Trees

"The Season of Forgiveness."

Ivanhoans gather to look at Christmas decorations and a Nativity scene erected outside the trading base:

"A tree had been erected on the flagstones." (p. 333)

A couple of weeks ago, I explained to a Muslim neighbour that we were walking across town to a church with an annual display of decorated Christmas trees, where we would also meet our daughter and granddaughter: celebration, family and sharing of traditions. The church also had a screen displaying information about current conditions in Bethlehem.

"'[The Earthlings] should have special wisdom, now in the season of their Prince of Peace.'" (p. 334)

Any paganism can accept Christ as another god.

"'Raielli, Erratan!'

"Halt, Earthling!" (pp. 327-328)

On another planet, Ikranaka, Earthlings are "Ershoka." The land-dwellers on Starkad call them "the vaz-Terran." There will be many adaptations of terms like "Earthling" and "Terran" throughout the volume of space covered by Technic civilization.

The apprentices who decorate the base:

"...had no common faith." (p. 322)

- although maybe their organizer, Hernandez, is a Christian. When I was at College, 1988-'89, several of the students were keen enough to organise a carol service complete with Gospel readings which they rehearsed. There was a core of Christian commitment among the organizers. I said that I would meditate in my room at the time of the service. I am not up for singing anything let alone carols! - although people draw this line in different places. I know that I should not accept communion in a church but should accept food in a Gurdwara or a Krishna Temple.