First in a series of articles

An unconventional Christmas display featuring debris, banners and signs with QR codes on the lawn outside the Cathedral of All Souls in Biltmore Village through Jan. 5 sparked more comment (pro and con) than usual, likely because it addressed the war in the Gaza Strip and appeared, to some, to be pro-Palestinian and/or antisemitic.

Indeed, one banner stated that because of the war, “Christmas is canceled in Bethlehem,” implying that the annual celebration of the birth of Christ should be, at most, a more muted celebration than usual here. 

After receiving some criticisms of the display at the Daily Planet and, given the cathedral’s historical prominence in the Asheville community, the newspaper sought an interview with an official at the church who could (and would) speak — in depth — on behalf of the church about the display — and the thinking that went into it and supported it.

To that end, the Rev. Sarah Hurlbert, the dean of All Souls Cathedral (as it is known in short), agreed to respond to the Daily Planet requested interview, focusing on the display and its ramifications 

(Established in 1896, the church and its parish hall were commissioned by Guilded Age icon George W. Vanderbilt and designed by Richard Morris Hunt. More famously, Vanderbilt built the Biltmore Estate, now known as “America’s largest home.” The church and parish hall were designed by Richard Morris Hunt, who also was the architect of Vanderbilt’s Biltmore Estate and is touted by Wikipedia as “an eminent figure in the history of American architecture.”)

The display triggered more-than usual response, but it was overwhelmingly positive, Hurlbert told the Daily Planet in a Jan. 12 telephone interview.

In explaining how the concept for this year’s Christmas display originated, Hurlbert told the Daily Planet, “It was the second or third week of December, when we got a call from a young woman who had grown up in the Episcopal Church — going to Camp Henry and all that — and said she and her young friends were saddened and shocked by what is going on in the Holy Land — and they wanted to do something to promote peace.

“They had seen where the (Lutheran) Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem — where that church had a display. They were moved by that and she (the young woman) wanted to honor that with a display here.

“So she reached out to me and asked if we (the church) would be willing to support them placing the display of a rubble nativity with the banners for peace,” stating “Peace on Earth. Ceasefire now!” “Christmas is canceled in Bethlehem.”

While Hurlbert declined to name the display originator’s name, she did say that the young woman “grew up in Asheville and she knew the cathedral has had a history over the years of having signs” in its yard advocating progressive viewpoints. 

Further, Hurlbert said of the founding and purpose of the Cathedral of All Souls, “It was built as a parish church for what was the growing Biltmore Village” worker population by George W. Vanderbilt, who built the nearby Biltmore House, billed as 

“America’s largest private home.”

So are all Episcopal churches politically progressive? the Daily Planet asked. What about the Episcopal Church of St. John in the Wilderness in nearby Flat Rock, which began as a private chapel in 1833, built by a couple from antebellum Charleston, S.C. — a church which some sources have told the newspaper is more conservative/traditionalist in its leanings? the newspaper also queried.

As for the political and social direction of America’s Episcopal churches, Hurlbert replied, “You can look at it in several different ways,” but, overall, “Episcopal churches tend to be progressive congregations.”

She added, “It’s been 50 years since the Episcopal church has been ordaining women and having women as bishops, and with an openly gay bishop ordained....”

Hurlbert asserted, “George Vanderbilt and his wife were some of the few rich people who were social progressives from the beginning. He made sure a lot of pews were saved for immigrant workmen.” 

So what does Hurlbert have to say to sources — who are Asheville natives —  who have told the Daily Planet that the cathedral began with worshippers with conservative-traditionalist leanings, reflecting the viewpoint of its then-working class parishioners and, over the years, as the posh Biltmore Forest neighborhood grew nearby and was populated by mostly former Northerners with ultra-liberal perspectives, the church — for decades — has leaned ever more progressive, even “woke?” 

To the contrary, Hurlbert said the cathedral never had conservative-traditionalist leanings.

She then reiterated that the young people “wanted to put up a display patterned after the Church of Nativity in Bethlehem.

“That’s how it came about. Once we were on the same page, I said, ‘Go for it!”

She added, “They did take it down. All of our nativity scenes and creches — they come down on the Feast of the Epiphany on Jan. 6,” as usual.

As for the Christmas display, specifically, “They took it down on Jan. 5,” Hurlbert said.

So why was Christmas canceled at the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem?

“In the ancient Christian tradition, it’s a feast that lasts from December 25 till January 6. It’s also called 12th night. Feasting is joyful and it’s about abundance… but how could you feast in the midst of your countrymen, your neighbors, being killed?

“That was the logic of the (Christian) churches in Bethlehem — ‘that we just can’t live life the way we would normally because of the death and destruction that was happening.’”

So what does Hurlbert and the cathedral leadership think of the Israelis and their all-out counterattack on the Hamas terrorist group in the Gaza Strip after a surprise and unprovoked — and widely described as “barbaric” — attack on Israeli citizens and others on Oct. 7, killing an estimated 1,200 Israelis? the Daily Planet asked

In answering, Hurlbert noted, “Just as a reminder, there is not one Jewish voice and one Palistinian voice. The (American) conservatives don’t care about the Palestineans at all. The people who are caught in the middle are the Christians in Palestine...

“I’ve come to realize that this rubble scene and nativity is essentially is a Rorschach test for people around the world... We’ve had calls from people who used the terms “peace,” “ceasefire,” “Christmas is canceled,” but “ we’re not saying Israel should be laying down their arms....

“Not all Palistinians” hate Jews or want them killed... This is not a political situation. This is Jews, Christians, Muslims being slaughtered.... All of that is an offense to God.... As Christians, we are called to advocate for peace.

“We stand together to say we’d rather not celebrate the birth of Christ in the way we normally do it — with the feasting and joy and (instead) have a more subdued celebration, remembering who was being slaughtered as we celebrated Christ’s birth...

“From the people who reached out to us, both in person and email and phone, it was overwhelmingly positive.. There were some pointed phone calls of ‘your (the church) being antisemitic and being racist.’ 

“Unfortunately, they (those critical of the Christmas display) didn’t leave” a phone number, wherein a discussion later could be arranged between a church leader and the critic, she lamented.

“This are so many layers of this ... It’s my duty to tell the (Israli) leadership to stop killing people,” Hurlbert asserted.

TO BE CONTINUED IN A FUTURE EDITION