Saturday, December 24, 2011

When is where you put the creche the point?

An excerpt from the movie script of Charlie Wilson's War between a US Senator and a powerful constituent details a scene in which the ACLU's lawsuit to have a nativity scene removed from the lawn of a fire station.  It gives some interesting insight into our modern concept of incarnation.

Larry: Every single year since the world was young, the firehouse in the Nacogdoches
Township has displayed a creche.

Now, the ACLU has filed suit against the township for displaying a religious symbol on public property.

It's Christmas time.

It's a creche.

I could understand if we were in gosh-darn Scarsdale, but this is east Texas, and I want to know who we're offending.

Except two lawyers from the ACLU.

Charlie: That is a terribly interesting and complicated question.

Let me make this suggestion, though.

There's a church about a block and a half from that firehouse, First Baptist Church of Nacogdoches.

They've got a beautiful rolling lawn out there in front.

Larry: No, no. This is a Christian country, Charlie, founded on Christian values.


Sure.  We welcome other faiths to worship as they wish, but when you can't put a nativity scene in front of a firehouse at Christmas time in Nacogdoches Township, something's gone terribly wrong.
  
Charlie: Well, that's not really true, Larry.

You could move that creche over to that church and everything's just fine.

Larry: That's not the point!

Every since the magi came looking for Christ in the palace of Herod, we have been expecting God's presence to be proclaimed in the places of power.

We often still insist that his manifest existence is displayed in court houses, on the public square, at the check out counter, and even on the fire house lawn.

But incarnation is about how we bear God's existence and presence for others.

And not about what icon inhabits the public square.

On the eve of God's coming, we anticipate all the ways and places God's presence will find us in spite of our desire to control where we and others see him.

Or, what do you think is the point?