Christianity: A Pagan Religion?

How are we to understand the similarities between Christianity and other pagan religions of its time? Did one borrow from the other, or is there more to the story?

Here is a short segment of a CBC documentary about the similarities between Christianity and the pagan religions:

The Power Of Faith

Today, Jeff Wharton from Mississauga Chinese Presbyterian Church challenges us to realize the power of faith, and to recognize its true source.

There is a video which accompanies the message, which you can see here:

Advent Week 1: "Faith"

Candles can give us light, they can set a mood, and they can even (apparently) eliminate household odours. :) Candles can also teach us about how we use our time. As a candle burns down, it becomes shorter and shorter, until all the wax has been consumed and it can no longer burn. We use the expression "burn the candle at both ends" when we want to mean that we are working late into the night and rising early in the morning because we have so much work to do.

Are you "burning the candle at both ends"? Each week during the Advent season, we'll be lighting a candle around the Advent wreath until all four are lit on the last Sunday before Christmas. It is an ancient tradition, and each candle has been given a particular significance by different groups of people. Faith, Hope, Peace, and Joy will be our themes this Advent season.

Take some time this week to reflect on the candle, and how it burns. Perhaps it can be a reminder not to let our own candles burn down so far that they burn out; a reminder that traditions can increase our faith, if we let them.