Here is the shocking truth of Christmas: Jesus Christ is more divisive than Tommy Robinson. Christ is the stumbling block and folly (1 Corinthians 1:23). He is the baby who was born to die for our sins. And He is the King who will return to earth as Judge and Saviour.

On Saturday 13 December the ‘Unite the Kingdom’ movement is having a carol service in Whitehall Central London entitled “Putting Christ back into Christmas”. It is billed as “believers from across the nation gather to honour the true meaning of Christmas- the birth of Jesus Christ. Bible readings, worship, testimonies, and the beginning of a new Christian revival in the UK. This event is not about politics, immigration or other groups. It is about Jesus Christ, fully and completely.”

The organisers say it will include Bible readings and reflections led by priests, pastors, ministers, and a bishop, as well as live music and worship, a gospel band and opera singers, and personal testimonies from Christians about their faith journeys.

So far so good. So why have so many church leaders and denominations come out against it? Because the event is being organised by Tommy Robinson, who is, to say the least, controversial. Often described as ‘Far Right’—a term which has become increasingly meaningless—Robinson is seen as an unlikely standard bearer for Christianity. Despite his professed conversion to evangelical Christianity last year, this is being treated as though it were an event run by the Anti-Christ requiring an immediate and emergency response.

The media have reported that a coalition of denominations including the Church of England, Baptist Union of Great Britain, Methodist Church, and United Reformed Church have released a “rapid response” resource pack for local churches, encouraging prayers, sermons, and actions on December 14 (the day after the event) to address Christian nationalism and the “co-option of Christmas for a nationalist agenda”.

The Leeds Diocese has unveiled a series of billboards saying “Outsiders welcome” that it plans to install in bus stops over the festive period.  Churches Together in England, which represents 54 member denominations, said the posters with their slogan “Christ has always been in Christmas”, would send “a clear message of love for all our neighbours, resisting agendas of division and hostility”.

They issued a statement declaring, “We must confront and resist the capture of Christian language and symbols by populist forces seeking to exploit the faith for their own political ends.”

As Giles Fraser wrote in Unherd, “At Christmas, our churches resound with angels singing ‘Fear not’. In contrast, Robinson spreads fear. That is his political currency. But that is not the Christian message. And we will sing that in my church with gusto: ‘O hush the noise, ye men of strife, And hear the angels sing.’”

So what can we make of this?  Is this just another version of the so-called ‘culture wars’ with two tribes shouting past one another? Are we reduced to a simple binary choice—either you support the Christian celebration being organised by Robinson, or you reject it as a cheap stunt which uses Christian symbols for political purposes?

I think that those who question the motivation of the organisers have some good reasons for doing so. In reading the publicity for the event, it is clear that the claim of the organisers, that it is not about politics or immigration, is at best disingenuous. The e-mail sent out to Robinson’s supporters states that they “envision a vibrant assembly of dedicated patriots, coming together to lift our spirits with beloved carols that proclaim our enduring devotion to faith and homeland”.  They go on to say, “far more than a simple performance, this is a rallying cry for our core principles—a shining light in the midst of turmoil caused by unchecked immigration and the fading of our cultural identity”.

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