18  December 2025

In Charlotte, North Carolina, a pastor and his congregation have displayed a nativity scene in front of their church. The usual cast has been arranged in their traditional places. In addition to the Biblical figures, some life-sized contemporary government officers in black are there too.

They have been strategically placed behind the nativity figures creating a menacing presence. They are Immigration and Customs Enforcement Officers or ICE Officers. They are here to question or even arrest our Christmas cast.

In a video, a man in a van gets out and approaches the nativity. He is respectful of the Biblical characters but he shows no respect for the USA government officers. In fact, he knocks them down to the ground and kicks at least one of them when he is lying flat.

It is clear that he is not happy with this mixture of piety and politics. The pastor is unsympathetic. The Christmas scene has been constructed to make people think. But in this case, it has made someone violent. And this is disturbing.

To what extent should a traditional nativity be used to make a political point? And if in the making of a political point, some people not only think but turn their thoughts into violent action is this wise? Is it an abuse of the Gospel?

The beauty of the gospel writers is that they do not make political points or points as simplistic as this. Their style is to tell the tale sometimes contradicting each other (which makes it more interesting if not mysterious) and leaving us free to contemplate, to search for meaning, to unravel the mystery!