TASK: Pen PhotoFitTASK: Pen PhotoFit

• On paperOn paper

• On your own, with no talking, write On your own, with no talking, write down some ideas of how you would down some ideas of how you would expect Jesus to look e.g. colour of expect Jesus to look e.g. colour of

hair, eyes, heighthair, eyes, height

Class sharingClass sharing

So, what do you So, what do you think Jesus looks think Jesus looks

like?like?

Aim of Today’s LessonAim of Today’s Lesson

To explain what Jesus probably To explain what Jesus probably looked likelooked like

To reflect on why artists have To reflect on why artists have produced inaccurate pictures of Jesusproduced inaccurate pictures of Jesus

One of the oldest pictures One of the oldest pictures of Jesus that we have of Jesus that we have managed to find was managed to find was painted about 200 years painted about 200 years after Jesus was executed. after Jesus was executed. It was found in Italy and It was found in Italy and was probably painted by was probably painted by Roman Christians. It was Roman Christians. It was painted on the walls of painted on the walls of the underground caves the underground caves where Christians used to where Christians used to meet. meet.

The picture is called the The picture is called the good shepherd which is good shepherd which is one of the ways Jesus one of the ways Jesus talked about himself.talked about himself.

•This image shows Jesus in a This image shows Jesus in a way that is an interesting way that is an interesting meeting of the Hindu and meeting of the Hindu and Christian traditions. He sits and Christian traditions. He sits and gestures like a guru, but the gestures like a guru, but the marks of the crucifixion on his marks of the crucifixion on his hands have been given special hands have been given special emphasis. He is sitting in the emphasis. He is sitting in the middle of a turbulent, windy middle of a turbulent, windy background, which refers to background, which refers to the wind that was heard on the the wind that was heard on the Day of Pentecost, heralding the Day of Pentecost, heralding the arrival of the Holy Spirit and arrival of the Holy Spirit and the opening of Jesus's good the opening of Jesus's good news to all peoples.news to all peoples.

This is a picture of Jesus that This is a picture of Jesus that wants to cross the barriers that wants to cross the barriers that exist between religious faiths. exist between religious faiths. Jesus appeals to all people.Jesus appeals to all people.

In 2004, Jesus was voted greatest In 2004, Jesus was voted greatest black icon of all time by the New black icon of all time by the New Nation newspaper, which prompted Nation newspaper, which prompted a debate about Jesus' skin colour. a debate about Jesus' skin colour. "Despite the common depictions in "Despite the common depictions in Western cultures of Jesus as a Western cultures of Jesus as a blond, blue-eyed hippy looking blond, blue-eyed hippy looking man, all reasonable evidence man, all reasonable evidence points to the fact that Jesus could points to the fact that Jesus could not have been of Scandinavian not have been of Scandinavian extraction and certainly was a extraction and certainly was a brotha of colour," said the paper.brotha of colour," said the paper.

The debate is not new. Throughout The debate is not new. Throughout the 20th century, black theologians the 20th century, black theologians argued that showing Jesus as a argued that showing Jesus as a white-skinned European is not only white-skinned European is not only historically inaccurate, but historically inaccurate, but profoundly alienating for non-profoundly alienating for non-Europeans. Some 20 million Europeans. Some 20 million Africans were taken as slaves to Africans were taken as slaves to the New World by Europeans the New World by Europeans between the 16th and 19th between the 16th and 19th centuries, and images of a white centuries, and images of a white Jesus reinforce the idea that Jesus reinforce the idea that Christianity is a "white man's Christianity is a "white man's religion". religion".

• The Shroud of The Shroud of TurinTurin

• Sadly, the laughter of Sadly, the laughter of Jesus isn't recorded in Jesus isn't recorded in the Gospels. While one the Gospels. While one famous verse tells us famous verse tells us that "Jesus wept", that "Jesus wept", there's no verse which there's no verse which tells us, "Jesus tells us, "Jesus laughed". The laughter laughed". The laughter of Jesus shown in the of Jesus shown in the picture reminds us that picture reminds us that Jesus was a real, flesh-Jesus was a real, flesh-and-blood human and-blood human being. Some people of being. Some people of his time thought he had his time thought he had a bit too much fun, a bit too much fun, calling him a glutton calling him a glutton and a drunkard.and a drunkard.

Does this surprise you?

But what do you think

Africans make of this?

When artists paint people

they often try to say something

about the person by

painting them in a particular

way. Look at these pictures of Jesus. Can you explain

what you think each artist is trying to say about Jesus.

This is probably what he This is probably what he looked likelooked like

TASK:TASK:

Look at sheets.Look at sheets.

In your book:In your book:

Cut out each picture and then write what Cut out each picture and then write what you think each artist is saying about Jesus.you think each artist is saying about Jesus.

Is there a connection between the artists Is there a connection between the artists country and their picture?country and their picture?

Plenary ….Plenary ….

Why do you think Why do you think people want Jesus to people want Jesus to

look like them?look like them?

Why is it dangerous to Why is it dangerous to think of Jesus only think of Jesus only

as white, fair haired as white, fair haired and blue-eyed?and blue-eyed?

Aim of Today’s Lesson Aim of Today’s Lesson Met?Met?

To explain what Jesus probably To explain what Jesus probably looked likelooked like

To reflect on why artists have To reflect on why artists have produced inaccurate pictures of Jesusproduced inaccurate pictures of Jesus

Cut out each picture and then write what you think each artist is saying about Jesus.

Is there a connection between the artist’s country and their picture?

The top left picture is from Mexico.

The Top right is the first picture we have of Jesus - it shows him as the good shepherd and was found in Rome

The bottom left picture is from Africa

The bottom right one shows Jesus as a woman on a cross