Church in Charlotte Creates Controversial Nativity Scene
A church in Charlotte, North Carolina, has sparked debate this Christmas season by unveiling a nativity scene that features Jesus, Mary, and Joseph alongside figures resembling immigration officers. These figures are depicted wearing bulletproof vests and holding handcuffs, aiming to “disrupt passersby.”
Mission Gathering Church has voiced criticism of the immigration enforcement actions happening in the area. The pastor, Rev. Andrew Shipley, expressed that the intent was “to force viewers to confront the fear that many immigrant families in Charlotte are feeling” due to recent immigration arrests.
The display portrays the biblical story of Mary, Joseph, and Jesus in Bethlehem but adds a modern twist with the inclusion of ICE agents. Shipley emphasized that the installation represents the anxieties that immigrant families are currently facing.
“The purpose is to confuse people and make them feel something,” he stated. “What is happening to Charlotte’s families is disturbing, graphic, and frightening.” The art installation was organized by a group called TaskForce, known for similar works in other U.S. locations.
TaskForce reached out to the church with the idea, commissioning a local artist to create the nativity scene. Shipley further remarked, “If the Holy Family had been in Charlotte two weeks ago, they would have handcuffed baby Jesus because they didn’t have papers.”
Interestingly, other churches across the country are adopting a similar approach. For instance, a church in Evanston, Illinois, presented a nativity scene that illustrated baby Jesus with zip ties, flanked by figures resembling ICE agents. Furthermore, a nativity display in Massachusetts has drawn calls for its removal by officials in the Archdiocese of Boston.
Since the election of President Donald Trump, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has ramped up its operations, leading to increased arrests in various communities. Mission Gathering Church and U.S. Customs and Border Protection have yet to comment on this situation.
