Before:
The birth of Jesus, in the New Testament of the Christian Bible, is a story used and interpreted in so many different ways. The story of Jesus’ birth appears in the gospels of Matthew and Luke. This story has shaped people and communities’ identities, has been retold, and has been reshaped throughout history. How has the story of Jesus’ birth been interpreted for the good of people? How has the story of Jesus’ birth been told to aid in the overarching narrative of Jesus’ life?
After:
In December of 2019 in Southern California, Claremont United Methodist Church displayed a Nativity scene of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph in three separate cages with a message that read, “What if this family sought refuge in our country today?” This Nativity scene display, comparing the Holy Family with refugees at the United States-Mexico border, immediately got national attention in newspapers and television, including major news outlets such as CBS, ABC, FOX News, New York Times, and USA Today. Shortly after, Claremont United Methodist Church’s Facebook page was flooded with both positive and negative reviews due to the “widespread attention from progressive Christians and Conservative commentators” that the display provoked. The negative reviews included, “The clergy do not read the Bible. If they did they would know that Joseph and Mary were not refugees,” “God bless these morons that don’t even know the story of Joseph and Mary traveling in their own country for a census. No refugees in this story,” and “To depict the Holy Family in that way is a disgrace. Shame on you!” For many, the Nativity scene opened discussion on Christianity’s role at the border in the immigration crisis. On a broader level, it invites discussion on the interpretation of the infancy narrative and its relevance in people’s lives beyond the celebration of the Christmas holiday.