Billboards and Christmas
A comment about St. Matthew's in the City's billboard. Firstly, well done! No other church bill board has or will make it on to national news, nor will they provoke the outcry and discussion this one has. They have achieved their aim.
Having said that, I wonder if this really is what I would want to talk about at Christmas. I understand their passion about the theological issue, but it seems to me that of more significance is the celebration of good news coming among us, and what that might mean for individuals, and communities at this point.To be honest it all felt a bit like a well staged publicity stunt, that some groups should have just ignored, rather than attracting more attention to it.
Anyway, here is what the Bishop of Auckland has to say about it all.
The Bishop of Auckland, the Right Reverend John Paterson says there are a multitude of issues for a city and the wider church that he would rather focus on in the season of Christmas than a billboard.
The Bishop is disappointed that St Matthew- in- the-City has decided to continue with the display of a billboard on its church grounds with a replacement billboard.
?Discussion of theological perspectives and diversity is encouraged in a respectful way, but this approach is insensitive to communities across the Anglican Church as well as other denominations,? says Bishop Paterson.
?The season and story of Christmas is one that celebrates the life that is brought by Christ and that is the spirit of Christmas that I seek for the Diocese and the city of Auckland,? says Bishop Paterson.
Having said that, I wonder if this really is what I would want to talk about at Christmas. I understand their passion about the theological issue, but it seems to me that of more significance is the celebration of good news coming among us, and what that might mean for individuals, and communities at this point.To be honest it all felt a bit like a well staged publicity stunt, that some groups should have just ignored, rather than attracting more attention to it.
Anyway, here is what the Bishop of Auckland has to say about it all.
The Bishop of Auckland, the Right Reverend John Paterson says there are a multitude of issues for a city and the wider church that he would rather focus on in the season of Christmas than a billboard.
The Bishop is disappointed that St Matthew- in- the-City has decided to continue with the display of a billboard on its church grounds with a replacement billboard.
?Discussion of theological perspectives and diversity is encouraged in a respectful way, but this approach is insensitive to communities across the Anglican Church as well as other denominations,? says Bishop Paterson.
?The season and story of Christmas is one that celebrates the life that is brought by Christ and that is the spirit of Christmas that I seek for the Diocese and the city of Auckland,? says Bishop Paterson.
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