Blond haired, blue eyed? Dreadlocked?
Stern-faced? Welcoming?
Revolutionary? Hippie?
Images are powerful. An image can elicit an array of emotions, depending greatly on who you are and where you're coming from. The same can be said for images of Jesus.
Why did a church receive death threats several years ago when they cast a black man as Jesus in a Passion Play? (http://lubbockonline.com/news/032197/black.htm)
Why are people surprised, yet often pleased when they first see 'Jesus Laughing'? (Above... a favorite I have up in my office). Why does it challenge their perceptions?
Why am I, a white, middle-class American male, bothered by images of anglo-Jesus? You know, the kind in your kid's Sunday School class.
There's no right or wrong answer (is there ever?). I believe our perceptions of Christ are largely shaped by our faith journey (no matter the tradition) and experiences.
For the white evangelical in America... Christ is most comfortably seen as white. For the oppressed of the inner city, an image of Jesus crucified next to the Sears Tower brings Christ home. Redeemer. Liberator.
We'll never have a definitive or 'true' image of Christ, and I think that's a good thing. Any image of Christ that brings hope to the weak and challenges the strong to reach out in charity is worthwhile.
Rant inspired by...
http://www.rejesus.co.uk/expressions/faces_jesus/index.html
4 comments:
it'd be nice to know what he actually looked like. personally, i don't try to imagine any one image.
when i do wonder, i generally just think he looked like a palestinian or something.
i will say this though ... any clinging to a blue-eyed jesus is absolutely ludicrous. i'll never understand that one.
e+
It would be nice. Have you seen the forensic image? It's pretty interesting, though I recently saw a critique of the process on the history channel. Then again that's about all scholars do anyway.
I usually say he would've looked more like a palestinian than american as well, which doesn't seem to be a popular reference to make.
Then again a lot of people forget that there are well over 100,000 Christians in the West Bank. something to think about.
i definitely think jesus would have been dark-skinned, but that's as much as i could imagine about him.
No offence to your religion, but anytime I see that laughing Jesus picture I laugh because it looks so effing creepy.
But anyways, sorry, just thought I'd say. Jesus would've been tanned or very darker than white.
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