The Amicable Congregation Church in Tiverton Four Corners Rhode Island has a Nativity display which sought to rethink the Christmas story and present it with a modern day twist.
"The Babe in the Manger is a girl named Hope. Joseph is an illegal immigrant looking for a job in the U.S. Mary (“Maura”) is a teenage runaway who fled her Connecticut home after her parents became upset upon discovering her pregnancy. The Angel Gabriel, nicknamed “Gabe,” is a homeless black man."
The point being that everyone, no matter race, creed, gender, ability etc...is welcome at this church.
Oddly, frustratingly, the real Christmas story is the story of exactly that point, Jesus born, God with us. God with all of us. There is no need to change the entire dynamic of the manger scene to depict a Christ which came to save us. The writer of the blog which pointed out the irony in this church's scene ended with this:
"Personally, though, I prefer the Nativity set which stands in St. Peter’s Square and inspires the faithful, not to political posturing, but to faith and to prayer."
Amen. Savior of the nations come. Come for you and me and all.
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