The Bishop of Croydon has been labelled a “killjoy” after attacking nativity plays and calling Christmas carols “nonsense”.
In an anti-festive rant, the controversial Right Reverend Nick Baines described some carols as “Victorian behaviour control” and some nativity plays as a “fictional fantasy”.
He said carols obscured the real meaning of the festive season, turning Jesus into a fictional character like Santa.
The Bishop makes his argument in a new book called Why Wish You A Merry Christmas?
Ken Burton, music director for the Croydon Gospel Choir, said: “I am in total disagreement with Rt Rev Nick Baines comments. I think carols are a valuable way of teaching the message of Christ for children and adults.
“Sometimes when we sing carols we sang as children we see a lot more depth. I believe they are an important part of teaching, so naturally I don’t agree with his comments.
“There is something quite special about Christmas for me even now and carols play a big part of that, for everyone.”
Friar Joe O’Connor from Our Lady of the Annunciation, Addiscombe Catholic Church, said: “There is a certain sentimentality about Christmas carols. We should certainly keep singing them.”
MP Andrew Pelling said: “We should not misrepresent Bishop Nick’s writings as mean spirited, but rather an attempt to reclaim the true meaning of Christmas.
“I though, like others, do love Christmas carols, churches bedecked in decorations of the season and the joys of Christingle.
“There is every reason to enjoy and revel in the sentiment of the Christmas season.”
In his book, Right Rev Baines said he was amazed adults could sing Away In A Manger “without embarrassment”, because it paints Jesus as a baby who never cried, which is “nonsense”.
One of the most popular carols, Once in Royal David’s City, invited children to be as “mild obedient, good as he” is “Victorian behaviour control”.
In a Church of England podcast the Bishop said his book takes a fresh look at the Christmas story.
He said: “You go to nativity plays these days and you find all sorts of odd characters in it, like the lobster in the stable from the film Love Actually.
“I just wanted to recover what is the real story, but have a bit of a laugh while doing it.
“This isn’t an academic tome, it’s a quick read.”
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