Bishop urges use of Christian stamps this Christmas
From the Daily Mail Newspaper;
The Royal Mail is keeping Christian images on its stamps this Christmas. For the second year it is issuing stamp designs marking the religious element of the festival - after a decade of downplaying its Christian basis.
No Christian seasonal stamps were available for four years running until 2005, when postal managers said they intended to alternate in future, with each year of Christian stamps to be followed by a year of secular images.
But this year Royal Mail has not only produced a set of secular designs featuring pantomime characters, but has also reproduced two religious stamps from last year featuring paintings of the Madonna and Child.
The decision to combine both religious and secular themes will be seen by many as a recognition that Christianity is an essential part of the festive celebrations. When the Royal Mail first brought out a set of Christmas stamps that did not refer to religion there were protests from the Church of England, and those who felt the state was trying to remove all traces of Christianity from public life.
Many ministers were embarrassed by the implication that the Government was behind an attack on Christianity during one of its most important festivals. Royal Mail spokesman said of this year's stamps of Mary and the baby Jesus: 'We did research among religious communities and these were felt to be among the strongest images that represent Christmas.
'This is the first time in over 40 years of issuing Christmas stamps that both religious and secular stamps will be available to consumers simultaneously.' This year's reissued religious images are the Madonna of Humility by 14th century Italian painter Lippo di Dalmasio on the first class stamp, and, on the second class stamp, a Madonna and Child by Scottishborn 19th century artist William Dyce.
Canon Dr Christina Baxter, who led Church of England protests over the removal of Christianity from stamps, said yesterday: 'I am delighted that the Royal Mail is producing Christian Christmas stamps to recognise that people celebrate Christmas as the birth of Jesus.' Dr Baxter, principal of St John's theological college in Nottingham and a member of the Church's cabinet, the Archbishops' Council, added: 'I call on all Christian people to buy the Christian-themed stamps this year.'
Article largely taken from the Daily Mail Newspaper, 4th November 2008
Bishop Harold Miller is also adding his voice to that of Canon Dr Christina Baxter by encouraging Christians here to use the Christian stamps for all mailings this Christmas. "It is vitally important for all Christians to keep Christ at the centre of Christmas in every possible way we can" he said.