Church sparks outrage with Virgin Mary billboard

A CONTROVERSIAL Anglican church that upset some Christians in 2009 with a risque billboard of Jesus’s mother looking dejected after unsatisfying sex with Joseph has rolled out another provocative publicity stunt.

Auckland’s St Matthew-in-the-City Church has unveiled its latest Christmas message, but far from the traditional religious tidings seen at this time of year, the progressive church has opted to depict a contemplative Virgin Mary holding a positive pregnancy test.

Vicar Glynn Cardy says they wanted to capture what life was like for a real young, poor, unmarried woman discovering she is pregnant.

“Although the make-believe of Christmas is enjoyable — with tinsel, Santa, reindeer, and carols — there are also some realities,” he said.

“Many in our society are suffering: some through the lack of money, some through poor health, some through violence, and some through other hardships.”

The campaign seems well supported, with reams of supportive comments on websites across New Zealand, the US and Britain, unlike its contribution in 2009, which raised the ire of many.

That promotion depicted a fresco-styled Mary and Joseph in bed with the tag line: “Poor Joseph, God was a hard act to follow“.

Cardy claimed it was a cutting-edge strategy to engage non-believers but the city’s Catholic diocese was not impressed with the “disrespectful” and “offensive” sexual theme.

The billboard was repeatedly vandalised and was ultimately removed after a woman took to it with a knife.