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10 Christmas Conversation Starters

December provides plentiful opportunities to discuss a wide variety of topics related to Christianity with both fellow believers and skeptics. There’s the nature of the Christmas star (a perennial favorite on reasons.org), the moral issues of the season, and, of course, there’s the Incarnation, mysterious yet so vital to the Christian faith.

To help fuel spiritual conversations around the dinner table (or dessert table), we’ve gathered together a collection of 10 Christmas resources from our Internet archives. There’s something for everyone—from scientific explanations for the star of Bethlehem to a debunking of common Nativity myths. We hope these podcasts and articles will enhance your Yuletide discussions and encourage your faith in Emmanuel.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from RTB!

The Christmas Star

Likely the most popular holiday topic on our site is the star of Bethlehem. People often wonder what the star actually was and the identities of the wise men that followed it. To address this subject, we’ve gathered our Christmas star resources into one easy-to-navigate web page. The collection includes our own thoughts on the star as well as critiques of other prominent theories.

I Didn’t Know That!

No Christmas in the Bible?” — A listener questions whether Christians should celebrate Christmas in light of pagan influences on the holiday. Kenneth Samples, Jeff Zweerink, and Dave Rogstad respond.

In a break from the usual I Didn’t Know That! format, RTB scholars reflect on different biblical principles like grace and patience that have impacted our own faith and that influence all believers.

Blog articles
Top 5 Common Christmas Myths” — Editor Sandra Dimas interviews theologian Krista Bontrager to debunk common misperceptions about the Nativity story.

We Three Kings” — Editor Maureen Moser reflects on the visit of the Magi and what their story says about the importance of loving God with all of our mind.

The Best Present” — Sandra discusses why the Incarnation is the greatest gift humanity ever received.

Making Sense of the Incarnation” — Philosopher and theologian Kenneth Samples discusses the union of Christ’s divine and human natures.