Archbishop of Canterbury Dismisses Three Wise Men as 'Legend'
Clarification appended
The Archbishop of Canterbury, the spiritual head of the 77 million-strong Anglican Communion, recently dismissed one popular aspect of the Christmas story of the three wise men as "legend."
Dr. Rowan Williams indicated that Scripture does not describe the magi as commonly depicted in nativity stories and scenes.
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"Well Matthew's gospel doesn't tell us that there were three of them, doesn't tell us they were kings, doesn't tell us where they came from, it says they're astrologers, wise men, priests from somewhere outside the Roman Empire. That's all we're really told so, yes, 'the three kings with the one from Africa' - that's legend; it works quite well as legend," he said in an interview with BBC Radio Five.
He noted there was no evidence of oxen or donkeys – popular characters in nativity scenes – in the stable and that the chances of snow falling around the stable in Bethlehem were "very unlikely." Additionally, he said he doesn't know if there was a star above where baby Jesus lay. While the gospel of Matthew talks about the rising star and standing still, the Archbishop noted, he said "stars don't behave quite like that."
"There are various scientific theories about what it might have been at around that time and they (wise men) followed that trek; that makes sense to me," he said.
However, affirming some widely held beliefs of the Christmas story, the Archbishop said the detail that almost everyone agrees on is that Jesus' mother is named Mary and his father, Joseph. Williams also affirmed his belief in the virgin birth and Jesus in a manger, but said the Gospels do not state if Jesus was born in December.
"Christmas is the time it is because it fitted very well with the winter festival," Williams said in the interview.
The Anglican head explains that about a decade ago he was not too concerned about the literal truth of the doctrine of the virgin birth, but now sees it "much more as dovetailing with the rest of what I believe about the story."
A recent Barna survey found that 75 percent of Americans said they believe in the gospel narrative of the virgin birth of Jesus Christ literally.
Williams did a literary-critical analysis of traditional Christmas cards and found that most featured a virgin Mary holding baby Jesus with shepherds on one side, the three wise men on the other, and oxen and donkeys surrounding them. The scene is sometimes depicted with snow falling and a bright star rising in the east, according to The Times of London.
The Anglican Archbishop contends that most of the happenings in the popular nativity scene could not take place as it is depicted. But the most important concept to take away from the Christmas story is the belief that God came to earth in human form as part of His plan for salvation.
Williams' observation of the popular Christmas story is not new. Similar views are taught in the most conservative theological colleges, according to The Times. The Archbishop says his views on the Christmas story and other issues – including homosexuality, which is currently tearing up the Anglican Communion – are based on what the Bible says.
Clarification: Friday, Dec. 21, 2007:
An article on Thursday, Dec. 20, 2007, about Dr. Rowan Williams' comments on the nativity story ambiguously quoted the Archbishop of Canterbury from an interview he had with BBC Radio Five. Williams said the common depiction of one of the wise men being from Africa is a legend. He affirmed that there were magi but said Scripture does not indicate whether there were three of them or that they were kings.
He also affirmed that there was a star above the manger where Jesus lay but noted there are various scientific theories about whether it was a star, a constellation, or such, that the magi followed.
