Shaun King, a prominent activist and writer has controversially called for the destruction of all European statues of Jesus, stating that they perpetuate the ideology of white supremacy. Is this the end of Colonial Christianity?
Shaun King has provoked the wrath of many white Christians in America and across the Western world as he has called for the destruction of all statues depicting Jesus as white. The activist went as far as to say that images of a white Jesus in church stained glass windows should also be removed. (White Jesus Statues Should Be Torn Down, Activist Shaun King Says: Newsweek: 22 June, 2020: By Aila Slisco)
This has promoted a reaction from many white Christians, on Twitter, including Jenna Ellis, a legal advisor to Donald Trump, who said:
“I’m going on record now: If they try to cancel Christianity, if they try to force me to apologise or recant my Faith, I will not bend, I will not waver, I will not break. On Christ the solid Rock I stand. And I’m proud to be an American.” (https://twitter.com/search?q=cancel%20christianity&src=typeahead_click)
It’s debatable whether calling for the removal of inaccurate images of Jesus is cancelling Christianity, however we can arguably understand the reactions of white Christians if we accept that the majority of them perceive Christianity as a white-nationalistic, empire-building ideology. This was Ideally suited for an emerging Europe in world affairs. It also embraced racial superiority, slavery and was commonly used as a tool referred to as the ‘white man’s burden’ to civilise the darker races. European Christians manipulated and distorted the teachings of Jesus to pursue greed, theft and murder.
I would argue that this was not the beliefs or teachings of Jesus, nor was it the teachings of the founders of early Christianity. I refer to this bastardised version of Jesus’s teaching as, Colonial Christianity.
Colonial Christianity and the far-right: A contradictory partnership
There is ample evidence to suggest that the Christianity that evolved in Europe does not resemble any of the teachings of Jesus. Why is it that the far-right are comfortable referring to themselves as Christians?
In my article BNP plan black church ban in white areas, (Watson: 23 March, 2010) Nick Griffin, the then leader of the far-right British National Party appeared to provide the answer. In a live debate on Revelation TV and Genesis TV, he said that in his view Christianity was more about national pride and British history than it is about the teachings of Jesus.
The evidence that European Christians have taken on a distorted version of Christianity is demonstrated by the fact that many white churches continue to be racist. (Watson: 22 March, 2010: Black pastor to take on BNP leader in live debate)
Many majority-black churches in the UK exists because they were turned away from white churches when they came to Britain.
Is it any surprise then, that when European leaders quote faith and God to justify going to war for oil and resources against non-European nations, the majority of white Christians are silent?
Black Mary, Black Jesus & a bleak future for Colonial Christianity
The wonderful picture above of a black Mary and black baby Jesus is one of many kept out of public view by the Catholic Church. It has been said that pictures such as these have been around since Anglo-Saxon times (Race, religion and the Black Madonna: 14 March, 2018: Daniela Vasco)
As the true origins of Christianity and Jesus begin to challenge and eradicate the European images that has dominated it for centuries, and more realistic images emerge, I do believe that there will be a drastic fall in believers. There could even be a religious split along racial lines.
Let me be blunt, if you believe that your faith is being attacked because some activists are calling for the removal of statues depicting a white Jesus, you need to question where your allegiance lies.
Cancel culture cannot cancel Christianity, but it certainly can cancel false and misguided Colonial Christians.
For further research:
https://www.dtnext.in/Lifestyle/Technology/2015/12/16112614/A-new-image-of-Jesus-Christ.vpf
https://wellcomecollection.org/articles/WpmW_yUAAKUUF6mV
