More than 30 Church leaders from across Europe have signed a Christmas statement highlighting the plight of refugees, urging all nations and people to celebrate Christ's birth by working for a more welcoming and inclusive Europe.
Thanks to Ekklesia's Australian associate, Doug Hynd, for pointing us in the direction of an intriguing piece about civil disobedience at the heart of the nativity story - and from an unexpected source.
Soothing 'Christmas messages' have become practically unavoidable, says Simon Barrow. But most of them are bland beyond belief. In truth the birth of Christ confronts us with something much more demanding - a choice between two ways of living in a world dominated by empire.
Traditional categories of right and left don't always work when applied to faith, says Giles Fraser. Yet there is no comfort for the 'religious right' in the Christmas Gospel, which is about giving not consuming and love not power-mongering.