The First Christmas: A Perfect Holiday and Christmas Gift

The First Christmas: A Perfect Holiday and Christmas Gift

<p class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 9pt">“Who could argue with the message the authors draw from the Bible’s Christmas stories? Light in the darkest time of the year, hope in a period of creeping despair—these are powerful and universal themes that can give everyone a stake in Christmas.”<br />—<?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" /><st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">USA</i></st1:place></st1:country-region><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal"> Today</i><?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 9pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style="BACKGROUND: white; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 9pt; COLOR: black">In <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">The First Christmas </i></span><span style="FONT-SIZE: 9pt">Marcus J. Borg and John Dominic Crossan—t<span style="COLOR: black">op Jesus scholars and authors of <em>The Last Week</em><em><span style="FONT-STYLE: normal; mso-bidi-font-style: italic">—h</span></em>elp us see the real Christmas story buried in the familiar Bible accounts. Basing their interpretations on </span>the two nativity narratives in the Gospels of Matthew and Luke, Borg and Crossan focus on the literal story—the inner truth rather than the historical facts—to offer a clear and uplifting message of hope and peace. With <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">The First Christmas</i></span><span style="FONT-SIZE: 9pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"> </span><span style="FONT-SIZE: 9pt; COLOR: black">readers get a fresh, deep, and new understanding of the nativity story, enabling us to better appreciate the powerful message of the Gospels.<o:p></o:p></span></p>