From Christmas Drones to ICE Nativity: Immigrant Refugee Jesus Ignites US Church Controversy

Now that Christmas is here, Christian groups across the United States are finding new and sometimes controversial ways to express their faith and express views in public. Two very viral events happened in December itself.

Firstly, in Texas, a church used incredible technology to share the traditional Christmas story around Jesus Christ with the whole community, while in suburban Chicago, a church's reinterpretation of the Nativity scene led to a huge debate about the intersection of religion and the social issues of today. These very different approaches show the new directions in how faith groups are using public expression, cultural tensions and the meaning of Christmas in a changing society, especially in America.

Christmas Displays in Texas and Illinois

Now starting with the high tech wonder. It happened in Manvel, Texas. The Church on MastersRoad saw large crowds over three evenings in December with an impressive 1,000 drone light show designed to narrate the story of Christmas and communicate the gospel message as per sources. You can watch the video here:

The event, called 'Bright Night', included live music, food, family activities and even an automobile giveaway for local families in need. Community members were invited to enjoy the spectacle free of charge, and according to reports, the drone show gave a modern and visually mesmerising way to share the message of Jesus's birth with both regular attendees and curious newcomers.

The celebration ended with a bunch of candlelight services on Christmas Eve to honour the religious importance of the season. This had the tech enthusiasts very excited as the drones were absolutely flawless.

Meanwhile, Lake Street Church in Evanston, Illinois, opted for a much more controversial form of expression with its Nativity scene. Instead of a traditional display of Mary, Joseph and the baby Jesus, the church's installation showed baby Jesus with zip-tied hands wrapped in an emergency blanket. Moreover, figures showing Roman soldiers were reportedly there to show US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents, and Mary and Joseph were shown wearing masks.

According to the church, the design sought to show the parallels between the Holy Family's experience as refugees and the plight of modern day immigrants, as the post said,

'This installation reimagines the nativity as a scene of forced family separation, drawing direct parallels between the Holy Family's refugee experience and contemporary immigration detention practices. By placing the Christmas story (Christianity's central narrative of refuge, sanctuary, and sacred family) within the visual language of immigration enforcement and detention, this work asks viewers to confront the disconnect between professed religious or moral values and immigration policies. The emergency blanket references the actual materials used in detention facilities. The zip ties on the infant's wrists directly reference the children who were zip-tied by agents during a raid on a Chicago apartment building earlier this year, where most residents were US citizens: a stark reminder that enforcement terror does not discriminate by documentation status. The gas masks worn by Mary and Joseph reference the documented use of tear gas and other chemical weapons deployed by ICE agents against peaceful protesters, journalists, and community members advocating for immigration reform and bearing witness to human rights abuses within the system.'

Furthermore, this display got strong reactions as expected, while some supported and others criticised it, as per reports, a few people even damaged the display on one occasion. However, the church replaced damaged figures with signage explaining their message and reaffirming their commitment to dialogue.

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Two Very Different Christmas Displays

Now individually viewed, a high-tech Christmas light show in Texas and a politically controversial Nativity scene in Illinois have little in common outside their religious setting. But both show the huge questions about the role of churches in public and the ways in which religious institutions are trying to remain active and meaningful today in modern America.

The installation in Chicago was seemingly intended to start a conversation on the treatment of affected families and to connect the Christmas story with contemporary realities for displaced people. As the organiser of the Nativity scene, Associate Minister Jillian Westerfield reportedly said,

'For me at least, I have experienced seeing the face of Christ in the people who are suffering,' she added, 'We just really saw a parallel between the ICE forces and the centurions.'

Meanwhile, that Texas church's drone display is part of a new trend of faith communities using technology and creative events to attract the attention of people today. Across the country, churches are experimenting with light displays, live performances and interactive experiences during the holiday season to reach outside their regular congregations.