Headteacher removes ‘Lord’ in nativity hymn
The decision to remove 'Lord' from a hymn in a primary school nativity service has sparked controversy
There was controversy last month when a headteacher chose to remove the word ‘Lord’ from the lyrics of the hymn ‘Away in a Manger’ in a nativity service for primary school children.
The decision by headteacher Zakia Khatun of Whitehall Primary School in Chingford, London, sparked uproar among some Christian parents who claimed that changing ‘little Lord Jesus’ to ‘baby boy Jesus’ was taking the divinity out of the nativity story.
At a meeting with parents, Zakia Khatun defended her decision, saying that the hymn was amended to be inclusive so all children in the school could participate. Last year, according to the head teacher, sixty children did not attend the carol service and nativity at St Peter and St Paul Church in Chingford because of their religious beliefs.
However, some parents denounced the decision, arguing that it was akin to removing ‘Christ from Christmas’. One mother said: ‘I believe my children have been discriminated against and they have been denied the freedom to fully express their faith.’
Bishop Michael Nazir-Ali called for the original form of the carol and the intention with which it was written to be respected: ‘The words the “the Lord Jesus” occur three times in the carol and point to the central message of Christmas which is: God is with us in Jesus.’
Andrea Williams, of Christian Concern, echoed this view saying: ‘Removing the Lordship of Christ at Christmas guts the Christian message of its truth around which the whole of western civilisation once based its culture.’
However, the Diocese of Chelmsford said: ‘The service maintains the traditional Christian message of the joy of Christmas in a way that can be celebrated by everyone, including those of other faiths and none.’
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