Question

The narrow question is whether there is a secular purpose for Pawtucket's display of the crèche. The display is sponsored by the city to celebrate the Holiday and to depict the origins of that Holiday. These are legitimate secular purposes.

—Chief Justice Warren Burger,
Opinion of the Court,
Lynch v. Donnelly
1984

According to Chief Justice Burger, why was the crèche display constitutional?

The government has the right to promote religion under the First Amendment.
The First Amendment only applies to federal government, not city governments.
No one is forced to look at the crèche.
The crèche depicts the origins of Christmas but does not promote religion.

Answer 1

"The crèche depicts the origins of Christmas but does not promote religion."

Burger held the display had a legitimate secular purpose (celebrating the holiday and depicting its origins) and therefore did not violate the Establishment Clause.