.
The "Homeless Jesus" sculpture story has apparently
been around for over a year, but I didn't know
anything about it until I heard a radio story
this morning on my NPR affiliate, KUNM.
Further down are a couple of interesting
.
Rev. David Buck sits next to the Jesus the Homeless statue that was installed in front of his church, St. Alban's Episcopal, in Davidscon, N.C.
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Click here to HEAR the radio story.
The story text is below (there are minor
differences between the audio and the published
text - obviously a few "editing" decisions
were last minute).
.
.
Click here to HEAR the radio story.
The story text is below (there are minor
differences between the audio and the published
text - obviously a few "editing" decisions
were last minute).
.
There is a new religious statue in the town of
Davidson, N.C. that's unlike anything you
might see in a church. It depicts Jesus as
a vagrant, sleeping on a park bench. A few
residents have complained but most find the statue
spiritually moving.
NPR's John Burnett brings us the story.
**************
In February, St Albans Episcopal Church in
Davidson installed the Homeless Jesus statue on
its property in the middle of an upscale
neighborhood filled with well-kept
townhomes.
Davidson, N.C. that's unlike anything you
might see in a church. It depicts Jesus as
a vagrant, sleeping on a park bench. A few
residents have complained but most find the statue
spiritually moving.
NPR's John Burnett brings us the story.
**************
In February, St Albans Episcopal Church in
Davidson installed the Homeless Jesus statue on
its property in the middle of an upscale
neighborhood filled with well-kept
townhomes.
Jesus is huddled under a blanket with his
face and hands obscured; only the crucifixion
wounds on his uncovered feet give him away.
.
face and hands obscured; only the crucifixion
wounds on his uncovered feet give him away.
.
The reaction was immediate. Some loved it;
some didn't.
some didn't.
"One woman from the neighborhood
actually called police the first time she drove
by," says David Boraks, editor of
DavidsonNews.net. "She thought it was an
actual homeless person."
actually called police the first time she drove
by," says David Boraks, editor of
DavidsonNews.net. "She thought it was an
actual homeless person."
That's right. Somebody called the cops on Jesus.
"Another neighbor, who lives a couple of
doors down from the church, wrote us a
letter to the editor saying it creeps him out,"
Boraks added.
doors down from the church, wrote us a
letter to the editor saying it creeps him out,"
Boraks added.
Some neighbors felt it was an insulting
depiction of the Son of God, and what
appears to be a hobo curled up on a bench
demeans the neighborhood.
.
depiction of the Son of God, and what
appears to be a hobo curled up on a bench
demeans the neighborhood.
.
The bronze statue was purchased for $22,000
as a memorial for a parishioner, Kate
McIntyre, who had loved public art. The
rector of this liberal, inclusive church is Rev.
David Buck, a 65-year-old Baptist-turned-
Episcopalian who seems not at all averse to
the controversy, the double-takes and the
discussion the statue has provoked.
as a memorial for a parishioner, Kate
McIntyre, who had loved public art. The
rector of this liberal, inclusive church is Rev.
David Buck, a 65-year-old Baptist-turned-
Episcopalian who seems not at all averse to
the controversy, the double-takes and the
discussion the statue has provoked.
"It gives authenticity to our church," he
says. "This is a relatively affluent church, to
be honest, and we need to be reminded
ourselves that our faith expresses itself in
active concern for the marginalized of society."
.
.
says. "This is a relatively affluent church, to
be honest, and we need to be reminded
ourselves that our faith expresses itself in
active concern for the marginalized of society."
.
The sculpture is intended as a visual
translation of the passage in the Book of
Matthew, in which Jesus tells his disciples,
"as you did it to one of the least of my
brothers, you did it to me." Moreover, Buck
says, it's a good Bible lesson for those used
to seeing Jesus depicted in traditional
religious art as the Christ of glory,
enthroned in finery.
translation of the passage in the Book of
Matthew, in which Jesus tells his disciples,
"as you did it to one of the least of my
brothers, you did it to me." Moreover, Buck
says, it's a good Bible lesson for those used
to seeing Jesus depicted in traditional
religious art as the Christ of glory,
enthroned in finery.
"We believe that that's the kind of life Jesus
had," Buck says. "He was, in essence, a
homeless person."
had," Buck says. "He was, in essence, a
homeless person."
This lakeside college town north of Charlotte
has the first Jesus the Homeless statue on
display in the United States.
Catholic Charities of Chicago plans to install its statue
when the weather warms up. The
Archdiocese of Washington, D.C., is said to
be interested in one, too.
.
.
has the first Jesus the Homeless statue on
display in the United States.
Catholic Charities of Chicago plans to install its statue
when the weather warms up. The
Archdiocese of Washington, D.C., is said to
be interested in one, too.
.
The creator is a Canadian sculptor and
devout Catholic named Timothy Schmalz.
From his studio in Ontario, Schmalz says he
understands that his Jesus the Homeless is provocative.
devout Catholic named Timothy Schmalz.
From his studio in Ontario, Schmalz says he
understands that his Jesus the Homeless is provocative.
"That's essentially what the sculpture is
there to do," he says. "It's meant to
challenge people."
there to do," he says. "It's meant to
challenge people."
He says he offered the first casts to St. Michael's Cathedral
in Toronto and St. Patrick's Cathedral in
New York. Both declined.
in Toronto and St. Patrick's Cathedral in
New York. Both declined.
A spokesman at St. Michael's says
appreciation of the statue "was not
unanimous," and the church was being
restored so a new work of art was out of the
question. That statue found a home in front of
the Jesuit School of Theology
at the University of Toronto.
appreciation of the statue "was not
unanimous," and the church was being
restored so a new work of art was out of the
question. That statue found a home in front of
the Jesuit School of Theology
at the University of Toronto.
A spokesperson at St. Patrick's in New York
says they liked the homeless Jesus, but their
cathedral is also being renovated and they
had to turn it down.
says they liked the homeless Jesus, but their
cathedral is also being renovated and they
had to turn it down.
The most high-profile installation of the
bronze Jesus on a park bench will be on the
Via della Conziliazione, the avenue leading to
St. Peter's Basilica — if the City of Rome approves it.
Schmalz traveled to the Vatican last November
to present a miniature to the pope himself.
bronze Jesus on a park bench will be on the
Via della Conziliazione, the avenue leading to
St. Peter's Basilica — if the City of Rome approves it.
Schmalz traveled to the Vatican last November
to present a miniature to the pope himself.
.
.
"He walked over to the sculpture, and it was
just chilling because he touched the knee of
the Jesus the Homeless sculpture, and closed
his eyes and prayed," Schmalz says. "It was
like, that's what he's doing throughout the whole
world: Pope Francis is reaching out to the
marginalized."
just chilling because he touched the knee of
the Jesus the Homeless sculpture, and closed
his eyes and prayed," Schmalz says. "It was
like, that's what he's doing throughout the whole
world: Pope Francis is reaching out to the
marginalized."
Back at St. Alban's in Davidson, the rector
reports that the Jesus the Homeless statue has
earned more followers than detractors.
It is now common, he says, to see people come,
sit on the bench, rest their hand on the
bronze feet and pray.
.reports that the Jesus the Homeless statue has
earned more followers than detractors.
It is now common, he says, to see people come,
sit on the bench, rest their hand on the
bronze feet and pray.
.
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