While the exact date (or time of year) that Jesus was born is not noted in the biblical texts, the location of his birth is a key part of the Christmas story. This is in large part because the birth of the Messiah in Bethlehem was foretold by the prophet Micah in Micah 5:2, which the people at the time seemed to know (see Matthew 2:1-6). Thus, the town of Bethlehem is a recurring theme in Christmas carols, perhaps most notably “O Little Town of Bethlehem.” To help us understand and appreciate this hymn more, I’ll share a little more about its creation, content, and controversy.

Creation
We know this song was written by Philips Brooks and Lewis Redner in 1868 as can be seen in credits in hymnals and on screens when sung at church, but who were these people and why did they write it? 

Brooks was a very prominent Episcopal pastor in the 19th century who cast a long shadow in life both physically (he was a giant of a man around 6’4”) and spiritually. One of the best known preachers of the time, his definition of preaching as “truth through personality” still comes up in discussions of preaching today. Brooks was serving as a pastor in Philadelphia when he wrote this song and later became a pastor at Trinity Church in Boston. He began his ministry as a pastor in 1860, just as tensions in America were escalating and it stood on the cusp of the Civil War. He spoke out against slavery and supported the North throughout the war, and as the war ended in 1865, his ministry influence expanded as he preached a sermon on the death of Abraham Lincoln and spoke at Harvard to remember those who died during the war. In the midst of his rising prominence, he found himself at the point of spiritual, emotional, and physical exhaustion. He was able to go to the Holy Land at the end of 1865 as a way to find some renewal and found himself in Bethlehem on Christmas Eve. He experienced a powerful service of worship in the town of Jesus’s birth that gave him great peace. That experience remained dear to him, and a few years later he wanted to share about it in the Sunday School class at church (he never married but, he had a passion to reach the children of the church and was something of a “gentle giant”). He wrote the poem now known as “O Little Town of Bethlehem” and turned to Redner for a musical accompaniment to this poem.

Redner played the organ at the church Brooks pastored in Philadelphia, but he was not a professional musician. Rather, he was a successful real estate broker. He also served as the superintendent of the Sunday Schools at the church. Redner describes writing the music to this song “in great haste and under great pressure,” as Brooks asked him to come up with a tune a few weeks before Christmas. According to Redner’s account, he still did not have a tune written as Saturday night approached, in part because he was more focused on teaching Sunday School. As he slept that night, the tune came to him and he jotted it down, filling in the harmony on Sunday morning. A few years later (1874), the song was published in a collection of songs and hymns for Sunday school and it started appearing in hymnals a few years later (1890). Neither Brooks nor Redner had the intention or expectation that this song would become a beloved Christmas song, one that is popular both in American and England (though in England, a different tune became attached to it). 

Content
The song that Brooks wrote had five verses, not all of them are always sung (as we will discuss a bit below).

The first verse speaks about Bethlehem as a “little town,” essentially noting that in the midst of a normal night, something amazing happens – the “everlasting light” (Jesus) began to shine, fulfilling the hopes the people of the town (and presumably around the world) had and also ultimately dispelling the fears that they had. Bethlehem was known as the city of David because it was where David was anointed as king (1 Samuel 16:1-13), and it was also the burial place of Rachel as cited in Genesis 35:19; 48:7. In addition, there were connections to the noble Caleb (see 1 Chronicles 2:51) and Ruth (Ruth 1:10). However, it was not a prominent town at the time. Therefore, Jesus was not born in the capital nor a metropolis, but rather in a town about six miles away that likely seemed insignificant to some and probably had less than 1,000 people. For those who live in small towns they think no one has heard of, or whose claim to fame seems in the distinct past, or possibly a town whose history may be marked by some horrible events (see what happens in Bethlehem in Judges 19-20), they should remember that God is one the move in their small town – not just in the popular big cities that everyone talks about or is moving to.

The second verse moves the focus from the town to the heavenly places. We sing that Jesus was born of Mary and that while “mortals sleep, the angels keep / their watch of wond’ring love.” God’s movement happened when no one on earth is watching, but the angels are anxiously watching the unfolding of God’s plan – and also participate as the reference to the “morning stars” in the next line (“O morning stars, together / proclaim the holy birth / and praises sing to God the King / and peace to all the earth”) could be a reference to the angels in light of how people in the ancient world describe angels and the heavenly bodies (what we will label as stars).

Verse three is another reminder of how the Christmas story is one in which God works in a way that seems quiet and meek to the world. The “wondrous gift” of heaven is given “how silently, how silently,” reminding us that this is the way that “God imparts to human hearts / the blessings of his heav’n.” The nature of this gift and the concept of sin and salvation enters the picture as we sing that “in this world of sin” the “dear Christ enters in” when “meek souls…receive him.” The location and circumstances of Jesus’s birth are a call for us to be meek in disposition and humble ourselves when we look to him to enter into our lives, not be part of the noise of the world.

What seems to be the fifth verse is sometimes sung as the fourth verse (and in some traditions only sung on Christmas Day), which continues the theme of asking for the child born that day to change us through rebirth and his presence in our lives. Christ is finally addressed as “O holy Child of Bethlehem” (later as “O Lord, Emmanuel”) and asked to do a few things: “Descend to us,” “Cast out our sin,” “Enter in,” “be born in us today,” “come to us,” “abide with us.” These words show a response and personalization of the events we celebrate at Christmas, recognizing that Jesus did not just come to live 2,000 years ago, but His presence is to continue in our lives. He takes away both the penalty of sin in our lives but also can take away its power to control us when we look to him. What a great way to move from the events of Christmas to our lives!

Controversy
While a beloved hymn, it is not without some controversy. One point of controversy comes in the fourth verse that is often omitted today. These are the original words penned by Brooks: 

“Where children pure and happy
Pray to the blessed Child,
Where misery cries out to thee,
Son of the undefiled;
Where charity stands watching
And faith holds wide the door,
The dark night wakes, the glory breaks,
And Christmas comes once more.”

The first person to have issues with this verse appears to be Redner as he wrote the music. He thought the phrase “son of the undefiled” appeared to support the doctrine of the Immaculate Conception (that Mary was conceived in a way that protected her from all sin; this became an official doctrine of the Catholic Church in 1854). His concerns led Brooks to alter the words to “Son of the Mother mild.” When it was later published, this verse was missing. This might be tied to the question concerning that phrasing, but may also be from the fact that this verse had a particular focus upon children. While fitting in the context in which it initially appeared (Sunday School), it may not fit as well in other contexts in which it was sung. Since it became circulated without that verse, I think it makes sense not to sing it. It is also a good reminder that sometimes things are written in a moment and need more careful reflection to improve them. 

The other point of controversy concerns the opening of the song itself, those beloved words “O Little Town of Bethlehem.” The address of the town is a bit odd, as most songs are prayers to God or calls for people to praise Him. This seems more of a mediation on the town itself and has led some groups not to sing it. While the address of Bethlehem does seem a bit odd, I don’t find it troubling and actually find that it connects the song to the prophecy of Micah 5:2 as that prophecy addresses the town as well (“But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel, whose coming forth is from of old, from ancient days”). This deeper dive into the hymn does not lead me to want to sing it less but to sing it more as I now have a stronger appreciation of it – I hope that is true for you as well!

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