Christmas Trees and Greek Letters: Double Standards in the Sanctuary

Dr. Lyman Montgomery

Welcome back to the Sacred Greeks Podcast. I’m Dr. Lyman Montgomery, and, well, the Christmas season’s in full swing—which means church sanctuaries everywhere are decked out in pine trees, glowing lights, tinsel, you name it. You know what surprised me early on, when I first joined my fraternity? There I was, wearing my blue and white for Phi Beta Sigma, and folks in church didn’t blink at all the Christmas décor… but if I wore my fraternity jacket? Woo, you’d have thought I smuggled in a bag of golden calves. It’s the strangest thing. Olive branches, wreaths, tinsel, Christmas trees—all with roots outside Christianity—but those aren’t a problem when we bring ‘em into the sanctuary. Greek letters though? Whole different story.

Janet

Let me tell you, Dr. Montgomery, I’ve seen it plenty of times too. My Zeta pin gets the side-eye from Sister Jenkins, meanwhile she’s sittin’ right under a wreath without a care in the world! We pick and choose, don’t we? And I don’t say that to be ugly—it’s just real talk. I grew up with the Christmas tree front and center in the fellowship hall. Nobody questioned it. But you try showing up with anything Greek, whew, here come the “idle talk” warnings.

Dr. Lyman Montgomery

Exactly. It’s like… we’ve decided some things are magically fine to reinterpret, and others—nope, off-limits forever. It’s not about the symbol, it’s about the double standard. So let’s break down what’s really going on here, because grace isn’t just for stuff we’re used to.

Janet

Okay, let’s talk history for a minute. All those ornaments and garlands folks hang up in December? They weren’t always “Christian.” Evergreens—like Christmas trees—show up in old Celtic and German traditions for winter solstice. They represented survival, hope. Christians came along, said, “Well, this tree—that’s gonna stand for eternal life in Jesus.” They just changed the meaning. Same with the lights—those used to be just candles, then the Christians made it about Jesus being the true light. Nobody fussed. Nobody unplugged the tree.

Dr. Lyman Montgomery

Right! And Janet, you mentioned those wreaths? That olive branch folks love so much… Greek mythology says Athena won Athens by gifting an olive tree. So it’s not even from the Bible originally. Meanwhile, there’s not one well-meaning usher unplugging those Christmas lights because of “pagan origin.” We see meaning come not from history, but from intention. As Christians, we decided, “We’re using this for God now.” If that’s possible for Christmas traditions, why not for Greek letters, too?

Janet

Not a soul in my grandma’s old church in Macon ever stopped to ask if the wreath on the door was ‘biblically pure.’ But Lord, let me walk in wearing my Zeta pin—suddenly I needed deliverance. The grace for one symbol, but not another, never made sense to me. And it still doesn’t!

Dr. Lyman Montgomery

Let’s call it what it is—hypocrisy. That sounds harsh, but family, Romans 14 tells us not to judge each other over days, celebrations, or symbols. Colossians 2: don’t let anyone put you down over a festival or a Sabbath or a symbol. First Corinthians 8: those idols are empty unless your heart is tangled up in ‘em. But when churches say “it’s fine for us, but not for y’all” that’s not what scripture says. That’s just tradition dressed up as truth. I’ll ask it plain: Why are wedding rings, Christmas trees, and olive branches holy, but my fraternity letters are condemned? If we trust God’s grace to redeem our favorite customs, why pretend Greek letters are beyond reach?

Janet

And I gotta say, Dr. Montgomery, selective outrage does serious harm. All it does is create confusion and shame where there should be freedom and unity. We all slipping up somewhere. If you’re not throwing away your Christmas decorations, don’t come for my Zeta pin, you know?

Dr. Lyman Montgomery

Let’s encourage one another to take a step back—what’s the heart behind the symbols? Are we honoring God with them, or just copying old habits? Churches can do a better job talking openly about where all these traditions come from. Let’s dig into the history together, without rushing to reject, and see how faith can actually redeem what once had a totally different meaning. Education, prayer, respectful conversations—that’s how you bridge gaps and clear up these mixed-up ideas.

Janet

Amen. Half the time, folks just following what Grandma did—that’s fine, but missin’ the conversation. A church that pauses to look up where things came from instead of just banning or praising them starts building real community. If you don’t know, ask. If you’re curious, learn. That’s love in action.

Janet

If we really wanna grow together, we gotta start listening to folks who see things differently. Sit down, get their perspective on why a symbol matters to them. That empathy—just understanding before judging—it goes a long way. And churches can set up workshops, Bible studies, invite in guest speakers, just to help people get the full story behind these rituals and crests. Make it a point in the pulpit—or the podcast!—so the conversations reach everyone, not just the loudest folks at the church meeting.

Dr. Lyman Montgomery

Absolutely, Janet. You give people the history, invite honest dialogue, it’s harder to stay stuck on old prejudices. I mean, churches spend time on financial seminars, why not sessions on faith and cultural symbols? If we want unity, we can’t pretend these questions don’t exist. Let’s put them on the table and talk it out in grace.

Dr. Lyman Montgomery

Our churches—especially our leaders—need to get comfortable with complexity. Run some real, in-depth classes about the history of symbols. Don’t stop at “it’s bad” or “it’s fine.” Let folks share their stories—how maybe their grandfather’s fraternity ring reminds them to serve, not to sin. That’s how meaningful traditions get built. Create space in the church calendar to let folks wrestle out loud with stuff that’s not easy. That vulnerability draws people in.

Janet

We’re all works in progress, y’all. Every soror, every brother, every church mother got a story about a symbol that changed meaning over time. You start sharing those from the pulpit or circle up after Bible study, you’ll be shocked at who identifies with it. If you want unity, you need those real experiences out in the open.

Janet

Look, healing those divides—between what the church accepts and what it condemns—takes honesty. Why not organize workshops during Sunday School to break down these origins, instead of just repeating, “That’s how we’ve always done it”? And maybe let some folks give testimony about how Greek life was a door to service, or leadership, or faith in Christ—not the opposite.

Dr. Lyman Montgomery

Yeah, reconciliation’s about hearing each other. Not just airing grievances, but saying, “Here’s how this symbol impacted my walk with God.” And not every story will be tidy; that’s okay! Make those forums regular parts of church life, not just one-offs. The more you practice, the easier it becomes to see Christ in each other, not just in the stained glass and tinsel.

Dr. Lyman Montgomery

A church that hosts workshops—you might have one group doing a study on the olive branch, another on Christmas lights, another on BGLO crests. That kinda open conversation lets people ask “What’s the heart here?” and listen to real testimonies. You’ll see: people’s faith actually gets stronger, not weaker, when they ask tough questions together. It’s how new traditions grow.

Janet

And don’t be afraid of the questions, family. Let’s talk about where these traditions came from, how we changed ‘em, and what they mean to us now. You might help a young person feel seen—or help an elder see something in a new way. It’s about fighting silence with story and moving from suspicion to trust.

Janet

Church leaders, want to keep your people united? Start a whole series—workshops, sermons, small group guides—on how symbols and culture fit into scripture. Give folks a safe space to talk about their own experiences with things like wedding rings or Christmas trees. And don’t forget to invite prayer in: asking God for wisdom and grace as we navigate tricky stuff is what brings true peace. We need less shouting and more listening, more prayer, and more willingness to see the heart.

Dr. Lyman Montgomery

That’s always the foundation—grace and discernment. If we’re quick to pray instead of quick to accuse, you’d be amazed how walls come down. If the Bible tells us God looks at the heart, that ought to show up in how we talk about symbols, too.

Dr. Lyman Montgomery

At the end of the day, the best way to move past these double standards is education—real teaching, real conversation, real listening. That means Sunday School lessons, youth nights, sermon illustrations, even bulletin notes that give the full story behind Christmas trees, olive branches, or Greek letters. When people understand, they empathize. And when leaders are honest about their own journeys, the whole church grows.

Janet

Couldn’t have said it better, Dr. Montgomery. Church unity is a project, not a one-time event. If we keep making room for tough talks and open hearts, both our Greek and church families will be stronger and more Christ-like. That’s what will keep us sacred, not sinful, as you always say.

Dr. Lyman Montgomery

Well family, that’s a wrap for this episode. If something here challenged you or blessed you, share it—a pastor, a friend, someone wrestling with this double standard. And don’t forget, check out the Sacred Greeks Skool online. Janet, always an honor to talk with you. Any last words before we sign off?

Janet

Just this: stay gracious, research before you judge, and let’s keep loving each other—even when we disagree. Merry Christmas, Dr. Montgomery! And Merry Christmas to all our listeners!

Dr. Lyman Montgomery

Merry Christmas, Janet. Family, stay sacred, not sinful. Until next time!