Thomas More Society Teams Up with American Nativity Scene to Place Jesus in Public Square
Retailers are hauling out the Christmas decor earlier each year, and the Thomas More Society is right there with them. By teaming up with the American Nativity Scene to bring privately funded Christmas displays to state capitols and other public forums, such as county complexes or city hall lawns, the not-for-profit national public interest law firm is actively placing Jesus in the public square.
Privately Funded Nativity Scenes Brought to Capitols
Pro bono work by the attorneys at the Thomas More Society ensures that citizens who privately fund religious displays on public property are accorded their right to do so as guaranteed by the 1st and 14th Amendments of the United States Constitution. A permanent federal injunction banning discrimination against religious speech ensures that the Christmas crèches are protected from erroneous applications of the widely misunderstood concept of “separation of church and state.”
Each Christmas season brings controversies, including challenges by atheists, secularists and even satanists, yet the Thomas More Society and the American Nativity Scene provide a strong and united front in the face of attacks on religious freedom. Thomas More Society attorneys serve as legal counsel, defending the basic rights of nativity scene sponsors and equipping citizens with the knowledge and support they need to successfully display nativity scenes in venues that qualify as traditional and designated public forums.
Ed O’Malley, President of the American Nativity Scene, declared:
“We are seriously committed to our goal of keeping Christ in Christmas.”
“The Christmas message of the essential equality of all human beings, no matter how rich or poor, humble or high-stationed, resonates deeply with the values that Americans cherish," said Tom Brejcha.
Tom Brejcha, Chief Counsel and Thomas More Society President, elaborated:
“The Christmas message bears secular as well as religious significance, as it highlights the hope and miracle of birth and new life, the inherent dignity of each and every human being, focusing our attention on the humble and lowly infant wrapped in swaddling clothes and laid in a manger amidst straw and animals, honored by shepherds and kings alike, and heralded by choirs of angels.” He added, “That message of the essential equality of all human beings, no matter how rich or poor, humble or high-stationed, resonates deeply with the values that Americans cherish.”
The Thomas More Society supports the mission of the American Nativity Scene to place a nativity at state capitol buildings across America. By Christmas 2017, there were 18 state capitol manger scenes on display, including crèches in California, Georgia, Illinois, Iowa, Massachusetts, Michigan, Mississippi, Nebraska, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Texas, Maryland, Maine and Washington, and at the governor’s mansion in Oklahoma.
Those interested in helping to set up a Nativity scene in a state capitol, county building or town hall can learn more here.
