Putting the Christ in Christmas »
In even months, we publish an excerpt from the vast wisdom collection of New Thought luminary, Dr. Ernest Holmes, founder of the Religious Science movement. The monthly teachings from Holmes are then summarized by Rev. Dr. David Alexander, spiritual director of Spiritual Living Center Atlanta.
You can check out his inspirational website and ministry at RevDavidAlexander.com. And pick up a copy of his book, “Freedom From Discord: The Promise of New Thought Liberation Theology.”
Below is his December 2025 “Philosophy in Action” column:
One of the truly great gifts this teaching has given the world is the illuminated understanding of Christ consciousness as demonstrated in this month’s feature article by Ernest Holmes. What thought could be more liberating to a world gripped in dogma than the simple truth that the presence of Christ is a principle of consciousness rather than a secret possession of any one religion?
This is definitely the most illuminating truth of the ages. In New Thought, we hold that the consciousness of love, inclusion, compassion and healing that is revealed in the man Jesus is that of a universal Christ principle. As such, this same Christ principle has revealed itself in sages and saints throughout human history — Buddha, Zoraster, Muhammad — and it is still seeking expression in our time.
Each time this consciousness breaks through the hypnosis of the conditioned thinking of lack and limitation, it does so uniquely, dressed in the culture and language of a particular time and place, all while revealing a universal truth.
This revelation does not take away from the story of Christianity; it adds to it. The Christian story is a unique one, yet not one to be held out as more special than others. It is there in the subtle understanding of unique versus special that we find the path to peace. We are each a unique expression of God, but none more special than the others. When we honor our uniqueness, not only does diversity flourish, but so too does the unity behind diversity begin to reveal itself. What greater gift could we give to the world?
So yes, it is time to put the Christ back in Christmas — the universal Christ, the inclusive and welcoming-of-the-stranger Christ. It’s time to put the loving and forgiving Christ back in Christmas. It is time we bring forward this Christ consciousness in our actions, words and deeds among all our neighbors and not just those who think like or agree with us. As we strive to do so, maybe the gift we can unwrap for the world is one that returns the temperature of our collective experience to that of love, peace and justice for all in our public discourse.
