‘O Little town of Beck-lehem’ gets mixed response from churches
-8/12/04
A new star-studded n
‘O Little town of Beck-lehem’ gets mixed response from churches
-8/12/04
A new star-studded nativity scene at Londonís Madame Tussaudís with Posh and Becks taking centre stage has been greeted by anger from some senior churchmen, while others have given it a guarded welcome.
The nativity tableau depicting Victoria and David Beckham as Mary and Joseph (described by the Scotsman newspaper as (“Oh Little Town of Beck-lehem”) has been called ìa nativity stunt too farî.
Some church leaders, however, gave a guarded welcome to the waxwork attraction.
Bringing the gold, frankincense and myrrh are the Three Wise Men from the west rather than the east are Tony Blair, President Bush and the Duke of Edinburgh.
The three shepherds who complete the scene are non other than the bible-quoting gangster from Pulp Fiction, Samuel L Jackson; Hugh Grant – complete with a lamb in hand; and comedian Graham Norton. The sultry angel Kylie Minogue “strikes a seductive pose above the manger” according to Hello magazine.
The celebrity nativity scene was created after 300 visitors to the London attraction in October were asked which celebrities they would like to see in which roles.
They voted overwhelmingly for the Beckhams in the central roles. Tussaudís stopped short of putting a baby Beckham in the manger, however. The baby Jesus is a plastic doll of the type used in any school nativity play.
The Rev Jonathan Jennings, a spokesman for the Archbishop of Canterbury, conceded that each generation reinterpreted the nativity, ìbut deary, deary me . . .î reports the Times newspaper.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, more conservative religious figures were harsher. Rev Rod Thomas, spokesman for Reform, the conservative evangelical grouping, said that the tableau should not be allowed to undermine the serious message of the story of the birth of Christ. ìAnything that reminds us that Jesus came into the real world as a real human being is very useful at this time of year,î he said. ìBut anything that invites us to laugh at what God did is something that He will take very seriously. In the Ten Commandments we are told not to make any images of God. This scene shows how wise that commandment is.î
Arun Kataria, spokesman for the Church of England, said: ìIt is an original idea. But it is worth noting that none of the people who took part in the original was a celebrity.î
He admitted that there was some potential for evangelisation. ìIf it brings the nativity tableau to an adult audience rather than just to toddlers in a school, then that is a good thing.î
Roman Catholic bishops were reluctant to comment. A spokesman for one said he was concerned that the tableau might offend some Catholics. He said he was anxious to avoid saying anything that might exacerbate things.
The Vatican said that crib was ìif not blasphemous then certainly in very poor tasteî. A spokesman said that although contemporary figures had often been presented as onlookers in nativity scenes, to introduce celebrities as the main figures is ìquite another matterî. ìIn Naples there is a strong tradition of including famous contemporary figures in the Nativity scene ñ Maradona, the footballer, for example, or Princess Diana, or politicians and statesmen. But they are always onlookers.î
Beckhamís elevation to a holy figure has not won him any favours with his local councilís planning department however.
It emerged today that the Real Madrid and England soccer star had been told to apply for planning permission for a £120,000 play castle built in the grounds of his home.
Council officials wrote to Beckham, 29, and wife Victoria, 30, after being told that the wooden structure had been built in the grounds of the coupleís home in Sawbridgeworth, Hertfordshire. A spokeswoman for East Hertfordshire District Council said the Beckhams were expected to make an application for retrospective planning permission in the near future.
The 30sq m wooden fort is being built as an early Christmas present for sons Brooklyn and Romeo.
‘O Little town of Beck-lehem’ gets mixed response from churches
-8/12/04
A new star-studded nativity scene at Londonís Madame Tussaudís with Posh and Becks taking centre stage has been greeted by anger from some senior churchmen, while others have given it a guarded welcome.
The nativity tableau depicting Victoria and David Beckham as Mary and Joseph (described by the Scotsman newspaper as (“Oh Little Town of Beck-lehem”) has been called ìa nativity stunt too farî.
Some church leaders, however, gave a guarded welcome to the waxwork attraction.
Bringing the gold, frankincense and myrrh are the Three Wise Men from the west rather than the east are Tony Blair, President Bush and the Duke of Edinburgh.
The three shepherds who complete the scene are non other than the bible-quoting gangster from Pulp Fiction, Samuel L Jackson; Hugh Grant – complete with a lamb in hand; and comedian Graham Norton. The sultry angel Kylie Minogue “strikes a seductive pose above the manger” according to Hello magazine.
The celebrity nativity scene was created after 300 visitors to the London attraction in October were asked which celebrities they would like to see in which roles.
They voted overwhelmingly for the Beckhams in the central roles. Tussaudís stopped short of putting a baby Beckham in the manger, however. The baby Jesus is a plastic doll of the type used in any school nativity play.
The Rev Jonathan Jennings, a spokesman for the Archbishop of Canterbury, conceded that each generation reinterpreted the nativity, ìbut deary, deary me . . .î reports the Times newspaper.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, more conservative religious figures were harsher. Rev Rod Thomas, spokesman for Reform, the conservative evangelical grouping, said that the tableau should not be allowed to undermine the serious message of the story of the birth of Christ. ìAnything that reminds us that Jesus came into the real world as a real human being is very useful at this time of year,î he said. ìBut anything that invites us to laugh at what God did is something that He will take very seriously. In the Ten Commandments we are told not to make any images of God. This scene shows how wise that commandment is.î
Arun Kataria, spokesman for the Church of England, said: ìIt is an original idea. But it is worth noting that none of the people who took part in the original was a celebrity.î
He admitted that there was some potential for evangelisation. ìIf it brings the nativity tableau to an adult audience rather than just to toddlers in a school, then that is a good thing.î
Roman Catholic bishops were reluctant to comment. A spokesman for one said he was concerned that the tableau might offend some Catholics. He said he was anxious to avoid saying anything that might exacerbate things.
The Vatican said that crib was ìif not blasphemous then certainly in very poor tasteî. A spokesman said that although contemporary figures had often been presented as onlookers in nativity scenes, to introduce celebrities as the main figures is ìquite another matterî. ìIn Naples there is a strong tradition of including famous contemporary figures in the Nativity scene ñ Maradona, the footballer, for example, or Princess Diana, or politicians and statesmen. But they are always onlookers.î
Beckhamís elevation to a holy figure has not won him any favours with his local councilís planning department however.
It emerged today that the Real Madrid and England soccer star had been told to apply for planning permission for a £120,000 play castle built in the grounds of his home.
Council officials wrote to Beckham, 29, and wife Victoria, 30, after being told that the wooden structure had been built in the grounds of the coupleís home in Sawbridgeworth, Hertfordshire. A spokeswoman for East Hertfordshire District Council said the Beckhams were expected to make an application for retrospective planning permission in the near future.
The 30sq m wooden fort is being built as an early Christmas present for sons Brooklyn and Romeo.