"The three wise men who were Zoroastrians from Persia were led by the stars that they worshipped to the manger to worship the One who created the stars. God did not hold their paganism against them, he used it to enlighten them. They were men of good will, seekers after God, lovers of truth, and God blessed them with visions and dreams, a star, and the Christ child. Then they disappeared from view only to be heard of again in pious legend; but the Christ clarified their vision. What happened to them after that, we simply don't know. But I am most willing to assume that God continued to be with them as he was before they went to Bethlehem." - Father Antony Hughes

Did the wise men then become Christians after their pagan astrology led them to the birth of the future King? Probably not. Are the wise men therefore burning in hell for eternity? Someone give me a break. Yes, the wise men probably continued in their paganism. It's all they knew. But their paganism led them to Christ, the hope of humanity, the enfleshed cosmic Logos in whom they live, move, and have being. Their paganism led them to worship true God, perhaps unknown to them. They only knew that the astrological signs led them in search of a future king to which they should pay homage. Then they went on their way, continuing to seek truth through the only lens they knew.

Some people worship God without knowing it. Like the pagans in Athens who had the altar "to the unknown God." (Acts 17) Paul said, "So you are ignorant of the very thing you worship—and this is what I am going to proclaim to you." As C.S. Lewis said, "Christ is the fulfillment of both Judaism and paganism." For Christ is the light that gives light to all coming into the world. It is the pure existential, cosmic Christ in whom we all "live, move, and have our being" who fuels all of our quest for meaning and truth, and all encounter and worship him at times without knowing it. Our job is not to bring Christ to people, but to make them aware that he is already here.

"It seems clear to me that the rays of the Son are all the fragments of myths and wisdom and beauty that can be found throughout the entire world in science and music and poetry and religion. All these rays of the Sons light everywhere throughout the world. All truth comes from God. All good things come from God. All light comes from God, the Father of light." - Father Antony Hughes

 

"If Christmas tells us anything, it's that wherever you find the "unclean," and even the near "blasphemous," there you'll find Christ. And when you find him, as in the case of the Magi (astrologers), you may also find those who located him using not only unorthodox methods, but methods that would have gotten them burnt at the stake by earlier generations of Christians."
- Jeff Turner