On the steps of St Paul’s Cathedral, a group of Christian campaigners have performed a reimagined nativity, featuring baby Jesus as a refugee.
Members of the grassroots groups Better Story and Christians for a Welcoming Britain recreated the biblical scene of Mary, Joseph, and the baby Jesus fleeing to Egypt in an orange dinghy, wearing life jackets with banners reading “Jesus was a refugee” and “I was a stranger, and you welcomed me.”
The event was held as the “Unite the Kingdom” carol service took place elsewhere in London, promoted by Tommy Robinson with the slogan “put Christ back into Christmas.”
"The Christmas message is for everyone," Better Story organiser Tommy Sharpe told Premier Christian News.
"To be clear, we aren't pro small boat - we think that is a deep sadness. But we are pro the people in those small boats," Sharpe said. "They are made in God's image, and they are very precious to God."
The former Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams, shared a statement of support: “The Christ of the first Christmas is a child born far from his parents’ home because of decisions made by a distant imperial power. He is a child who has to flee to a foreign country with his family in the wake of a massacre... Are we ready to put this Christ back into Christmas today?”
Tommy Sharpe said: “There is no room for exclusion this Advent. This demonstration sets out to show that Jesus unites us all, regardless of age, gender, nationality or background. This story of a vulnerable family speaks to us all.”
Fergus Burnett, co-founder of Better Story, added: “My Christian faith empowers me to resist hopelessness and, following in Jesus’ footsteps, to work for the transformation of the world through acts of hopeful love. I find it so painful to see Christianity tied to ideologies of exclusion.”
A separate event at St Martin's in the Fields, Trafalgar Square, also emphasised the inclusive message of Christmas. The church hosted a procession with Jesus, Mary and Joseph accompanied by donkeys and banners reading ‘Jesus was a refugee’ and ‘God so loved the world… that means everyone.’