[updated & revised 1/27/19]
God rest ye merry Puritans,
Let nothing you dismay,
Doug Wilson is a poser
Whatever he may say.
Like it or not, it's that time of year again and come to find out, some of the usual rascals are up to the same old same old.
In other words, what follows is a somewhat critical review of:
God Rest Ye Merry, Why Christmas is the Foundation for Everything,
Douglas Wilson, Moscow: Canon Press, 2012, 151 p.
There are any number of problems with this attempt of an apologetic for a robust Puritan celebration of Advent and Christmas, i.e. the ecclesiastical/church year with its seasons and feastdays in God Rest Ye Merry (GRYM), but the chief one is curious enough. Wilson's idea of a Puritan more resembles what he says about St. Nicholas of Myra.
Puritan and Reformed Preliminaries
Not that we would punch Judy over it or suggest Mr. Wilson seek employment as an Everlast heavy bag, but really. Mr. Wilson’s not so stellar record on all things Puritan and Reformed include an assault on the reformed doctrine of worship as a charter member of John Frame's Worship Children and the requisite fundamentalist read of the Second Commandment in common with the crowd he has run with in the past. The same bunch which largely morphed into Norm Shepherd's Covenant Children and came up with the theological novelty of the Federal Vision. Because all Israel is not Israel, our theological sophomores decided baptism is what it signifies, grace is not irresistable, walking by sight trumps walking by faith and the visible church is the real church. Until it's not. Or something like that.