Church demands Christian stamps

The Church of England's General Synod has just passed a motion asking for future GB Christmas stamp issues to feature 'Christian themes every year', but Royal Mail has refused to alter its policy on the subjects that appear on its annual Christmas stamp issues.

The motion was put forward at the recent Church of England Synod, held in York, by Canon Dr. Christina Baxter, Principal at St. John's Theology College in Nottingham. It stated: 'That this Synod, noting that over 71% of the population of the UK declared themselves to be Christian in the 2001 census, request the Royal Mail to issue Christmas stamps with Christian themes every year'.

The General Synod's request has come as a result of an original 2003 motion put to the Presbytery of Stirling by Rev. Alistair B. Cruickshank 'deploring the fact that Royal Mail had not made plans to issue Christmas stamps with a Christmas theme in the years 2003 and 2004'.

In fact, Royal Mail hasn't issued Christmas stamps with a religious theme since the Millennium Series 'Spirit & Faith' set issued in November 2000. The 2003 stamps featured Ice Sculptures; the 2002 set Christmas plants; and the 2001 set featured Robins.

Canon Dr. Baxter told STAMP MAGAZINE: 'We are asking for a religious stamp every year at Christmas. Christmas is a Christian festival and the most important one at that'.

Varied designs

However, a Royal Mail spokesman told STAMP MAGAZINE: 'Royal Mail issued the first GB Christmas stamp in 1966 and since then we have varied stamp designs each year to appeal to as wide an audience as possible. There is no set programme to the choice of religious or secular themes and the choice of subject matter is part of the design process in which we consult a wide variety of people. Although Christmas is a Christian festival we live in a multi-faith society'.

The 2004 GB Christmas issue will feature Santa Claus illustrations by Raymond Briggs but it's believed that Royal Mail will return to a religious approach for the 2005 Christmas stamps. A Royal Mail spokesman told STAMP MAGAZINE: 'They're not being avoided and we will return to a non-secular approach in future'.

Since the introduction of GB Christmas stamps in 1966 there have been 21 sets issued with Christian themes and 16 sets with a secular approach.