We Protestants don’t typically acknowledge patron saints. Nevertheless, over the last several years, some notable saint-inspired manifestos have been published. Whether we’re talking about The Benedict Option, The Boniface Option, or The Augustine Way, Christian authors are pointing to the imitable lives of past saints as a clarion call to fight the good fight of faith (1 Tim. 6:12).
As of yet, I have not read the above-mentioned books, but my guess is that each contains at least some applicable biblical wisdom for modern times. That being said, there is an inherent danger in relying too heavily on one mere mortal as a sort of blueprint for the entire Christian life.
There’s a world of difference between saying, “I follow the example of Paul as he followed Christ” (see 1 Cor. 11:1) and saying, “I follow Paul himself (or Apollos, or some other Christian leader)” (see 1 Cor. 1:12). The problem with that latter statement is that it represents a misaligned allegiance, as if followers of Christ are called to follow someone other than him: “Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul?” (1 Cor. 1:13). Ours is a faith that should “not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God” (1 Cor 2:5).
Saints who have gone before us are worthy of honor and imitation so long as they honored and imitated Christ. And with that in mind, I offer another imitable individual for your consideration: Nicholas of Myra, the precursor to the man we know as Santa Claus.
Saint Nicholas (3/15/270 - 12/6/343) is famous for, among other things, supposedly slapping (or punching) the heretic Arius at the Council of Nicaea.1 This act is humorously illustrated in the numerous Saint Nicholas memes circulated online,2 especially during Advent and Christmas.3
The reality, however, is far different. Yes, Nicholas was “a man of discipline and…action and respect,” and certainly “more than a smiling grandfather of the people; he was a facilitator of change from paganism to Christianity.”4 But how did he do it?
As it turns out, the truth behind Saint Nicholas is better than the legend of Saint Nicholas. His example illustrates a truly imitable approach to contending for the faith in a contentious age, as I lay out in my new piece for Crosswalk, “Hitting Heretics, Turning Tables, and Asking, ‘What Would Jesus Do?’”
This article uses the Nicholas legend as a jumping-off point to discuss what imitating our Savior should look like. Is slapping heretics on the table? Is steamrolling our enemies on the table? Is flipping tables on the table?
I submit for your consideration the Nicholas Option—which is really just the Jesus Option. I hope you find this article appropriately encouraging or challenging—or, possibly, both.
As it turns out, this story is apocryphal—for several reasons. To cite just one of them, from Adam C. English’s book The Saint Who Would Be Santa Claus, “[Arius] was a presbyter, not a bishop, and so had no official standing at the council. He may have been in the vicinity of Nicaea, lodging with his supporters, or he may have remained in Alexandria. But he did not take part in the proceedings” (p. 210, endnote 19).
Just to be clear: Advent and Christmas are not synonymous terms, but rather two separate events. My wife does a stellar job explaining the differences in the following two posts: Advent: The Neglected Secret to a Rich Christmas, and Advent and Christmas Observed.
To once again quote from The Saint Who Would Be Santa Claus (this time, pages 114 and 115).