William Temple Foundation

Each time Christmas approaches l can’t help but imagine what it must have been like when Jesus was born. To me it seems it is about the story of Jesus, especially when we look at the circumstances that surrounded his birth, focusing on who was there, and where he was born. If we consider these details, we can begin to have a deeper understanding of the story of his life.

That is why it can be helpful to think of our own perceptions and ideas of what the world means to us. Our own story as it were. Let us begin by looking at the circumstances that surrounded our own birth, who was there, and what can we remember?

For most Christians, Christmas is a time when they celebrate or mark the beginning of life, the birthday of Jesus so to speak. There are different views on the exact date, based on historical accounts and research that has been done. For me, it is essential for us to have a day/season when we can celebrate the birth of our lord and Saviour and to take the opportunity to also empower and support each other.

More recently, my interest has shifted from celebration to being more inquisitive about how individuals prepare for Christmas. For instance, does the Jesus we believe in require presents or gifts? Can this be linked to christening services or baby naming ceremonies where parents thank God for bringing to them a special “gift”? These questions look at our motivation when we do something, and the idea is that all of us are to some extent driven by either internal or external forces that are responsible for what we do or say. 

The circumstances that surrounded Jesus’ birth, remind me of the Black History Month  celebrations (October 1st to October 31st 2024), which focused on “reclaiming narratives”. In the Christmas story, where we are told that Jesus the Saviour of the World, came to save that which was lost. For more details on this, let us check the gospel of Luke 19:10, and referring to Jesus it says: “For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.” In other words, the story makes us aware that JESUS came to change the perception of how we see ourselves, and what the meaning of life is all about. 

The themes that one can draw from the Christmas story, such as memory, gifts, presents and family are powerful and have been used in academia to understand human society. I was also impressed by a public lecture held at the University of East Anglia, which was innovative in helping Children to understand how Christmas movies and films are used in the media. This made me aware that the Christmas story can be unpacked in different ways. 

During this season of advent, which means waiting, let us be mindful of the usefulness of thinking about our life journey, and seek to find out what has inspired you as individuals, or as communities. What has been the cause of struggle in the year 2024? As we look ahead in 2025, what do we hope for? As we reflect on this question, it’s also essential to realise that we have the power to change our own story, and how it is told. This is as true for William Temple Foundation as it is for you. This year we have sought to promote the story and legacy of William Temple through our Radical Hope campaign and in so doing rediscover the roots of our story which has implications for the ways we engage with others across society. Of course, the society that we live in continues to evolve and change, and requires some adjustments and adaptations to how we understand reality and how we tell our story. However, what remains true is that our story continues to be written.

So, what can we learn from the life of Jesus? He was born in a stable. For the most part was despised. He was not what people expected. However, when he died for all as taught by the Biblical Accounts, we understand that JESUS experienced life as we do. As we remember him during the Christmas season, let us also not forget his story. Let us also honour our own story, and the way it can shape the society that we live in. In 2025, what needs to change if we are to have a story that we can be proud of? If we can find answers to this, we can contribute to the story of the betterment of our society for all.

God bless you all!

Revd Dr Ericcson T. Mapfumo is Chaplain at the University of Huddersfield and Trustee of the William Temple Foundation

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