DEDHAM, Mass. (AP) 鈥� One baby Jesus lies in a manger in the snow, wrapped in a silver emergency blanket with his wrists zip-tied. Mary stands nearby outside the Lake Street Church in Evanston, Illinois, wearing a plastic gas mask and flanked by Roman soldiers in tactical vests labeled 鈥淚CE.鈥�
In another Chicago suburb, not far from an Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility that has , a sign at the manger outside the Urban Village Church says 鈥淒ue to ICE activity in our community the Holy Family is in hiding.鈥� And more than a thousand miles away, the Christ child went missing from a Nativity scene at St. Susanna Parish in Dedham, Massachusetts, replaced by a hand-painted sign: 鈥淚CE was here.鈥�
These and other stark reimaginings of Christ’s birth are drawing praise and outrage as churches turn the Christmas tableau into a commentary on under the . Their creators say they are placing the ancient story in a contemporary frame, portraying the Holy Family as refugees to reflect on the that many families 鈥� including their own parishioners 鈥� are experiencing today.
Supporters of the displays say the Bible is on their side, but critics call the scenes sacrilegious and politically divisive, accusing the churches of abusing sacred imagery and some arguing they should lose their tax-exempt status. The archdiocese in Massachusetts ordered that the manger must be 鈥渞estored to its proper sacred purpose.鈥�
The debate comes as in states and cities whose leaders object to the immigration crackdown. In September alone, a combined total of at least 2,000 people were arrested in Illinois and Massachusetts, according to federal arrest figures released by immigration authorities.
鈥楢 grave scandal for Catholics鈥�
For churches, Christmas is a time 鈥渨hen we have public art out on the lawn and we get an opportunity to say something,鈥� said Rev. Michael Woolf, senior minister at Lake Street. Another Nativity scene created by the Baptist congregation one recent year showed Jesus in rubble 鈥� a 鈥減lea for peace鈥� in Gaza, he said.
St. Susanna parishioners locked baby Jesus in a cage in 2018 to protest how President Donald Trump’s first administration was separating families at the border. Another year, they depicted the infant floating in water polluted with plastic to highlight climate change.
Boston Archbishop Richard Henning ordered this year’s display taken down. As of Thursday, Father Steve Josoma was seeking a meeting and had yet to comply.
鈥淭he people of God have the right to expect that, when they come to church, they will encounter genuine opportunities for prayer and Catholic worship 鈥� not divisive political messaging,鈥� a diocesan spokesperson said.
Some Catholic activists want the priest punished.
鈥淭his is really a grave scandal for Catholics, and I think he鈥檚 playing with fire,鈥� said C.J. Doyle, director of the Catholic Action League of Massachusetts. 鈥淭he archbishop can remove him as pastor, suspend him from active ministry 鈥� he can even close the parish and sell the property right out from under him.鈥�
The community鈥檚 reality
Josoma said the display’s purpose is to move 鈥渂eyond static traditional figures and evoke emotion and dialogue鈥� in response to the fear many parishioners face as federal forces arrest more than undocumented immigrants, sweeping up longtime legal residents and spreading anxiety.
In Illinois, the detention campaign has left bystanders choking on chemical sprays and children traumatized at the site of neighbors and teachers being taken away, prompting state and local investigations.
鈥淲e wanted to reflect sort of the reality that our community is experiencing,鈥� said Jillian Westerfield, associate minister at the church in Evanston.
After the figure of Joseph blew down and was damaged, leaving Mary alone with the baby, they put up an explanatory sign: 鈥淛oseph didn’t make it. We hold this space to honor and remember all the victims of immigration enforcement terror.鈥�
Critics either don’t fully understand the message or 鈥渇ind it really challenging to their conscience and are lashing out at the art rather than engaging with what the actual message is,鈥� Westerfield said.
鈥楴ot a stunt鈥�
Phil Mandeville, who sits on St. Susanna鈥檚 Parish Council and coordinates a multi-church refugee support committee, said long-standing relationships make the parish resolute about keeping the display.
The committee has worked with about 10 refugee families since 2019, helping them find housing, enroll in school, learn English and secure work. Much of the effort is done in partnership with the federal government, which puts families through extensive vetting before they arrive, he said.
鈥淛ust to emphasize the reason for all of this 鈥� it鈥檚 not a stunt,鈥� Mandeville said. 鈥淲e work on a daily basis with refugees. But people get upset about a bit of plaster. I care more about individuals than I do a manger scene. I understand what it represents 鈥� I don鈥檛 understand why no one cares about these human beings.鈥�
鈥淟ook at the Gospel just before Christ was executed 鈥� that was political,鈥� he added. 鈥淲e were always taught: when you鈥檙e unsure how to act, ask, 鈥榃hat would Christ do?鈥� Now we鈥檙e doing that, and it doesn鈥檛 seem to jibe.鈥�
Divided reaction
The controversy in Evanston drew volunteers from a nearby synagogue, who stood outside during Lake Street’s services to help worshippers feel safe. Reactions outside the Dedham church ranged widely.
Walter Niland snapped a selfie and said he disagreed with the display. 鈥淚 believe that the church enjoys a tax-exempt status,鈥� said Niland, a Catholic from a neighboring town. 鈥淲e should speak to spiritual matters, not matters of political division.鈥�
Others came to challenge the parish directly 鈥� including one man who livestreamed his attempt to pull on locked church doors.
Steve Grieger, a former Catholic schoolteacher, drove an hour from Worcester to show his support.
鈥淭he Archdiocese says, 鈥極h no, that goes against our tradition.鈥� Well, we鈥檙e living in times that are totally abnormal. We can鈥檛 just proceed as normal,鈥� Grieger said. 鈥淚f we鈥檙e following the scriptures of Jesus, then we have to recognize that these ICE raids, and all of these terrible things going on, are totally against that.鈥�
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This story has been corrected. The Rev. Jillian Westerfield is with the Lake Street Church, which is affiliated with American Baptist Churches USA, not the United Methodist denomination.
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Bargfeld reported from Evanston.
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