Southern Baptist Theological Seminary President Albert Mohler raised in a new episode of his podcast "The Briefing" that Christian parents should teach their children the truth about Santa Claus.
The Christian Headlines reported that Mohler directed his podcast listeners to teach about fourth-century bishop Saint Nicholas instead of telling children that Santa Claus is not real. Mohler's statements follow an inquiry sent in by a listener who asked what to do with small children and their question on Santa.
"My suggestion is that when your children ask about Santa Claus...do not speak of Santa Claus as an imaginary figure. Speak of Santa Claus as going back to the story of Saint Nicholas in the late third and early fourth centuries...And it was he and the legend that he gave children gifts that has come down throughout history and has been transformed, it's been commercialized, it's been consumerized, it has been well--you name it," Mohler said.
Mohler explained that this would help the children realize the importance of Christmas while help them cherish their faith and the story that speaks of its beginnings. It will, more importantly, remove the children's attention from Santa Claus who has become a central figure of Christmas nowadays over than the true reason of Christmas, who is Jesus Christ. Mohler shared that his experience as a father and as a grandfather has made him realize the need to do so.
"Santa Claus is now a major figure. But the reality is that there is something you're able to say to a child, which is, 'You know, there was an early Christian who lived long ago who was very kind to children and gave gift,'' Mohler emphasized.
"The reason I suggest it that way is just my experience as a father and now as a grandfather. I think it might not be most helpful just to say Santa Claus is not real and Jesus is real--because you really need to start backing that up with some arguments and talking about the consequences of whether or not Jesus is real or Santa Claus is real. The point is, we need to speak of Jesus always as real, eternally real, incarnate in Bethlehem, our real Savior and Lord. And when it comes to any number of figures, we put them in their place simply by saying, 'The world is just too fixated on Santa Claus, and the world's built up all kinds of stories about him which, frankly, aren't even true'," he added.
Mohler's statements echo those of Diocese of Noto Bishop Antonio Stagliano who received backlash online for allegedly announcing in his homily last December 6 that Santa does not exist. Stagliano revealed that he never meant "to break the charm of Christmas for little ones, but to help them reflect more deeply."
The Bishop also clarified that "he did not tell them that Santa Claus does not exist, but we spoke about the need to distinguish what is real from what is not real. So I gave the example of Saint Nicholas of Myra, a saint who brought gifts to the poor, not presents."
Stagliano revealed that his intention was to put an end to the commercialization of Christmas through those seen in the commercials of Coca Cola that do not convey the truthful message on the "culture of gift." This culture centers on the real message of Christmas found in John 3:16, which speaks that truth that "the baby Jesus was born to give Himself to all of humanity."
