Auckland’s immaculate misconception
CENTRO ANTI-BLASFEMIA
The erection of a controversial billboard at a central Auckland church
has caught the attention of New Zealand’s news media, and even
Australia’s Sydney Morning Herald and The Age, as well as Ekklesia in
the UK. Deacon of St Matthews-in-the-city Glynn Cardy, well-known for
his unorthodox views on the Christian faith, devoted his Sunday sermon
(published online) to a meditation on the billboard, and even released
a press statement about the billboard on scoop on Tuesday.
Before the day was out Bob McCoskrie had already slammed Cardy and his
billboard, and news reports released this morning included critique
from Auckland Catholic Diocese spokeswoman Lyndsay Freer. The Stuff
article had 80 comments already at 2pm this afternoon, and the
billboard has been covered on the blogs of Peter Carell, New Zealand
Conservative, the Dunedin School, Kiwiblog and Semper Vita.
Cardy has stated that the billboard;
“lampoons literalism and invites people to think again about what a
miracle is. Is the Christmas miracle a male God sending forth his
divine sperm, or is the miracle that God is and always has been among
the poor?”
“It is intended to challenge stereotypes about the way that Jesus was
conceived and get people talking about the Christmas story.”
The press release reveals exactly what is going on here. Unlike many
of the other Christmas billboards erected at churches across the
country, intended to charitably and disinterestedly bring peoples’
attention to the Christmas story, Cardy’s intention with his billboard
is to promote his “brand” of Christianity. I almost expect to read a
™ mark at the end of Cardy’s references to “Progressive Christianity”.
“Progressive Christianity is distinctive in that not only does it
articulate a clear view it is also interested in engaging with those
who differ. Its vision is one of robust engagement” he said.
“At Bethlehem low-life shepherds and heathen travelers are welcome
while the powerful and the priests aren’t. The stories introduce the
topsy-turvy way of God, where the outsiders are invited in and the
insiders ushered out.
“…the true importance of Christmas is in the radical hospitality Jesus
offered to the poor, the despised, women, children, and the sick, and
says: ‘this is the essence of God’. His death was a consequence of the
offensive nature of that hospitality and his resurrection a symbolic
vindication.”
What I find remarkable about Cardy’s latest publicity stunt is that,
like his approach to the Christian scriptures, the controversy lies in
Cardy’s interpretation rather than the source material. When I first
saw an image of the billboard to be erected at St Matthews-in-the-
city, I did not interpret it the way that Cardy intended me to
interpret it. I did not see what McCoskrie and Freer saw. To me the
picture communicates brilliantly the mystery and profundity that is
the prerogative of our creating and redeeming Godhead.
Critics are right to say Cardy misrepresents even fundamentalist
Christianity, or the general public, when he says peoples’ common
perception of Christ’s conception is that of “a supernatural male God
who lived above sent his sperm into the womb of the virgin Mary.”
However, something very strange and overwhelming certainly happened,
and anybody who has ever considered the Christmas story has been left
wondering, appropriately or not, about the mechanics of Jesus’ divine
conception.
The Church celebrates the feast of the annunciation, commemorating the
announcement of the angels to Mary that she will conceive the
Messiah. The assumption seems to be that Christ’s conception occurred
that same day. Yet it’s not until Mary’s aunt Elizabeth exclaims
prophetically that Mary is with child, with the Messiah, that the
Gospel of Luke records Mary acknowledging Christ’s conception. Her
song is known today as the Magnificat, used in Christmas worship in
churches across the globe.
My soul glorifies the Lord
and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
for he has been mindful
of the humble state of his servant.
From now on all generations will call me blessed,
for the Mighty One has done great things for me—
holy is his name.
His mercy extends to those who fear him,
from generation to generation.
He has performed mighty deeds with his arm;
he has scattered those who are proud in their
inmost thoughts.
He has brought down rulers from their thrones
but has lifted up the humble.
He has filled the hungry with good things
but has sent the rich away empty.
He has helped his servant Israel,
remembering to be merciful
to Abraham and his descendants forever,
even as he said to our fathers.”
Mary was certainly in awe of God’s glory following Christ’s
conception. But she was chiefly interested in God’s faithfulness to
his people, and his willingness to include her so prominently in his
covenant of justice and salvation. Whether Mary’s conception
experience was anything like what is alluded to in the billboard, or
what was depicted by Keisha Castle-Hughes in The Nativity Story, is
anyone’s guess. Whether it affected Mary’s marriage to Joseph is
unlikely, given the virtues of gratitude, duty and faithfulness that
are all too evident in accounts of her life.
Of course, the billboard is certainly much more offensive to Roman
Catholics who believe the doctrine that Mary remained a Virgin the
rest of her life, and who express a level of devotion to Mary that is
alien to Protestant Christians. To them the billboard will certainly
be offensive.
Also offended, as is suggested in the comments of these articles, will
be people who think that depicting any person in bed with such sexual
allusions is dishonouring to that person, and to the “marriage bed”.
This is an opinion which it seems controversialists such as Cardy will
never understand, or at least will never want to understand. It is an
opinion that probably makes a better person of its owner. However it
is not an opinion that is my first in evaluating the billboard.
My first reaction is laughter: Laughter at the mystery and profundity
that is God’s prerogative in sending his son to earth in this way.
Laughter at our limitations as creatures seeking to understand our
Creator, and at our foolhardy sense of frustration as though we
possibly could. Unlike Cardy, I’m not laughing at people who believe
in the virgin birth. I’m laughing at people like Cardy. People too
narrow-minded to consider a woman could both be chosen of God to bear
his son, and subsequently wed a mere man and bear his children.
My second reaction is gratitude. Upon learning that Cardy’s
intentions were other than how I interpret his billboard, I sensed
gratitude he’d erected the billboard nonetheless. Gratitude people
were given the opportunity to marvel with me at God’s mystery and
profundity. Thankful Cardy choose a satirical lampoon, capable of
being interpreted with purity, rather than a blatant and explicit
attack on the Virgin Birth.
My third reaction is a mixture of sympathy and concern for Roman
Catholics who do believe Mary remained a virgin for life. I feel
sympathy knowing that this will offend them. But I feel concern as to
why they commit to a belief so unnecessary and seemingly unfounded.
My final reaction is, as alluded to, with reference to Hebrews 13:4;
Marriage should be honored by all, and the marriage bed kept pure, for
God will judge the adulterer and all the sexually immoral.
Of much greater concern, and much less ontologically providential, is
Auckland’s Christ Almighty production, roundly condemned by Garth
George in last week’s Herald. Recognising that laughter is valued
primarily for its stress-relieving qualities, plays such as this only
reveal just how strong a hold religion has on the minds of those
opposed to it. Another way of relieving anxiety about God’s judgment
would be to bow to the cross of Christ and beg his mercy. But for
some reason such a response would be more scornful than devoting hours
and hours to a work of blasphemy!
Published in:
Anglicanism
Christianity
Glynn Cardy
Jesus Christ
Religion
Uncategorized
Virgin Mary
on December 16, 2009 at 2:14 pm Comments (3)
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