Are many practices and traditions in Christianity actually pagan in origin?

Answer

In their 2008 book “Pagan Christianity,” authors Frank Viola and George Barna reveal the surprising origins of many practices commonly seen in churches today. They argue that several church practices and traditions actually stem from paganism (non-Christian religions) rather than the Bible. However, is it accurate to assert that modern Christian practices are rooted in paganism? Do the activities typically observed in a church align with what the Bible teaches about the church?

Numerous Christians acknowledge that certain pagan concepts and practices have seeped into the Christian church. Regrettably, much of what Jesus Christ nullified through His death and resurrection was reintroduced by early Christians. Jesus’ sacrifice met God’s requirements, eliminating the necessity for further sacrifices (Hebrews 7:27; Hebrews 10:10; 1 Peter 3:18). Due to pagan influences, the early church distorted the observance of the Lord’s Supper into a reenactment or re-offering of Christ’s once-for-all sacrifice. Jesus’ perfect sacrifice rendered a formal priesthood unnecessary (Hebrews 10:12-14), establishing instead a “kingdom of priests” (Revelation 1:6; Revelation 5:10). Influenced by paganism once more, the early church reintroduced a priesthood that created a barrier between the “ordinary” believer and God (1 Timothy 2:5; Hebrews 9:15). These are just two of numerous potential examples.

The majority of Christians strongly believe that beliefs and practices like these should be discarded in favor of upholding biblical truth. The primary issues addressed in “Pagan Chris” are crucial for understanding the historical influences on modern Christianity.tianity raises.

(1) The Church Building. The New Testament records the early Christians meeting in homes (Acts 2:46; Acts 5:42; Romans 16:5; 1 Corinthians 16:19). Neither Jesus nor the Apostles encourage Christians to build temples or church buildings. In John 4:21-24, Jesus declares that a time is coming where worship will not be tied to any particular location or building. For the first few hundred years of the Christian faith, church buildings were very rare. It was not until Constantine and his succeeding Roman Emperors made Christianity the official religion of the Roman Empire that Christians began to build temples. In some instances, Christians, with the aid of Roman soldiers, took over pagan temples and “Christianized” them into churches.

Christians building church buildings resulted in multiple problems. First, people began to think of a church building as “sacred space.” This resulted in a separation between what goes on inside a church building and what takes place outside of a church building. Among some, blatant evil and immorality were tolerated outside of the church as long as behavior inside the church was proper. Second, some people lost the idea of God’s omnipresence. The biblical fact that fellowship with God could be had anywhere was lost and replaced with the idea that a church building and/or the altar inside a church building was the only place one could connect with God. Third, some people lost sight of the fact that believers in Christ are the church and instead began to think of the church as the building.

But is the idea of a church building pagan? Since the Bible does not instruct Christians to build church buildings, does that mean it is wrong to have a church building? The fact that the Bible does not command something does not mean the Bible is opposed to that something. The Bible neither encourages nor discourages the idea of Christians meeting.

Meeting in buildings specifically designed for corporate worship is a common practice. The distinction between description and prescription is crucial when considering church buildings. The New Testament describes early Christians gathering in homes but does not mandate that Christians must exclusively meet in homes. A church building that proclaims biblical truths about the church is not contrary to the Bible. The issue lies not with the building itself but with the potentially unbiblical beliefs associated with it.

(2) The structure of the church varies among different congregations. Many churches follow a fixed order of service, including announcements, corporate worship, greetings, prayer, sermons, and a closing song. While some churches strictly adhere to this order, others allow for more flexibility. However, the rigid structure of church services is not found in the New Testament. When a church’s structure becomes overly rigid, it can hinder genuine worship and fellowship.

1 Corinthians 14:40 advises, “but everything should be done in a fitting and orderly way.” Order and structure are not contrary to the Bible, but rigidity and legalism are. While churches should maintain organized services, it is unscriptural for the service to be so rigid that it stifles participation, freedom, or the movement of the Spirit.

(3) Church leadership is a biblical concept emphasized in passages such as (1 Timothy 3:1-13;5:17-20;Titus 1:6-9;1 Peter 5:1-4). Unfortunately, the early church distorted the idea of leadership by incorporating pagan influences and creating a priesthood model. While most Protestant and Evangelical churches have moved away from this model, it is essential to maintain godly leadership within the church.

Churches do not refer to their leadership as priests. In some instances, the pastor/preacher serves in a role similar to that of a priest. Pastors are expected to do most, if not all, of the ministry work. In some churches, reintroducing the concept of a priest into Christianity led to the loss of the biblical identity of all believers as saints, ministers, and priests. This can result in burnt-out or overly authoritative pastors in church leadership. In the congregation, it can lead to passivity and inactivity.

The notion that a Christian can sing a few songs without enthusiasm, shake hands lackadaisically, listen inattentively to a sermon, and give an offering reluctantly – and thus fulfill their role in the church – is entirely unbiblical. The church is meant to be a place of vibrant fellowship, active participation, and mutual edification. First Corinthians chapter 12 compares the church to a human body, where all parts must function for the body to fulfill its purpose.

(4) The sermon. The Bible clearly states that God’s Word is to be taught (1 Timothy 4:11;2 Timothy 4:2). There is undoubtedly a place for a godly man to teach other believers in a sermonic/oratory format. One issue is when many churches fall into the trap of having one man as the sole teacher. Another problem arises when churches, whether intentionally or unintentionally, suggest that passively listening to a sermon is all that God requires. In 2 Timothy 2:2, Paul urges Timothy to entrust teaching to others who are gifted by the Holy Spirit for teaching. The presence of a non-participatory sermon is not the issue. The lack of opportunities for others to teach and/or the reluctance to teach can be problematic. One of the church’s objectives is to make disciples, not just have passive attendees. Many churches could do a better job of recognizing the gift of teaching in others.

Errors and training and encouraging them to use that gift. At the same time, no one should seek the position of a teacher unless he really has been gifted by the Holy Spirit, a fact that can be verified by the testimony of others who can give witness to the presence of this gift. In fact, James 3:1 warns us, “Not many of you should presume to be teachers, my brothers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly.”

For other issues raised by Pagan Christianity, please read the following articles:

Dress Up Church

Tithing in Christianity

Are Pastors Paid a Salary?

Christian Baptism

Christian Communion

It is undeniable that pagan ideas and practices have crept their way into the Christian church. To varying degrees, every church has practices that are not entirely based on Scripture, either in the practice itself or in the understanding of the practice. However, this does not necessarily mean these practices are pagan or incorrect. Churches would do well to continually re-evaluate their methods and motivations to ensure they are biblically sound. While no church practice should contradict Scripture, a church practice does not have to be explicitly biblical to be a valid choice. Nor does a practice not being taught in the Bible make it pagan. A practice having a pagan origin does not necessarily make it unbiblical. The key to avoiding “Pagan Christianity” is comparing every belief and practice with Scripture and removing anything that contradicts what the Bible prescribes for the church. For those issues on which the Bible is silent, the church leadership should prayerfully consider whether or not to continue them.