A Christmas Carol revives every holiday season, but its author revealed his faith in a book for his children.
“Jesus is the reason for the season,” yea, verily. But “the man who invented Christmas”? That title, by general acclaim, belongs to Charles Dickens on the basis of A Christmas Carol, the beloved tale that reanimates every December in every conceivable medium and mutation.
A magical mix of Victorian-era ghost story and Yuletide fable, Dickens’ most popular novel is stuffed with all the trappings of the season — snowy streets and sidewalk carolers, Christmas goose and Christmas pudding, and, of course, joyous fireside gatherings. But at the core of the story is a ringing Christian message founded in redemption and charity — Scrooge’s conversion from selfishness to selflessness.
Interestingly, these same…
