"Stuttgart's 'slimy Jesus' outrages believers and politicians alike
The live broadcast of the Christmas service from St. Mary's Catholic Church in Stuttgart caused a stir. The controversial art installation depicted a grown man lying naked under wet rice paper, which some said resembled a "breathing alien", reports Heute.
Pastor Thomas Steiger stressed that it was a depiction of a man in fragility and vulnerability, not a provocation. However, scathing comments appeared on social media, with the Bild newspaper describing the scene as "slimy Jesus".
Criticism has come mainly from the conservative spectrum - the CDU has accused ARD television of destroying values and spreading "woke" ideology through the Christmas story.
According to some politicians, this strips the church of its dignity and puts people off at a time when the holidays are often the only contact believers have with the church. The diocese has not yet commented on the whole matter.
(mja)