Representations and depictions of the deity

[rogue06]

More like this but with a longer beard?

IIRC, he was an Egyptian although he claimed to be Palestinian

This was posited a few years back as a "likely" rendition.

jesus1.jpg

Interestingly, it has been traditional since pretty much the beginning to depict or describe Jesus as being beardless which would be unlikely given the society and culture of which he was a part of. I suspect that might be some later Gentile sensibilities sneaking in.

This was the picture my grandmother always packed first when we would move, and unpack and put up before anything else was done (she put this little broken handled tack hammer in her purse to make sure that was the case).

il_794xN.1730469525_slrq.jpg

[Hypatia_Alexandria]

I'd prefer Jesus to look swarthy and Middle Eastern, more or less. I'd like realism. .

More like this but with a longer beard?

[NorrinRadd]

I'd prefer Jesus to look swarthy and Middle Eastern, more or less. I'd like realism. Of course, I'm probably influenced somewhat by my reaction against the traditional movie depictions of a light-haired, blue-eyed, Euro-looking Jesus, and against the relatively recent and truly wack notion that Jesus was black.

[rogue06]

I found that assertion somewhat amusing myself.


I have reservations about such depictions in "worship space." Elsewhere, there are ordinarily no problems. One of my favourites:

Buddy Christ.jpg

But that's probably because I liked the film.

Yup. Except I wasn't a big fan of the movie.

Depending on the time and location people have generally represented Jesus as being "one of us" with Eastern Asian Christians depicting him as looking like He is Eastern Asian, Africans depicting Him as sub-Saharan African in appearance, Native Americans and Hispanics as someone who looks like them etc.

If it helps someone better relate with Him, I don't see the problem.

And of course there are exceptions such as the various black Madonnas (with baby Christ) such as those of Częstochowa and Montserrat.

[tabibito]

A student being interviewed at the college stated that “nobody should be portrayed as Jesus except” Jesus himself." [https://www.dailysignal.com/2021/11/...ashington-dc/]

I found that assertion somewhat amusing myself.

That led to my thinking about representations and depictions of the deity per se. Should the deity ever be depicted in any form? And does that include impersonations of the man by actors?

Certainly over the centuries opposing Christian groups have engaged in deadly clashes over issues pertaining to iconography in general.

I have reservations about such depictions in "worship space." Elsewhere, there are ordinarily no problems. One of my favourites:

Buddy Christ.jpg

But that's probably because I liked the film.

[Hypatia_Alexandria]

A recent thread on the Civics board dealt with a pietà Mama that shows a black Madonna and her crucified son, along with the comment by the artist that the son is George Floyd. While I can understand the ire and concern at the Christ being represented by a black criminal it was a comment from the linked article in that thread that was particularly amusing.

A student being interviewed at the college stated that “nobody should be portrayed as Jesus except” Jesus himself." [https://www.dailysignal.com/2021/11/...ashington-dc/]

That led to my thinking about representations and depictions of the deity per se. Should the deity ever be depicted in any form? And does that include impersonations of the man by actors?

Certainly over the centuries opposing Christian groups have engaged in deadly clashes over issues pertaining to iconography in general.