New film shows Jesus as being a black man

[Brad Russ]

By SANDY COHEN, AP Entertainment Writer

LOS ANGELES - It's a familiar image for millions of Christians: Jesus Christ, with a crown of thorns, hanging from the cross. What color is he? In a controversial new film opening Friday, he is black.

"Color of the Cross" tells a traditional story, focusing on the last 48 hours of his life as told in the Gospels. In this version, though, race contributes to his persecution.

It is the first representation in the history of American cinema of Jesus as a black man.

"It's very important because (the film) is going to provide an image of Jesus for African-Americans that is no longer under the control of whites," says Stephenson Humphries-Brooks, an associate professor of religious studies at New York's Hamilton College and author of "Cinematic Savior: Hollywood's Making of the American Christ."

What Jesus looked like has long been debated by theologians around the world. Different cultures have imagined him in different ways, says Stephen Prothero, chairman of the religion department at Boston University. In Japan, Jesus looks Japanese. In Africa, he is black. But in America he is almost always white, like the fair-haired savior painted by Leonardo Da Vinci in "The Last Supper" in 1495.

While some black churches have images of a black Jesus behind the altar and others have claimed Christ was black, Prothero says "none of those arguments or images have filtered much into the mainstream."

Filmmaker Jean Claude LaMarre set out to change that with "Color of the Cross." LaMarre, who plays Jesus, wrote, directed and financed the film. It will open in 30 theaters in predominantly black neighborhoods.

"Black people in this country are the only race of people who worship a god outside their own image," says LaMarre, 38, adding that showing Christ as a black man is "the most poignant way to deal with the issue of race in this country because it goes to the heart of how we look at the world."

It also provides a positive image of blacks, something that's been scant in the U.S., says the Rev. Cecil "Chip" Murray, longtime leader of L.A.'s First African Methodist Episcopal Church and a producer of the film.

"It could be revolutionary because, for four centuries in our nation, blacks have been at the lowest end of the stratum," he says. "I think it will traumatize the United States more than it will foreign nations who, to some extent, don't have a centuries-old concept of equating black with negativity."

Humphries-Brooks agrees. Other countries are likely to view the film "in a more detached manner," he says, "because of the way (they) see our race-relations problem."

Why does race matter in the story of Christ?

"Jesus isn't in the hands of historians," Prothero says. "What we have now is our own debate and, in that debate, race has to be a factor because race is a big predicament in American life."

Film is a powerful place to have the discussion, says Humphries-Brooks, who calls the medium "one of the last places that is quasi-public for the formation of values in America."

"Artistic and aesthetic views are as important in developing religious values as the words we speak. Everybody goes to the movies. Not everybody goes to the same church."

Filmmaker LaMarre thinks the film can only have a positive effect.

"The message is that color, a colored Jesus Christ, doesn't matter," he says. "That's why the movie is important. When you have one prevailing image out there, it suggests color does matter."

[Ireneparalegal]

There has been a long debate on what Jesus' race has been. Frankly, my view is, I don't care. I know His love is universal and Jesus doesn't play the "race card". I would watch a movie abt Jesus life regardless of the race of the person playing the part. Jesus represents all of us and none of us are the same race.

[Brad Russ]

Yep, I feel the same way. As long as the film gives an accurate portrayal of Jesus' words and life, I'm all for it, regardless of what race He is. Hopefully this film will get lots of publicity, and will be put in a wider variety of theatres. This is definitely one of those films that I think would be best seen in theatres.

[Brian Damage]

I am fine with Jesus being black. My love for him is color blind.

[tdf4077]

It's something we talk about once in awhile in my multicultural studies course....the idea that you don't find too many people of the "typical" American idea of Jesus naturally being born in the Middle East!

[LuLu Rogers]

The Bible clearly states that Jesus was a Jew. Therefore he was neither white nor black, he was of the Arian race.

[Dr. Jazz]

My girl Debbi Morgan from All My Children has a part in this movie. Glad to see she's still getting good roles these days. Very underrated actress

[ABlairican Pie]

Originally Posted by Mrs. Rachel Forman

The Bible clearly states that Jesus was a Jew. Therefore he was neither white nor black, he was of the Arian race.

Careful, the Aryan race, as determined by a Mr. Adolf Schickelgruber over two-thirds of a century ago, believed that Jews were NOT of their group and felt they were deserving of being treated as Untermensch.

Y'shua bar-Yosuf, aka ha Meschiach, was definitely a Semitic Hebrew person who shared dark olive skin traits with Arabs.

[Ireneparalegal]

I recalled in Good Times and in A Different World, where the following was stated when describing Jesus Christ:

Rev 1:14 His head and [his] hairs [were] white like wool, as white as snow; and his eyes [were] as a flame of fire;


Rev 1:15 And his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and his voice as the sound of many waters.

Not exactly word for word, but in Good Times, Michael was stating that Jesus was black. He pulled out the bible and read the verse to Florida.

In A Different World, in the episode where one of the girl students made a cookie like Jesus, she talked abt his wooly hair and brass feet.

[Brad Russ]

Originally Posted by Ireneparalegal

I recalled in Good Times and in A Different World, where the following was stated when describing Jesus Christ:

Rev 1:14 His head and [his] hairs [were] white like wool, as white as snow; and his eyes [were] as a flame of fire;


Rev 1:15 And his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and his voice as the sound of many waters.

Not exactly word for word, but in Good Times, Michael was stating that Jesus was black. He pulled out the bible and read the verse to Florida.

In A Different World, in the episode where one of the girl students made a cookie like Jesus, she talked abt his wooly hair and brass feet.

You just reminded me of the episode of All In The Family where Archie got locked in the attic, got totally drunk, and started talking to Jesus. At the end of the episode, Archie's neighbor (Who happened to be black), opened the attic door, and rescued him. Archie still thought he was talking to Jesus, and when he looked up and saw that it was a black man who had rescued him, he got the funniest look on his face, fell to his knees, and said: Forgive me Lord!!! Me explaining it, really doesn't do it justice, but it was definitely one of the funniest episodes I ever saw. LOL!!

Anyway, I know that doesn't have much to do with the topic at hand, but you bringing up those episodes, reminded me of that.