White Jesus Wrote the Constitution

There is so much wrong with this painting, I hardly know where to begin. To address only a fraction of its mistakes, misrepresentations, and theological inaccuracies would require a blog series I honestly don't have time to write. But I couldn't resist the urge to publicly condemn this painting as the nationalistic idolatry that it is, in contrast to the true faith of Jesus-followers all over the world. Here are just three things I'd like to point out:

1) White Jesus

The artist who painted this painting, answers what he calls "liberal criticism" on the page where the painting is displayed. The first criticism he addresses is the depiction of Jesus as European/Caucasian. He responds,

"I don't pretend to know what Christ looks like. As I stated in my interview, I wanted to create an image that would be instantly recognizable as Jesus. I am not painting an anthropological Jesus. Nobody would recognize him if I painted him that way."

This is so poor an excuse for this categorical fallacy, it does not even deserve to be considered a response. The entire painting is a political statement, complete with crying supreme court justices and "heroic" soldiers. Yet, he claims his reasoning behind intentionally misrepresenting Jesus' human ethnicity is merely for "recognition." He is clearly deluded or deceptive. Furthermore, there is no lack of evidence for Jesus' human ethnicity in the Bible, nor his physical features. Is there really any debate among Christians whether or not Jesus was a Palestinian Jew? Further still, would not a man with darker, more Middle Eastern facial features, dressed in white and gold robes and with a glowing halo REALLY be unrecognizable as Jesus??

2) "Founding Fathers"

Like so many ignorant American Christians, this artist also believes the myth that the United States was founded by Christians. This is patently false and has been so thoroughly refuted it should not need to be brought up again! Right-wing conservative evangelicals in America are among the worst at rewriting history to have them in it. Its like when someone from High School remembers you but you don't remember them, and they say you were good friends. Its sad really.

3) War, Violence and Jesus

Perhaps one of the most disturbing aspects of this painting is congruent with one of the most disturbing aspects of Americanized Christianity. This is its endorsement and advocacy for violence and war, often even invoking Christ's name. The artist here honors several soldiers who represent those who fought and killed in wars ranging from the Revolutionary War against Britain to the Vietnam War. (The absence of a representative for Gulf War and Iraq Veterans is highly conspicuous.) The glorification of war by conservative Christians in America is nothing new nor is it particularly surprising. However, what does strike me as very telling, is the artist depiction of the Civil War soldier crying. The caption explains that this is the only war where "brother fought against brother." This is very telling because, of course, the Revolutionary War was fought against a "Christian nation" …Britain. So, here, the author betrays his deep-seated view that in his mind brotherhood is derived from common citizenship in an earthly kingdom as opposed to the citizenship in God's kingdom that redemption supplies in Christ. The Colonial soldiers who were professing Christians and killed fellow professing Christians from Britain didn't kill their brothers. They just killed enemies. By contrast, white, slave-holding Southerners who did not profess Christ but killed Northern soldiers who also did not profess Christ as Lord, killed their brothers because of their common American-ness. Interesting, isn't it?

Space and time does not permit me to conduct as thorough a refutation of all this painting's errors (both theologically and historically) as I would like. But suffice to say this painting is a clear representation of the Americanized and bastardized "Christianity" that is imagined all too often by conservative evangelicals in this country. It is not based on Scripture and it is nationalistic idolatry.

PS - Shout out to Greg Boyd for exposing this painting on his blog

Peace.

Cult of Comfort vs. Kingdom Reflection

Of the many idols Americans and American Christians worship (money, "success," sex, to name a few) there exists also the reality of the cult of comfort. This doctrine of safety, this assumption of ease, is transmitted almost subliminally into our souls as an entitlement that accompanies American citizenship and participation in a free market economy. It communicates deservedness. It communicates worthiness. We proudly affirm our right to quality service from the restaurant on the corner. We would promptly exit the theater of a film that dissatisfied us and demand our money be reimbursed. We gladly pay exorbitant amounts of money to travel with all the luxuries of modern, Western life. We simply cannot be inconvenienced in any way. Our comfort takes precedence above all else. God forbid we should have to endure, suffer, sacrifice in any way!

It is then no surprise we carry into our churches these attitudes. Consumerism and criticism govern our perception of a church's value. We judge the church as if it were a cruise. What amenities does it provide? Does it have more or less than its competitors? What is the cost/benefit ratio? How is the quality of service? Will i be entertained? Will i be required to do anything?

In particular, i am saddened and disgusted by the impediment our cult of comfort is to our effectiveness at embodying and reflecting the Kingdom of God on earth. While the throne-room of God is filled with an innumerable multitude representing all the diverse, beautiful, cultural expressions of humanity unified in worship of the Lamb, our churches are characterized by the ubiquitous, systemic American racism thats chief end is the securing of comfort for the now minority white, anglo-saxon, Protestant culture.

Churches are now drawn to a model of ministry that divides congregations, often meeting in the same facility, along lines of language and culture. How can we proclaim with integrity that we are the eschatological community of Christ while we reject the cultural unity and diversity depicted in heaven? How can we invite the non-believer to accept the apostle John's vision of heaven along-side our presentation of those who will make up its congregation? Will the various tribes and tongues who make up the great multitude worship the Lamb in different compartments of the throne-room or at different times of eternity? Certainly we dont expect the non-believer to accept that we, who refuse to worship along-side fellow redeemed ones of differing cultures on earth, comprise those who cause that scene to be a reality in God's presence, do we?

It is comfort that drives a wedge between us and those of our like, precious faith from differing cultures. We resist any setting where we will be expected to agree internally with worshipful and prayerful sentiments we cannot audibly understand. Such acts of humility call into service a type of commitment to others that few are willing to make. It requires a heart that will put aside what is familiar to it for what is unfamiliar. It requires a heart that is willing to trust an expression of worship that comes from a different direction than where they are accustomed.

Be sure not to mistake what i am describing as politically correct multiculturalism. Such a misunderstanding is rooted in reactionary Fundamentalism that secretly seeks to preserve the white, Anglo-saxon, Protestant investment in Modernism. I do not propose enforcing equal representation upon an unequal congregation. I do not propose manufactured, artificial multiculturalism. I propose authentic, Christ-like, Spirit-empowered, Kingdom-building, God-honoring, people-valuing!

Reject comfort at the expense of discipleship! Resolve to deliberately reflect Kingdom fruition!