TOMS RIVER, N.J. — Toms River Mayor Dan Rodrick proudly defended his decision to return the nativity scene to the town’s annual Christmas display, calling it a celebration of religious freedom and a return to the holiday’s origins. Speaking on NJ101.5 with Bill Spadea on Wednesday, Rodrick emphasized the historical and spiritual significance of Christmas in American culture.
“This is the first national holiday Congress created in the United States,” Rodrick said during the interview. “People talk about the separation of church and state, but the establishment clause was just meant to keep the government from setting up a church like the English had done with the Church of England.”
The Toms River display, which also includes a menorah to mark the start of Hanukkah, has received overwhelmingly positive feedback from residents, according to Rodrick. He described the display as a way for the town to recognize and honor the religious traditions of its community during the holiday season.
“We should all be able to express ourselves in the public square,” Rodrick said. “That was the intent of the First Amendment, to make sure that everyone had the right to express themselves religiously however they wanted to.”
Rodrick added that Toms River’s display reflects the values of its residents, saying it is both inclusive and respectful. “We’re just representing what a very large number of folks in Toms River are celebrating right now,” he said. The menorah is scheduled to be lit during Hanukkah, which begins on Christmas Day this year.
The interview touched on larger debates about the interpretation of the First Amendment and religious expression in public spaces. Spadea voiced support for Rodrick’s actions and criticized what he described as decades of misinterpretation regarding the separation of church and state. “The idea that people misunderstand what the First Amendment really means, what they talk about separation of church and state … None of that is true,” Spadea said.
Rodrick also cautioned against potential overreach when regulating religious symbols in public spaces. He referenced French policies that ban public workers from wearing religious symbols, such as crucifixes or Stars of David, calling it a “slippery slope.”
“It’s a very dangerous slippery slope, and we need to make sure we protect all of our rights, our First Amendment rights, especially,” Rodrick said.