extends, as a gift, order to put ourselves into a better mood before assum something in which he finds a special satisfaction, all of his father, unknowingly, the gift of his joy? But let the a power that extends beyond the restricted and narrow ing the less agreeable tasks. Then there are those we this quite against doctor's orders. Then there are con child turn from those toys for some given by another per limits of our human nature. Through this act of identi promise ourselves afterward, as a reward. And yet, solation prizes for disappointments or upsets, and other son. Then, very clearly, he is withholding that gift from fication, we can at least for the moment live this dream when can we ever feel that we're up-to-date in our sev types of gifts self-give n in order to fi ll the void left when his father.