A controversial Nativity display at Lake Street Church of Evanston, Illinois, has drawn sharp criticism from Christians nationwide after the congregation unveiled a scene portraying the infant Jesus zip-tied in a cradle while figures dressed as Roman soldiers and modern-day immigration enforcement agents look on. Photos can be seen on Protestia’s article here.
The church, which describes itself as embracing “progressive Christian theology” and welcoming people from “all different religious denominations and religious traditions,” offered an explanation for the display in comments published by Protestia. According to Protestia, the church said the 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.”
The display goes further by incorporating symbolism related to modern immigration enforcement. Protestia reports that the church claimed the visual elements were meant to force viewers to “confront the disconnect between professed religious or moral values and immigration policies,” and that the emergency blanket placed in the scene “references the actual materials used in detention facilities.” The zip-ties on the Infant Jesus, they added, “directly reference the children who were zip-tied by agents during a raid on a Chicago apartment building earlier this year.”
The church also told Protestia that the gas masks worn by Mary and Joseph were intended to “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.”
The Nativity scene has sparked strong reactions among Catholic and other Christian observers who argue that, regardless of political viewpoint, the Holy Family should not be repurposed as a tool for modern activism. Many have expressed concern that transforming the central mystery of the Incarnation into a political tableau diminishes the sacredness of the moment and risks reducing Jesus Himself to a symbolic prop for contemporary debates.
While the Church has long upheld the dignity of migrants and refugees, Catholic teaching also emphasizes reverence for the mystery of Christ’s birth—and cautions against instrumentalizing sacred imagery for political messaging. For many believers, the Nativity is a reminder of God entering history in humility, not an occasion for politicized reinterpretation.
The controversy surrounding Lake Street Church’s display underscores a broader cultural tension: how Christians should engage political and social issues without sacrificing the reverence owed to Christ and the integrity of the Gospel. For many Catholics responding to the installation, the answer is clear—the Holy Family deserves devotion, not re-branding.
Your support brings the truth to the world.
Catholic Online News exists because of donors like you. We are 100% funded by people who believe the world deserves real, uncensored news rooted in faith and truth — not corporate agendas. Your gift ensures millions can continue to access the news they can trust — stories that defend life, faith, family, and freedom.
When truth is silenced, your support speaks louder.
