Chapel of the Cross, Chapel Hill, NC

Why? In the midst of one of the busiest seasons of the year, why does a tenth grader spend hours of his time over several Sundays in order to portray the rear end of a camel in the Chapel of the Cross Christmas pageant? Why, when the in-laws are preparing to visit - or invade, as the case may be - do so many adults of the parish use their time and energy to shuttle and orchestrate youth for this grand event? Why, in the midst of its exuberance, have I met more people moved to tears by our Christmas pageant than by any other service?

The Christian impulse towards drama has a long and venerable history, although its origins were troubled. For the first four centuries of the Christian era, the Church was unequivocally hostile towards drama. The pagan plays of the day, although not events of worship per se, retained a liturgical dimension and character; hence, to attend such a play constituted an overt act of paganism. Theatrical productions such as gladiatorial combats, obscene comedies, and the occasional event involving the slaughter of a persecuted Christian, did nothing to raise Christian esteem for the dramatic arts. Tertullian, Cyprian, Chrysostom and other giants of the early church wrote invectives against dramatic productions of their era.

After the destruction of the Roman Empire and the demise of paganism, however, Christians began to use drama to represent sacred stories. Passion plays about the death and resurrection of Jesus, to be performed in church, emerged first. By the mid to late middle ages, Christians were writing comedies, as well, involving 'bad guys' such as Herod or inherently comical figures like Balaam, who was outsmarted by his own ass (donkey) in Numbers (Chapter 22). By the 16th Century, plays with strong Christian themes were commonly performed outside of church buildings and were accepted as part of mainstream society. T. S. Eliot's Murder in the Cathedral is one of the finer examples of explicitly religious drama in the past century.

And so, re-presenting our faith by re-enacting our sacred stories simply is one of those practices to which Christians are drawn. Participation in Christian drama, from the stage or from the pews, strengthens our participation in the life of the parish family, in the story of Jesus Christ, and in the very life of God. The Episcopal Youth Community and I invite you to participate in one of this year's pageants, the details of which are found below.

December 24, 3:00 p.m. in the church

This service is particularly inviting for families with young children. Children will be less hungry; the slightly shorter service is typically less crowded; and the baby Jesus will be portrayed by a real, live baby! This role has not been filled, so call David Frazelle - 929-2193 - if you plan to give birth before December 24. Other differences include the reading, rather than the singing, of scripture readings, and the absence of candles due to more daylight.

December 24, 5:00 p.m. in the church

The 5:00 service features the singing of the scripture readings, hand-held candles, and a bigger crowd. It is a good idea to arrive early.

Both services include the presentation of unwrapped gifts to the baby Jesus to be distributed later to needy children. Both services also include a dancing angel. I look forward to seeing you there!

Send items for inclusion in future "Cross Roads."
The deadline is the first Thursday of the preceeding month.