Topic: Christmas

Jesus was born to reveal and fulfil what God had long sought to do; set people free to live joyously as God’s children.

The nativity story proclaims the basic themes of the gospel message; God enters into our suffering world as a victim of our violence, and is rejected by most but recognised by the nobodies.

In the violence and suffering that surround the Christmas story, we find the revelation of a God who does not inflict violence and suffering, but suffers violence to bring love and peace.

Jesus is the Word – what God has to say – who reveals true humanity and illuminates our path to becoming fully and truly human.

In Joseph we see an impressive example of someone with the integrity and courage to embrace God’s new directions despite considerable personal cost.

Jesus Christ is the coming one who will fulfill the hopes and yearnings of the world, but we will imperil our faith and hope if we keep trying to set the agendas for him.

In Christ, God is made manifest to the world as King, Light and Lover.

We grow into the likeness of Christ as we model ourselves on him, and he is a model of growth rather than a model of static perfection.

God becomes human and brings into himself (reconciles to himself) in Jesus the full range of human emotional experience.

God has become flesh so that we might know God and realise our own destiny in God in the world.

To grow up well, children need to be anchored to a broad community with shared values, which nevertheless allows for individual differences.

We are welcoming a baby born into occupied territories to a fiercely holy young woman, and we are recognising in that baby the hope of liberation.