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.