[Albion] St Albans Cathedral commision repainting the last supper with Jesus depicted as Black

[Giraffe]

As long as he is still wearing sandals I'm fine with it.

 

[SuperFurrySeagull]

Jesus tat you say?!

There are some superb ones it has to be said.........

:

as if he hadn't been humiliated enough already

 

[narly101]

Mrs T tells me there is a BLM group in Faversham now, with hundreds of members. The population of Faversham is 99.9% white. I find this rather heartening.

That's incredible. I live and work in London, having been brought up in a leafy Surrey neighbourhood, and the continued racial bigotry which exists in these small, predominantly white communities amazes me. I seriously hope that the BLM movement continues apace, and change is made for the good.

 

[Kalimantan Gull]

Sorry, but where will this all end?

We've been depicting him as white all these years, when he wasn't, so why does it matter?

Serious answer to your question - it will end when decent-minded people stop saying things like 'Sorry, but where will this all end?'

 

[pearl]

Dessert?

I've had a bit of a cr*ppy week so thanks for that

 

[WATFORD zero]

Indeed, anyone would think it was done deliberately to make people think, and perhaps reconsider their preconceptions. Whatever next?

I'm still wondering how to break the news to our nipper there is no such thing as father Christmas. There is something to be said for leaving people in ignorance when the truth would make them unhappy, though, I'll grant you.

Is that enough food for thought?

You are Nigel Farage and I claim my £5

 

[The Antikythera Mechanism]

I always thought he was ginger

 

[Palacefinder General]

Ian’s world is crumbling around his ears

 

[FatSuperman]

Persons of a certain vintage certainly finding any changes to their cultural landscape very troubling. Jesus not being depicted as white, whatever next...without a beard!!??

EXACTLY my thoughts! And then what? No doubt he'll be shown wearing Nike when he has ALWAYS BEEN A REEBOK MAN

 

[Chicken Run]

Mrs T tells me there is a BLM group in Faversham now, with hundreds of members. The population of Faversham is 99.9% white. I find this rather heartening.

What I’d like to know is where were all these people quite rightly now supporting the BLM, before George Floyd, black people have been persecuted since Jesus was a boy!!

 

[Stat Brother]

What I’d like to know is where were all these people quite rightly now supporting the BLM, before George Floyd, black people have been persecuted since Jesus was a boy!!

Nah when Jesus was a nipper he buggered off to the desert...






...Like all other white folk do.

 

[Grombleton]

Bond was a jock, so what about Chris Iwelumo?

Could Jesus help us to a play-off final win? Jesus wishes he could.

#allhailiwelumo

 

[wellquickwoody]

The death of another black man?

That will just be a new beginning.

 

[wellquickwoody]

Someone has painted a picture and the OP has once again pissed his pants before the kettle's boiled.

My advice would be to take up a new hobby and spend less time wiping up urine. Maybe start a fanzine.

 

[Eeyore]

as a Christian I find the idea of finding offense in this concept utterly ludicrous. We in the west have "decided" that Jesus was this mega white hunk with long flowing hair and all the rest of it. He was obviously ethnically middle eastern, having been born in modern day Palestine so would look nothing like the majority of depictions of him that we see- which I believe were mainly influenced by Italian artists.

I imagine a lot of "Christians" who haven't set foot in church for years will see this as an attack on their "faith"

personally I couldn't give a shit

Indeed. The western portrayal of Jesus as the 'white saviour' is a political one. His cloak is white and his complexion more in keeping with Plymouth than Palestine.

Any outrage here comes from personal prejudice rather than faith. And if faith is about truth then surely no-one should have a problem.

Yet all to often we see that faith is merely a symbol of cultural tribalism. This country is a good example. The phrase 'Christian country' is all too often trotted out by our leaders. This should be an offence to Christians. It is a faith, a way of life through devotion, not a cultural alignment. A Christian is a person who believes in Christ. 'Christian country' is a euphemism for 'White Anglo Saxon'.

I'm not even sure Jesus should be portrayed anyway. As the apostle Paul said in Athens, 'The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples made by human hands'.

 

[Silverhatch]

Have a gander at Holy Blood, Holy Grail (Summary): Jesus was a Jewish Royal, not white, married, definitely had kids with Mary Magdalene and his bloodline is out there now. A good read with forensic investigation of ancient Aramaic texts and traditions of the peoples of the time. Whether you believe the authors' hypotheses or not - it's a cracking read. Oh, and to comment on the LR's OP - Jesus was not white but unless he was an Ethiopian Jew - he wasn't Black either; but definitely a man of colour. Probably where Dan Brown got all his inspiration from.

 

[GT49er]

funny thing is the painting depicts a black Jesus, while all his disciples are still white. almost as if its just done to create discussion/controversy.

In which case Judas wouldn't have had to kiss Jesus, he could have just told them, "He's the black guy".............

 

[The Merry Prankster]

And a painter painting a new painting effects this how, exactly ?

*edit*

I don't mean to be confrontational but just don't rise to these type of things which are obviously specifically designed to get some sort of 'outraged' reaction. It's really not important

It is if your a racist

 

[Eeyore]

Have a gander at Holy Blood, Holy Grail (Summary): Jesus was a Jewish Royal, not white, married, definitely had kids with Mary Magdalene and his bloodline is out there now. A good read with forensic investigation of ancient Aramaic texts and traditions of the peoples of the time. Whether you believe the authors' hypotheses or not - it's a cracking read. Oh, and to comment on the LR's OP - Jesus was not white but unless he was an Ethiopian Jew - he wasn't Black either; but definitely a man of colour. Probably where Dan Brown got all his inspiration from.

I suppose I should come in here. I spent much time studying early church history in the late 80s.

There are very few secular references to Jesus in the first fifty or so years after his death (other than the gospels/letters/early church references etc). In fairness, it's not unexpected, although I'd like to see the ones that the early Christians, who were often divided on theology, had to hand. Some of the historical texts, such as Josephus reference to him as 'Christ' may have been doctored. That one doesn't ring true for me given that he was a Jewish historian. There were writings though, as Lucian refers to in his second century references to Christ crucified.

What is most uncontested for me is the existence of Christ. It's hard to believe otherwise. Also, the existence of John the Baptist seems probable, the crucifixion undeniable. There is an independent reference

It's a question of who he was. Without authentic early accounts beyond what we have in scripture as handed down (and the absence of the origins and sources of the original document(s) that the first three gospels rely on) it comes down to faith.

But that is what Christianity is, faith. Let a person's relationship with Christ guide them. If they hold the scriptures as divine (they cannot be proved not) then they are indeed that.

 

[Swansman]

I suppose I should come in here. I spent much time studying early church history in the late 80s.

There are very few references to Jesus in the first fifty or so years after his death (other than the gospels etc) that would be considered original source. In fact, I can only think of two. In fairness, it's not unexpected, although I'd like to see the ones that the early Christians, who were often divided on theology, had to hand. Some of the historical texts, such as Josephus reference to him as 'Christ' may have been doctored. That one doesn't ring true for me given that he was a Jewish historian.

What is most uncontested for me is the existence of Christ. It's hard to believe otherwise. Also, the existence of John the Baptist seems probable, the crucifixion undeniable.

It's a question of who he was. Without authentic early accounts beyond what we have in scripture as handed down (and the absence of the origins and sources of the original document(s) that the first three gospels rely on) it comes down to faith.

But that is what Christianity is, faith. Let a person's relationship with Christ guide them. If they hold the scriptures as divine (they cannot be proved not) then they are indeed that.

Do any of these two early texts describe what Jesus looked like or could he have been a bald, red-eyed albino for all we know?