New Year’s Vows and Christian Conversation
Jan 01
"But let your communication be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay: for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil." Matthew 5:37
The tradition of making resolutions for a new year dates back to ancient Babylon. It was connected then with the New Moon, which signaled the end of the winter season.
Roman emperors managed to manipulate the calendar enough to get the event out of sync with the moon, finally declaring in 153 B.C. January 1 as the New Year.
Greeks used a baby to symbolize the rebirth of their wine-god Dionysus as far back as 600 B.C.
All these celebrations centered on pagan ceremonies of pantheistic or polytheistic systems of worship, and the early Church fiercely fought these sensual revelries. However, by the Middle Ages, many of the pagan festivals and gods had been "Christianized" by various missionary efforts.
English