Just as Africans are more than welcome to depict the Madonna and Child as African, and Chinese people as Chinese, we blue eyed blondes depict them, and the saints, in our own image.
It is not about photography, but about identifying with them.
Augustine was probably olive skinned, dark haired. So was the Lord, although Middle Eastern rather than Hellenic. But anyone who wants to depict either as any race whatever is more than welcome, as far as I am concerned. If it helps to identify one's own spirituality with theirs, then why not?
It often seemed to be the case that people could agree that Christ was our sacrifice, Savior, and that the Catholic church best expressed what His life was about--and yet for many, there could never be agreement that Christ was not one simply one who was skinny (unlike carpenters were), blonde and with "blue eyes"...and it was amazing seeing the firestorms that came of it when one began dialouging on the matter in differing circles. It's something that actually attracted my mom and I to the church we're now at when the Pastor (who's white) was teaching a series on Racial Reconcilliation between differing ethnicities and how presentation makes a difference in the growth of any movement for the Lord.
Of course, others may disagree. For as another individual noted in disagreement with me:
Another instance of making a God according to our own image, rather than the other way around.
Before the claims of racism start, I’m JUST as offended by the blond,blue-eyed, lilly white surfer boy Jesus. And the Asian Jesus. And all other attempts to make Him palatable by conforming His image to ours.It is idoloatry……….plain and simple. Jesus was a middle-Eastern man. There is no description of Him physically, but that doesn’t give us license to make Him a God according to our own lusts.
Black Santa?? Fine by me. Hispanic Tooth Fairy?? Hunky-dory. Jesus?? Sorry……….He’s not subject to the race mongers.
Jesus isn’t some fantasy figure to be molded into the perception that suits whatever particular race you prefer. He was a middle-Eastern Jew, and middle-Eastern Jews have particular characteristics.Of course there were a minority (in Israel) of Jews of many different shades (proselytes and minorities), and there is room for artistic interpretation.
However, doesn’t it seem odd to you that the interpretations in art are always those which pertain to the particular racial identity of the artist, or the community to which the Jesus depiction is heading??
As a lily-whitey, my depiction of Jesus as a blond, blue-eyed surferboy serves as nothing more than an attempt to make Jesus in my own image and likeness. Jesus is used as a buttress for my individual racial identity in opposition to the erasure of racial identity to be found at the foot of the Cross.As someone who dabbles in art a bit, my depictions of Christ don’t look like me, but like a middle_Eastern man. Brown skinned, dark eyed……….like the descendants of the Jews there look today.
Of course, as mentioned, Jesus could well have been even darker, or lighter. But the depiction of Christ as always in conformity with the racial makeup of those who display that piece is troubling to me.
My favorites are the Asian Jesus, and the Eskimo Jesus……….that’s the kicker. What does it say about us when we subconsciously insist upon accepting the Son of God as a reflection of our own race??
I see it as a reflection of our deeper desire to conform Him to our own spiritual desires, rather than accept both HE and His Words as they were.
Just a pet peeve of mine.
Though I can see where the individual is coming from, I disagree. Of course, there's no doubting examples of depictions of God as simply blasphemous (Ex: “Bruce Almighty”
--and for others to consider, there's
Buddy Jesus (for those who ever saw the movie "DOGMA") which reflects an "image of Jesus created in the pulpits of America long before this idol was ever forged, seeing that far too many preachers are so hell-bent on preaching 'life application' and/or self-help sermons that their the ones who've trivialized Jesus
There's also "Football" Jesus....
There's actually an entire line where these kinds of products are made---and for more info,
one can go here to see it. Though for many, it was a matter of trying to "relate to Christ"--as many would hear of comments such as the following and extend the thought...
Hebrews 2 ---Now, minus the fact that Jesus said that we must become "like little children" in order to enter the kingdom of heaven as seen:
Matthew 18:3: "And he said: "I tell you the truth,
unless you change and become like little children [
paidion],
you will never enter the kingdom of heaven."
Matthew 18:4: "Therefore,
whoever humbles himself [
tapeinoo] like this
child [
paidion] is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven."
Matthew 19:14: "Jesus said, "Let the
little children [
paidion] come to me, and do not hinder them,
for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.""
Mark 10:13-15 / Mark 10
The Little Children and Jesus
13People were bringing little children to Jesus to have him touch them, but the disciples rebuked them.
14When Jesus saw this, he was indignant. He said to them, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. 15I tell you the truth, anyone who will
Mental image does make a difference in the ways in which the Lord's percieved....and for one's who's a child, if they like Football, they'd quickly see the Lord perhaps portrayed in the role as the pic above showing Jesus.... Some churches, however, would say "Christ could never be portrayed as that!!!!!"---much as it was with other movements, such as the Jesus Movement from the 60's when people would say "Christ could never be portrayed as a Hippie!!!" in the movie
Jesus Christ Superstar...or with what occured in the Charismatic Renewal in the 60's AND Other times like the Jesus Movement when many would say things such as Christ could never be that estatic/joyful as you claim...nor could it be this against conservatism!!!!!
“People relate by using their senses” and “visual representations of Christ, etc. are just an effort to reach people, entirely innocuous.” Like it or not, we ALL Have Mental images of Christ that comes to mind when thinking of Him, and those images were influenced by something we either saw in a painting at service, children’s church, or even a Christian movie……and that image, though perhaps close, may not be 100% accurate, but God still worked it for good….and that mental image was a part of connecting with the Lord as we sought to relate to Him, for using one’s imagination is a part of learning timeless truths, whether it be imagining the landscape of a biblical location when studying Biblical history, or imagining the look of the Burning Bush or Transfiguration of Christ bit by bit…..
Unless it hindered us in obeying Him or caused us to promote something like heresy---such as saying Christ MUST be what we wish to see Him as...
Regardless of the color/shades, The Gospel Message’s still the same. IMO, what makes the difference isn’t so much skin tone as it is conveying an accurate depiction of HIS CHARACTER/TEACHINGS.
For example, being a Child worker, I see this all the time whenever the children do crafts. Some wish to color Jesus as white, others as brown, and some even green.
However, there’re no benefits in being vexed about it since the children are being taught EXTENSIVELY on whom Christ was (i.e. His Divinity, message, mission, etc), sin’s ugliness, n’ the need for His Redemption/Lordship for our lives. Additionally, it’s encouraging to witness their growth in Love for Him.
Moreover, they’ll eventually square with His LITERAL APPEARANCE in time---which was a Hebraic/Middle Eastern Jewish man (though appearances can be similar to some things...especially in light of the reality of Ethiopian Jews and other similar groups), so why become indignant on the issue?
How would it look if 5 yr old Chang depicted Jesus Yellow n’ with slanted eyes, despite Jesus not LITERALY appearing as such and despite how Johnny earnestly seeks God, and I stopped him in class claiming “BAD JOHNNY!!! THAT’S NOT CHRIST’S APPEARANCE….IDOLATRY!!!!”?
Why would I belittle the importance of thirsting to be more like Christ n’ place more emphasis on KNOWING HIS EXTERNAL attributes rather than the ESSENCE of who He WAS?
Regarding idolatry, I believe the command was more than making images of gods…. Specifically, it was the importance of not Bowing Down in Worship of them (
Exodus 20:4-5).
Images ALONE were not what constituted idolatry, but WORSHIP/Insistence of them as God. In Israel’s time, worshiping various statues/carvings was very popular….Pagan nations attributed all kinds of miracles/powers to them….But Jehovah was to be Distinct, not simply seen as another idol/statue made by man…Thus, He forbade them from trying.
That said, it seems imagery of Christ would qualify as idolatry if one were to worship that image, as if the image by Itself contained Power (i.e. thinking a depiction one made is THE real depiction of the Lord and therefore should be Revered).
Moreover, the “Idol” part would seem to be the insistence of Him ONLY being of one race, refusing to ever research/acknowledge His actual ethnicity.
Considering differing depictions of Christ ALONE as idolatry seems EXTREME, as it implies all art forms (ex. the timeless illustrations of Christ from the Renaissance, to crafts/artworks of Him at Christian Bookstores, and movie portrayals like “The Passion”
are condemned,….
And how many have been inspired to glorify God more after witnessing these masterpieces
1 Corinthians 9:5
19Though I am free and belong to no man, I make myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible. 20To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), so as to win those under the law. 21To those not having the law I became like one not having the law (though I am not free from God's law but am under Christ's law), so as to win those not having the law. 22To the weak I became weak, to win the weak.
I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some. 23I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings.
. Its ridiculous.
