Scrooge's Reclamation
Introduction
He then made bold to inquire what business brought him there.
"Your welfare!" said the Ghost.
Scrooge expressed himself much obliged, but could not help thinking that a night of unbroken rest would have been more conducive to that end. The Spirit must have heard him thinking, for it said immediately:
"Your reclamation, then. Take heed!"
- A Christmas Carol, Stave II
Dickens' short novella, A Christmas Carol, was published in 1843 and has become one of the most successful pieces of literature of all time, and not only in the category of Christmas stories.
I imagine most of you reading this are at least nominally familiar with the characters and basic storyline. In short, the tight-fisted financier Ebenezer Scrooge is characterized by his own disdain for humanity and is prompted to a change of heart toward the citizens of London. This change is instigated by the guiding revelations of three spirits representing the past, present, and future: all with Christmas as the unifying theme and backdrop.
If you have never read this short story, please make it a point to do so. The narrative is rich, descriptive, cryptic, and at times spooky. The story will leave you warm and, like Ebenezer, eager to cherish Christmas in your heart. I personally have made reading this story a habit each December.
This entry is not a book review, though. Many have done that with far greater insight than I could muster. What I would like to do is urge you to examine the details of what the First Spirit heralded in the quote I've cited. The goal of the Spirits was to see Ebenezer reclaimed. What does that mean, and why does this belong on a church blog?
I want to make a short case that A Christmas Carol is a good story because it is ultimately a gospel story.
"Your welfare!" said the Ghost.
Scrooge expressed himself much obliged, but could not help thinking that a night of unbroken rest would have been more conducive to that end. The Spirit must have heard him thinking, for it said immediately:
"Your reclamation, then. Take heed!"
- A Christmas Carol, Stave II
Dickens' short novella, A Christmas Carol, was published in 1843 and has become one of the most successful pieces of literature of all time, and not only in the category of Christmas stories.
I imagine most of you reading this are at least nominally familiar with the characters and basic storyline. In short, the tight-fisted financier Ebenezer Scrooge is characterized by his own disdain for humanity and is prompted to a change of heart toward the citizens of London. This change is instigated by the guiding revelations of three spirits representing the past, present, and future: all with Christmas as the unifying theme and backdrop.
If you have never read this short story, please make it a point to do so. The narrative is rich, descriptive, cryptic, and at times spooky. The story will leave you warm and, like Ebenezer, eager to cherish Christmas in your heart. I personally have made reading this story a habit each December.
This entry is not a book review, though. Many have done that with far greater insight than I could muster. What I would like to do is urge you to examine the details of what the First Spirit heralded in the quote I've cited. The goal of the Spirits was to see Ebenezer reclaimed. What does that mean, and why does this belong on a church blog?
I want to make a short case that A Christmas Carol is a good story because it is ultimately a gospel story.
Dickens' World
Some might be thinking that since this story is not "explicitly Christian," that it can have no real value for us. Isn't this story a simple call to general moralism, but without the gospel of Jesus Christ attached? Let me respond to that by pointing out that A Christmas Carol is actually much more Christian than you may think.
I do not know if Charles Dickens was a regenerate man. Someday we'll find out whether or not he genuinely saw his sin as horrible and turned in faith to the Savior. What I do know is this: his world was thoroughly Protestant, and the Protestant world is the setting for his stories. He was raised Anglican by devout parents in Victorian England. The Church of England dominated the landscape and permeated every facet of social and private life. Even the "nonconformists" (non-Anglican Christians, such as Baptists) were becoming increasingly tolerated in the country. The concept of "principled pluralism" and a secular society in England would have been a notion unheard of by Charles. Consider that only a decade after this book's publication would the famed minister Charles Spurgeon take the pulpit at Park Street Chapel. Spurgeon's church body would grow until it was, quite literally, the largest Christian church in the world at the time. Protestant Christianity was simply the air breathed by Englishmen during Dickens' life. For this reason, Dickens' themes and morals are best understood in the context of Christian thought and practice. In fact, Protestant Christianity is the only context in which this story makes any sense.
Morality is never arbitrary, but is always attached to a larger system of beliefs. In the case of this precious narrative, that larger system is the precepts and truths presented in the Holy Bible.
I do not know if Charles Dickens was a regenerate man. Someday we'll find out whether or not he genuinely saw his sin as horrible and turned in faith to the Savior. What I do know is this: his world was thoroughly Protestant, and the Protestant world is the setting for his stories. He was raised Anglican by devout parents in Victorian England. The Church of England dominated the landscape and permeated every facet of social and private life. Even the "nonconformists" (non-Anglican Christians, such as Baptists) were becoming increasingly tolerated in the country. The concept of "principled pluralism" and a secular society in England would have been a notion unheard of by Charles. Consider that only a decade after this book's publication would the famed minister Charles Spurgeon take the pulpit at Park Street Chapel. Spurgeon's church body would grow until it was, quite literally, the largest Christian church in the world at the time. Protestant Christianity was simply the air breathed by Englishmen during Dickens' life. For this reason, Dickens' themes and morals are best understood in the context of Christian thought and practice. In fact, Protestant Christianity is the only context in which this story makes any sense.
Morality is never arbitrary, but is always attached to a larger system of beliefs. In the case of this precious narrative, that larger system is the precepts and truths presented in the Holy Bible.
The Heart of the Story
As already said, Scrooge's primary problem is that he does not cherish or appreciate humanity. He thinks strictly in terms of what will benefit him in a plain, utilitarian sense. This is why he sees no value in the frivolity of Christmas. His default posture is one of turning people away. Think of his nephew, Fred. Think of the caroler outside his office. Think of the charitable philanthropists who are raising money for the poor. Speaking of people who have no recourse but to suffer and die, Scrooge remarks that "...they had better do it, and decrease the surplus population."
The start of the story even describes dogs changing course when they see Scrooge coming. On the day of Marley's death, Scrooge was more concerned with finalizing a business deal than he was concerned with the demise of his only semi-meaningful human relationship. Bob Cratchit, his sole employee, lives in near squalor because of Scrooge's uncaring stinginess. Scrooge pushes people away, especially the least of society. Is that summary fair enough?
The character that best demonstrates the effects of Scrooge's uncaring nature is Tiny Tim, the crippled son of Bob and Mrs. Cratchit. As the story develops, Scrooge comes to a sobering realization: the fate of Tiny Tim rests in his own hand. Scrooge can either become benevolent to the Cratchits, seeing the family thrive and increase in their means and health, and Tiny Tim will live and grow. Or, Scrooge can continue to pay Bob a meager wage, causing Tim, the weakest among them, to die for lack of resources.
It is after this realizing of Tiny Tim's fate that Scrooge finally confesses his desire to change into a different man.
"Spirit!" he cried, tight clutching at its robe, "hear me! I am not the man I was. I will not be the man I must have been but for this intercourse. Why show me this, if I am past all hope?
...I will honour Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all the year. I will live in the Past, the Present, and the Future. The Spirits of all Three shall strive within me."
The start of the story even describes dogs changing course when they see Scrooge coming. On the day of Marley's death, Scrooge was more concerned with finalizing a business deal than he was concerned with the demise of his only semi-meaningful human relationship. Bob Cratchit, his sole employee, lives in near squalor because of Scrooge's uncaring stinginess. Scrooge pushes people away, especially the least of society. Is that summary fair enough?
The character that best demonstrates the effects of Scrooge's uncaring nature is Tiny Tim, the crippled son of Bob and Mrs. Cratchit. As the story develops, Scrooge comes to a sobering realization: the fate of Tiny Tim rests in his own hand. Scrooge can either become benevolent to the Cratchits, seeing the family thrive and increase in their means and health, and Tiny Tim will live and grow. Or, Scrooge can continue to pay Bob a meager wage, causing Tim, the weakest among them, to die for lack of resources.
It is after this realizing of Tiny Tim's fate that Scrooge finally confesses his desire to change into a different man.
"Spirit!" he cried, tight clutching at its robe, "hear me! I am not the man I was. I will not be the man I must have been but for this intercourse. Why show me this, if I am past all hope?
...I will honour Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all the year. I will live in the Past, the Present, and the Future. The Spirits of all Three shall strive within me."
Keeping Christmas
There are several gospel allusions in this story that are easy to identify for the Bible reader.
The first Ghost commands Scrooge to "Rise and walk," taking us back to Jesus healing a paralytic. The second Ghost tells Scrooge to "Touch my robe," again harkening to the instant of the bleeding woman who was healed by the grabbing of Jesus' garment. Under the guidance of the third Ghost, Scrooge is said to have "...resolved to treasure up every word," just as Mary, the mother of Jesus was recorded doing. These are intriguing passages in the story, but let's end by considering something a bit more blatant.
In 1861, Dickens wrote a letter to a man named David Macrae. Discussing his approach to writing Christmas stories (he wrote several), Dickens said this:
"I devised a new kind of book for Christmas years ago...
In every one of those books there is an express text preached on, and the text is always taken from the lips of Christ."
In other words, there is some central, gospel text that is the thrust of each Christmas story Dickens wrote, starting with A Christmas Carol. The question we ought to ask is, "Where is Jesus directly quoted in this story?"
In the Fourth Stave, Scrooge and the Ghost of Christmas Future find themselves back in the Cratchit Home. Tiny Tim has just died, and the family is in mourning. As Ebenezer supernaturally comes into the scene, he hears some very pointed first words.
The noisy little Cratchits were as still as statues in one corner, and sat looking up at Peter, who had a book before him. The mother and her daughters were engaged in sewing. But surely they were very quiet!
" 'And He took a child, and set him in the midst of them.' "
Where had Scrooge heard those words? He had not dreamed them. The boy must have read them out, as he and the Spirit crossed the threshold. Why did he not go on?
Peter Cratchit, the eldest son, is found reading his Bible aloud to the family, and right as Scrooge enters, Peter reads Mark 9:36. Scrooge knows the words are familiar, but can't recall the rest of the passage. He wishes Peter would read more. Here we find Dickens' "easter egg," his central theme of the story. Dickens knows that his readers will be familiar with the passage and will be capable of finishing it in their minds, even though Scrooge couldn't.
Mark 9:36–37
[36] And he took a child and put him in the midst of them, and taking him in his arms, he said to them, [37] “Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me, and whoever receives me, receives not me but him who sent me.” (ESV)
Scrooge has spent his adult life rejecting children instead of receiving them. Here, in the wake of Tiny Tim's death, are words from Jesus emphasizing the importance of receiving children, not in an arbitrary way, but in way connected to receiving Jesus himself.
Here is our punchline: Ebenezer Scrooge has become reclaimed, just as the first Ghost anticipated. His life and behavior are visibly different, as Stave Five of the book demonstrates, but this is all downstream of Scrooge receiving the child - the Christ Child, to be specific.
Remember, Scrooge said he would keep Christmas all the year round. Since there is only one meaning of Christmas, and we know that Protestant England understood this in the mid-1800s, we conclude that for Scrooge to truly "keep Christmas" was to truly come to terms with the Incarnation and to receive the child "placed in their midst" to be the Savior of the world.
The first Ghost commands Scrooge to "Rise and walk," taking us back to Jesus healing a paralytic. The second Ghost tells Scrooge to "Touch my robe," again harkening to the instant of the bleeding woman who was healed by the grabbing of Jesus' garment. Under the guidance of the third Ghost, Scrooge is said to have "...resolved to treasure up every word," just as Mary, the mother of Jesus was recorded doing. These are intriguing passages in the story, but let's end by considering something a bit more blatant.
In 1861, Dickens wrote a letter to a man named David Macrae. Discussing his approach to writing Christmas stories (he wrote several), Dickens said this:
"I devised a new kind of book for Christmas years ago...
In every one of those books there is an express text preached on, and the text is always taken from the lips of Christ."
In other words, there is some central, gospel text that is the thrust of each Christmas story Dickens wrote, starting with A Christmas Carol. The question we ought to ask is, "Where is Jesus directly quoted in this story?"
In the Fourth Stave, Scrooge and the Ghost of Christmas Future find themselves back in the Cratchit Home. Tiny Tim has just died, and the family is in mourning. As Ebenezer supernaturally comes into the scene, he hears some very pointed first words.
The noisy little Cratchits were as still as statues in one corner, and sat looking up at Peter, who had a book before him. The mother and her daughters were engaged in sewing. But surely they were very quiet!
" 'And He took a child, and set him in the midst of them.' "
Where had Scrooge heard those words? He had not dreamed them. The boy must have read them out, as he and the Spirit crossed the threshold. Why did he not go on?
Peter Cratchit, the eldest son, is found reading his Bible aloud to the family, and right as Scrooge enters, Peter reads Mark 9:36. Scrooge knows the words are familiar, but can't recall the rest of the passage. He wishes Peter would read more. Here we find Dickens' "easter egg," his central theme of the story. Dickens knows that his readers will be familiar with the passage and will be capable of finishing it in their minds, even though Scrooge couldn't.
Mark 9:36–37
[36] And he took a child and put him in the midst of them, and taking him in his arms, he said to them, [37] “Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me, and whoever receives me, receives not me but him who sent me.” (ESV)
Scrooge has spent his adult life rejecting children instead of receiving them. Here, in the wake of Tiny Tim's death, are words from Jesus emphasizing the importance of receiving children, not in an arbitrary way, but in way connected to receiving Jesus himself.
Here is our punchline: Ebenezer Scrooge has become reclaimed, just as the first Ghost anticipated. His life and behavior are visibly different, as Stave Five of the book demonstrates, but this is all downstream of Scrooge receiving the child - the Christ Child, to be specific.
Remember, Scrooge said he would keep Christmas all the year round. Since there is only one meaning of Christmas, and we know that Protestant England understood this in the mid-1800s, we conclude that for Scrooge to truly "keep Christmas" was to truly come to terms with the Incarnation and to receive the child "placed in their midst" to be the Savior of the world.
Conclusion
I also find it interesting that after waking up on Christmas morning and realizing the Spirits have granted him a new lease on life, Scrooge refers to himself as a baby (or newborn, if you will). He's been born again, seeing the world through fresh eyes, and once Scrooge secures the abundantly large turkey for the Cratchit's dinner, he goes to church. Dickens doesn't expound on Scrooge's time there, but he doesn't need to.
What's my purpose in all this? At the bottom, I suppose I want you to enjoy this little story as much as I have enjoyed it, and I believe you will enjoy it best when you see the necessary presence of the gospel within the pages. I also want to urge us all to embrace the reality that there is only one meaning of Christmas: God took on human nature to live perfectly, die sacrificially, rise victoriously, and reign eternally - and we get to benefit from that amazing plan. May we, like Scrooge, keep this sacred day all the year long. Merry Christmas, and God bless us, every one!
***NOTE: I was highly impressed and inspired to write this short post after completing the free course on A Christmas Carol produced by Hillsdale College. If you have the time, I highly recommend enrolling.
What's my purpose in all this? At the bottom, I suppose I want you to enjoy this little story as much as I have enjoyed it, and I believe you will enjoy it best when you see the necessary presence of the gospel within the pages. I also want to urge us all to embrace the reality that there is only one meaning of Christmas: God took on human nature to live perfectly, die sacrificially, rise victoriously, and reign eternally - and we get to benefit from that amazing plan. May we, like Scrooge, keep this sacred day all the year long. Merry Christmas, and God bless us, every one!
***NOTE: I was highly impressed and inspired to write this short post after completing the free course on A Christmas Carol produced by Hillsdale College. If you have the time, I highly recommend enrolling.
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