Away from the Manger: The Refugee King

In a post last year called “Advent on the Way to the Cross” I wrote these words:

The times are too desperate
for “Away in the Manger.”

The situation is too dangerous
for “Silent Night.”

Well the times are still too desperate for sweetly singing
“Away in the Manger” (even with little children!).

But how about something like “Away from the Manger”?
How about something that reflects on the refugee status
of this new born King?

That’s exactly what we hear in this beautiful and haunting
song from Liz Vice.

Recorded in a lounge somewhere on the campus of Calvin College,
listen for the ambient noise as well as the song.

Especially evocative are the sirens in the background
during the last verse.

 

Brian Walsh
Brian is an activist theologian, a retired CRC campus minister, the founder of the Wine Before Breakfast community, and farms with Sylvia Keesmaat at Russet House Farm.He engages issues of theology and culture, and has written a couple of books you might want to check out. His most recent offering is cowritten with Sylvia Keesmaat and entitled Romans Disarmed: Resisting Empire, Demanding Justice.

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