Not Caesar’s Icon
Show me a penny. Whose image and superscription hath it? They answered and said, Caesar’s. And he said unto them, Render therefore unto Caesar the things which be Caesar’s, and unto God the things which be God’s.
—Luke 20:24–25
The differences between the secular world and the Christian world are often difficult to keep before us. For example, on the first of January we celebrated the beginning of a New Year. But for Christians in the West, the New Year historically commenced with the first Sunday of Advent, while for the Orthodox, it started in September.
The secularization of our society has changed the way many Christians view Christian events. For example, the Christmas season did not historically begin on Halloween and end on December 25. Instead, it began on Christmas Day and ended on Epiphany, a time that is now referred to as the “After Christmas Sale Season.” Of course, Halloween has completely overshadowed All Saints’ Day (have you ever seen a “Happy All Saints’ Day!” card?). And that other day that makes confectioners’ pocketbooks bloat is what used to be called the celebration of the Resurrection. I am sure at that time of year more people think about marshmallow chicks and chocolate eggs than about the Body and Blood of our Lord.
THIS ARTICLE ONLY AVAILABLE TO SUBSCRIBERS.
FOR QUICK ACCESS:
Thomas S. Buchanan is the George W. Laird Professor of Mechanical Engineering and Biomedical Engineering at the University of Delaware. He has studied at UCSD, Northwestern University, and MIT, and has held visiting professorships at the University of Western Australia and the University of Aix-Marseille. He has served as department chairman, deputy dean, and institute director, president of the American Society of Biomechanics, and editor-in-chief of the Journal of Applied Biomechanics. He is on the Board of Trustees of Saint Katherine College, the editorial board of Touchstone, and the board of The Fellowship of St. James.
subscription options
Order
Print/Online Subscription
Get six issues (one year) of Touchstone PLUS full online access including pdf downloads for only $39.95. That's only $3.34 per month!
Order
Online Only
Subscription
Get a one-year full-access subscription to the Touchstone online archives for only $19.95. That's only $1.66 per month!
bulk subscriptions
Order Touchstone subscriptions in bulk and save $10 per sub! Each subscription includes 6 issues of Touchstone plus full online access to touchstonemag.com—including archives, videos, and pdf downloads of recent issues for only $29.95 each! Great for churches or study groups.
Transactions will be processed on a secure server.
more from the online archives
33.2—March/April 2020
An Architectural Sign of Mere Christianity by Michael Ward
32.1—January/February 2019
Answers Secular & Religious by Allan C. Carlson
calling all readers
Please Donate
"There are magazines worth reading but few worth saving . . . Touchstone is just such a magazine."
—Alice von Hildebrand
"Here we do not concede one square millimeter of territory to falsehood, folly, contemporary sentimentality, or fashion. We speak the truth, and let God be our judge. . . . Touchstone is the one committedly Christian conservative journal."
—Anthony Esolen, Touchstone senior editor
