Nativity scene staying up for 72nd year

Displayed every year since 1950 in the name of Beta Sigma Phi, the Nativity Scene assembled in the Basin Park bandshell had a kerfuffle this year. According to Mayor Butch Berry, someone threatened to sue the city for violating his religious freedoms by promoting a singular religion on city property after the creche was erected by The Great Passion Play.

Berry said he had notified Kent Butler, the director of marketing at the Passion Play, and had requested that they consider taking down the display so the city could avoid a lawsuit. CEO of the Passion Play Randall Christy said he had been “specifically told by the mayor” to take the display down though he refused to. A shaky video posted on Friday on Facebook from The Great Passion Play, with Christy videoing, garnered hundreds of views and reactions, as well as a slew of phone calls, emails, and comments to city hall.

Berry explained that over the weekend he had spoken City Attorney Forrest Jacobi and the Municipal League about the nativity scene, with options being either taking it down or to keep it up with other secular symbols of the holidays. Berry said that he felt it, “Better to be inclusive rather than exclusive” and the city, on Monday, issued a statement that the display would be kept up.

Berry said emails and comments accusing him of being a “bad Christian” played no part in the decision to keep the nativity scene in Basin Park. In a phone conversation with Christy, he said that the issue was not political, adding, “Half the time it’s not about win or lose [in court] it’s about the legal fees.”

 “I’m tired of governmental agencies kicking Jesus out of things,” Christy said. He also said that people of all political ideologies had unified to keep the Eureka Springs tradition and that, “It was about the holiday.”

Christy said the Passion Play would stand by the city allowing its display if a case is brought to court and that he has commitment from a legal firm that they would defend the nativity scene all the way to the Supreme Court, at no cost.