Black Jesus

A month ago there was a fascinating conversation on our racial conceptions of Jesus. (http://www.crossleft.org/?q=node/858) I did not pursue the opportunity to respond at the time because I was out of the country, but I wanted to share a recent experience I had in Panama...

On the Caribbean side of the Isthmus, there is a 400 year old church that contains a statue of Black Jesus. The church is a desitnation for pilgrimages as Panamanians have a deep belief that Black Jesus performs miracles. I admire the deep faith of the Panamanians. The notion of pilgrimage runs deep in so many of the world's religions, but has largely been lost in our American versions of Christianity. The civil rights leaders knew the power of pilgrimage, of willing yourself to trudge along the path as a symbolic of the path of life that each of us take. The CrossWalk America folks have resurrected this notion of pilgrimage to heighten our spiritual and political awareness.

A few years back, my girlfriend (a Panamanian through and through) was deep in prayer concerning the health problems of one her parents. She ventured on a 20 km walk to see Black Jesus. Upon reaching Black Jesus she prayed fervently for the health of her family. The family member was soon healed.

Is it naive to believe that Black Jesus had intervened? Maybe. But its also naive to think that God was here on Earth and that he died for the forgiveness of the sins of the world. Faith requires a bit of naivette, requires somewhate senseless sacrafice in the eyes of the reasonable observer.

I also wonder how our notions of race affect our conceptions of race? The Bible describes Jesus in a manner unlike the Euro-centric images that we are used to seeing in Renaissance paintings or Hollywood movies. Why does a darker Jesus offend the sensibilities of so many white Americans?

To be sure, racism still exists in this country and in very subtle ways within many of our hearts. Reconceiving Jesus as black was a necessary part of the way many black churches, especially the AME church, fought against the oppression that affects folks in deeply psychological way. Praying to a white God further reinforced the domination and oppression of whites.

In any case, Black Jesus is a symbol of hope for the Panamanians that entrust their deepest fears and concerns to him. For the rest of us, Black Jesus serves as a reminder that we still have so far to go in fighting racism in our country and around the world. Let us join that pilgrimage...