<p>The Archbishop of Canterbury and head of the Church of England has said the church should reconsider its portrayal of Jesus as a White man.</p>

<p>Justin Welby, in discussion at the BBC Today Programme, was asked if the way the western church "portrays Jesus" needed to be "thought about again" and "re-imagined" in light of recent Black Lives Matter protests following the death of George Floyd.</p>

<p>"Yes, of course it does," he said, adding that Jesus was portrayed differently in countries around the world.&nbsp;</p>

<p>He said he was regularly in touch with Anglican Church leaders from around the world.</p>

<p>"You go into their churches and you don't see a White Jesus -- you see a Black Jesus, or Chinese Jesus, or a Middle Eastern Jesus -- which is of course the most accurate. You see Jesus portrayed in as many ways as there are cultures, languages and understandings."</p>

<p>Welby added that the representations of Jesus served as a "reminder of the universality of the God who became fully human."</p>

<p>He further said statues in Canterbury Cathedral would be put under review in light of calls for monuments with links to the UK's imperialist history and slave trade to be removed.</p>

<p>The movement to take down and deface controversial statues has gained traction in the UK, as well as Europe and the US. While critics slam it as "mob rule", some applaud it as a way of addressing "systematic racism."</p>


The Archbishop of Canterbury and head of the Church of England has said the church should reconsider its portrayal of Jesus as a White man. Justin Welby, in discussion at the BBC Today Programme, was asked if the way the western church "portrays Jesus" needed to be "thought about again" and "re-imagined" in light of recent Black Lives Matter protests following the death of George Floyd.

The Archbishop of Canterbury and head of the Church of England has said the church should reconsider its portrayal of Jesus as a White man. Justin Welby, in discussion at the BBC Today Programme, was asked if the way the western church "portrays Jesus" needed to be "thought about again" and "re-imagined" in light of recent Black Lives Matter protests following the death of George Floyd. "Yes, of course it does," he said, adding that Jesus was portrayed differently in countries around the world. He said he was regularly in touch with Anglican Church leaders from around the world. "You go into their churches and you don't see a White Jesus -- you see a Black Jesus, or Chinese Jesus, or a Middle Eastern Jesus -- which is of course the most accurate. You see Jesus portrayed in as many ways as there are cultures, languages and understandings." Welby added that the representations of Jesus served as a "reminder of the universality of the God who became fully human." He further said statues in Canterbury Cathedral would be put under review in light of calls for monuments with links to the UK's imperialist history and slave trade to be removed. The movement to take down and deface controversial statues has gained traction in the UK, as well as Europe and the US. While critics slam it as "mob rule", some applaud it as a way of addressing "systematic racism."

Portrayal of Jesus as white should be reconsidered, says Archbishop of Canterbury

<p>American writer and civil rights activist Shaun King has said that all images of Jesus are depicted as a "white European" and urged people that it should be torn down as it is a form of "white supremacy".</p>

<p>The co-founder of Real Justice PAC is known to promote his views and social justice by using social media and has spoken for the 'Black Lives Matter' movement.&nbsp;</p>

<p>King used the social media platform of Twitter to make his remarks against statues of Jesus. Statues and historical monuments have been a target and are being brought down or vandalized during the Black Lives Matter protests that were sparked after George Floyd's death while in Police custody in Minneapolis.&nbsp;</p>

<p>He took to Twitter and wrote: “Yes I think the statues of the white European they claim is Jesus should also come down. They are a form of white supremacy. Always have been,” King tweeted. “In the Bible, when the family of Jesus wanted to hide and blend in, guess where they went? EGYPT! Not Demark. Tear them down.”</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Yes, I think the statues of the white European they claim is Jesus should also come down.<br />
<br />
They are a form of white supremacy.<br />
<br />
Always have been.<br />
<br />
In the Bible, when the family of Jesus wanted to hide, and blend in, guess where they went?<br />
<br />
EGYPT!<br />
<br />
Not Denmark.<br />
<br />
Tear them down.</p>
— Shaun King (@shaunking) <a href="https://twitter.com/shaunking/status/1275106946916499456?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 22, 2020</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
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<p>In his next post, Shaun King went on to call "white Jesus is a lie" and a "tool of white supremacy" saying that white people used the religion to as a “tool of oppression. He added that white people would never have accepted a religion “from a Brown man.”</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Yes.<br />
<br />
All murals and stained glass windows of white Jesus, and his European mother, and their white friends should also come down.<br />
<br />
They are a gross form white supremacy.<br />
<br />
Created as tools of oppression.<br />
Racist propaganda.<br />
<br />
They should all come down.</p>
— Shaun King (@shaunking) <a href="https://twitter.com/shaunking/status/1275113067555303424?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 22, 2020</a></blockquote>
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<p>He supported that all imagery including “murals and stained glass windows of white Jesus, and his European mother, and their white friends.”</p>

<p>Netizens had a mixed reaction, while some agreed with King's views, others pointed out that other communities have depicted Jesus that resembled the local community. For example, Ethiopia's Black Jesus and Asia Jesus in South East Asia.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">There are a number of prominent ‘Black Christs’. This one’s in the Metropolitan Cathedral in Mexico City. <a href="https://t.co/xwmdqQgpsT">pic.twitter.com/xwmdqQgpsT</a></p>
— Dominic Stafford Uglow (@Sellypaws) <a href="https://twitter.com/Sellypaws/status/1275130347395731456?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 22, 2020</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">There is a long beautiful history of people depicting Jesus looking familiar to their place and culture. Jesus is not about race, and saying to tear down depictions that occur in a European-dominant context is as racist as removing them from any culture. <a href="https://t.co/C1wFSr1xXr">pic.twitter.com/C1wFSr1xXr</a></p>
— MrSubsidiarity (@MrSubsidiarity) <a href="https://twitter.com/MrSubsidiarity/status/1275158871275798528?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 22, 2020</a></blockquote>
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<p>&nbsp;</p>


American writer and civil rights activist Shaun King has said that all images of Jesus are depicted as a "white European" and urged people that it should be torn down as it is a form of "white supremacy".

American writer and civil rights activist Shaun King has said that all images of Jesus are depicted as a "white European" and urged people that it should be torn down as it is a form of "white supremacy". The co-founder of Real Justice PAC is known to promote his views and social justice by using social media and has spoken for the 'Black Lives Matter' movement. King used the social media platform of Twitter to make his remarks against statues of Jesus. Statues and historical monuments have been a target and are being brought down or vandalized during the Black Lives Matter protests that were sparked after George Floyd's death while in Police custody in Minneapolis. He took to Twitter and wrote: “Yes I think the statues of the white European they claim is Jesus should also come down. They are a form of white supremacy. Always have been,” King tweeted. “In the Bible, when the family of Jesus wanted to hide and blend in, guess where they went? EGYPT! Not Demark. Tear them down.” Yes, I think the statues of the white European they claim is Jesus should also come down. They are a form of white supremacy. Always have been. In the Bible, when the family of Jesus wanted to hide, and blend in, guess where they went? EGYPT! Not Denmark. Tear them down. — Shaun King (@shaunking) June 22, 2020 × In his next post, Shaun King went on to call "white Jesus is a lie" and a "tool of white supremacy" saying that white people used the religion to as a “tool of oppression. He added that white people would never have accepted a religion “from a Brown man.” Yes. All murals and stained glass windows of white Jesus, and his European mother, and their white friends should also come down. They are a gross form white supremacy. Created as tools of oppression. Racist propaganda. They should all come down. — Shaun King (@shaunking) June 22, 2020 × He supported that all imagery including “murals and stained glass windows of white Jesus, and his European mother, and their white friends.” Netizens had a mixed reaction, while some agreed with King's views, others pointed out that other communities have depicted Jesus that resembled the local community. For example, Ethiopia's Black Jesus and Asia Jesus in South East Asia. There are a number of prominent ‘Black Christs’. This one’s in the Metropolitan Cathedral in Mexico City. pic.twitter.com/xwmdqQgpsT — Dominic Stafford Uglow (@Sellypaws) June 22, 2020 × There is a long beautiful history of people depicting Jesus looking familiar to their place and culture. Jesus is not about race, and saying to tear down depictions that occur in a European-dominant context is as racist as removing them from any culture. pic.twitter.com/C1wFSr1xXr — MrSubsidiarity (@MrSubsidiarity) June 22, 2020 ×

American writer Shaun King calls statues of Jesus a tool of white supremacy; urges to be torn down

<p>As the year comes to an end, we can add another controversy to the list of those that made news in the world of entertainment as netizens criticised and have started a petition against Netflix’s ‘The First Temptation of Christ’, asking for it to be banned.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The comedy special by the streaming platform has come under the line of fire for its depiction of Jesus Christ.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The Portuguese language Christmas special has invited backlash from religious leaders and right-wing political figures, including the Brazilian president’s son. Most call it problematic for it implies that Jesus Christ is gay.&nbsp;</p>

<p>‘The First Temptation of Christ’ started streaming from earlier this month and has since featured in several online campaigns that have asked the Brazil authorities to ban the special and criminally charge the creators. They have cited “vilification of faith” as their reason.</p>

<p>Among many petitions floating at the moment, one has gained momentum and has signs of nearly 2 million people.&nbsp;</p>

<p>As for ‘The First Temptation of Christ’, the satirical film tells the story of Jesus Christ returning home from the desert for his 30th birthday. It doesn't end there as it shows Mary and God as illicit lovers. Joseph is a carpenter who can’t build a table, and the Three Kings try to pass off ham as “free-range soy.”</p>

<p>Jesus is shown in the film bringing a companion named Orlando who implies at almost every place he can, that he and the son of God are romantically involved.&nbsp;</p>


As the year comes to an end, we can add another controversy to the list of those that made news in the world of entertainment as netizens criticised and have started a petition against Netflix’s ‘The First Temptation of Christ’, asking for it to be banned.

As the year comes to an end, we can add another controversy to the list of those that made news in the world of entertainment as netizens criticised and have started a petition against Netflix’s ‘The First Temptation of Christ’, asking for it to be banned. The comedy special by the streaming platform has come under the line of fire for its depiction of Jesus Christ. The Portuguese language Christmas special has invited backlash from religious leaders and right-wing political figures, including the Brazilian president’s son. Most call it problematic for it implies that Jesus Christ is gay. ‘The First Temptation of Christ’ started streaming from earlier this month and has since featured in several online campaigns that have asked the Brazil authorities to ban the special and criminally charge the creators. They have cited “vilification of faith” as their reason. Among many petitions floating at the moment, one has gained momentum and has signs of nearly 2 million people. As for ‘The First Temptation of Christ’, the satirical film tells the story of Jesus Christ returning home from the desert for his 30th birthday. It doesn't end there as it shows Mary and God as illicit lovers. Joseph is a carpenter who can’t build a table, and the Three Kings try to pass off ham as “free-range soy.” Jesus is shown in the film bringing a companion named Orlando who implies at almost every place he can, that he and the son of God are romantically involved.

Two million sign petition to ban ‘The First Temptation of Christ’ featuring gay Jesus