FIVE VERSES. The anonymous lyricist of “The First Noel” dedicates five verses to angels, shepherds, and wise men. Three of those verses focus on traveling toward the star. Jesus is only mentioned once. If the point of Christmas is Jesus’s birth, why do so many carols and nativity scenes depict the holy family surrounded by these other characters? Is the presence of shepherds, wise men, and angels even significant? Yes, but not in the way you may think. Let me start with two short stories that have informed my thinking. First, Bible and religion scholar Dan McClellan broke the brains … Continue reading Are Shepherds, Wise Men, and Angels Really Necessary?