I think this did what it said on the tin - gave us a nativity play which ended with a nice stable tableau not so very different from the one most Sunday Schools offer.  But at the same time it had some nice touches that challenge the saccharine sweetness of the familiar.  I am saddened that some Jews and some Christians have found it offensive, but I fear that says more about them than about the portrayal.

For me, the highlight was the portrayal of Joseph, always a bit part player suddenly made important, as he must have been.  His delight in securing Mary's betrothal followed by his wretchedness and anger when she turned up obviously pregnant and even his wrestling with the angel's message in his dream were convincing and valuable.

Although offensive to some Jews, the portrayal of Mary's treatment was an important aspect of the story, reflecting the society in which she lived and the scandalous nature of her pregnancy.  I fear anyone reading across from the characters in the story to real life 21st century Jews in diaspora is missing the point and perpetuating old antagonisms.  Yes, Jews have been wrongly portrayed by Christians and there are many shameful things in our history, but let's be grown up here.

Likewise the extreme Christian views that this is a liberalisation of the story bug me - it is no more and no less interpretive than any other nativity, and a darned sight better than most.  There were some clever touches such as putting bits of gospel in to the mouths of the magi that allowed the story teller to make this a theological telling.

The purists won't like the ending with kings and shepherds kneeling like a classic nativity set, but I'm not really sure what else we expected... it is too complicated to separate them out and try to interpolate Luke and Matthew as a coherent whole.  And would we really want Holy Innocents before Christmas..? I reckon not.

Overall I think it was a good effort, well delivered and avoided sentimentalisation of the story.  If it scandalised some, well that sounds fairly authentic to who JC was/is...

Yes, today we have our final Advent reflection, one which moves us ever closer to Christmas itself.  I have enjoyed this series, a little different from the usual with its emphasis on visual art, and today I have to raid the Sunday School cupboard and the Flower Lady's stash for props!  Don't tell anyone.

Then I have to tidy my office ready to vacate it for four months... that feels kind of weird.  But it is a mess and I don't want to come back to an Advent mess at Easter!  I think the inanimate objects are conspiring against me too - why does my colour laser need two new cartridges the last time it'll be used for a while (unless I take it home of course).  And will Lazarus, my computer that is at least eight years old, last out the day... so far so good but he's tired!

Bit of an odd day really - at one level absolutely normal for the time of year and at another not at all.  I guess that makes it a bit like the first Christmas then... most of the world getting on with its usual stuff and something occurring largely unnoticed that was different.  Not that my odd Advent is significant on a global scale, just it makes me think about the events of whenever it was a couple of thousand years back.