Glocal Christianity

African Jesus Slideshow

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Testing new options for displaying Christian art. Like it? Let me know!

Christmas through African eyes - Part III

From the "Mystical Africa - Christmas Collection" by South African artist Hannetjie de Clercq.

Related articles on Christmas

Christmas Nativity Scenes

Christmas through African eyes - Part I

Jesus is near. What does Christmas look like from an African perspective? Here are some Christmas cards, African style. They're fair trade, available from here.

Ethiopian Christian Art

Brillient slideshow and comments on Ethiopia’s 2,000 years old Christian heritage from Dromoman in Kampung Speu (Cambodia)

How many of you know the story of ancient African Christianity? The way of Jesus has never been exclusively Western, as much as the Western history has hidden this at times.

Joyce Meyer joins critics of Uganda's Anti-Homosexuality Bill

Christian Today reports:

Charismatic preacher Joyce Meyer has spoken out against Uganda’s highly contentious Anti-Homosexuality Bill.

In a statement released Monday, Meyer said it is “increasingly evident” that the Bill introduced in the Ugandan parliament is a “profoundly offensive, dangerous and disturbing attack on the very foundation of individual liberties and human rights afforded not only to the good citizens of Uganda, but on the at-large global community”.

“If enacted, this hostile legislation will also further, and adversely, serve as a major setback in the global health efforts to combat Uganda's Aids epidemic and reduce the record-high infection rates among the country's HIV population, an already at-risk community that could be further ostracised, threatened, and targeted as potential criminals,” she added, echoing comments from groups like World Vision.

Proposed last October, Uganda’s Anti-Homosexuality Bill seeks to strengthen the criminalisation of homosexuality in Uganda by introducing the death penalty for people who are considered serial offenders, are suspected of "aggravated homosexuality" and are HIV-positive, or who engage in sexual acts with those under 18 years of age.

“As a global society, we do not have to agree, endorse or condone the lifestyle choices of others. However, history has taught us that we equally cannot and should not excuse those who would hide behind religion or misuse God's word to justify bigotry and persecution,” she insisted.

Similar to Joyce Meyer, I do not have to agree with the lifestyle choise of homosexuals to condemn this Anti-Homosexuality Bill as a gross injustice that contravenes the grace of God and the teachings of Jesus.

If you'd like to read the full article see Joyce Meyer joins critics of Uganda's Anti-Homosexuality Bill.

Film and Faith in Africa

I was just reading about the booming Nigerian film industry known as Nollywood. Not only has Nollywood recently surpassed Hollywood in film production, most Nigerian films are spiritual in nature and over 20% are Christian, making Nigeria the Christian Movie Capital of the World.

My Zimbabwean Experience

Ellen Haroutunian's recent comments on African Christian syncretism stirred up some old memories for me.

When I visited Zimbabwe, back before I was married, I struck up a conversation with a local taxi driver who affirmed Christianity but prayed to Nyaminyami, the Zambezi River God, as a sort of saint.

I was still quite syncretistic myself at the time, having not been out of the New Age movement for very long, so it was an interesting meeting of Christianities.

It's worth reflecting on how we can be syncretistic, how we can mix Christianity with non-Christianity, without being all that conscious of it.

Ethiopian Icons Through the Centuries

Treat yourself and have a look at this collection of Ethiopian icons.

You'll find pictures of various gospel scenes, including Ethiopian interpretations of the crucifixion and resurrection, of the Egyptian ascetic Arsenius, of Solomon, and more.

Let me know your favourites.

Missional Stories - Philip and the Ethiopian

Now an angel of the Lord said to Philip, "Go south to the road—the desert road—that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza." So he started out, and on his way he met an Ethiopian eunuch, an important official in charge of all the treasury of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians. This man had gone to Jerusalem to worship, and on his way home was sitting in his chariot reading the book of Isaiah the prophet. The Spirit told Philip, "Go to that chariot and stay near it."

Then Philip ran up to the chariot and heard the man reading Isaiah the prophet. "Do you understand what you are reading?" Philip asked. "How can I," he said, "unless someone explains it to me?" So he invited Philip to come up and sit with him.

The eunuch was reading this passage of Scripture:

"He was led like a sheep to the slaughter,
and as a lamb before the shearer is silent,
so he did not open his mouth.
In his humiliation he was deprived of justice.
Who can speak of his descendants?
For his life was taken from the earth."

The eunuch asked Philip, "Tell me, please, who is the prophet talking about, himself or someone else?" Then Philip began with that very passage of Scripture and told him the good news about Jesus.

As they traveled along the road, they came to some water and the eunuch said, "Look, here is water. Why shouldn't I be baptized?" And he gave orders to stop the chariot. Then both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water and Philip baptized him. When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord suddenly took Philip away, and the eunuch did not see him again, but went on his way rejoicing. Philip, however, appeared at Azotus and traveled about, preaching the gospel in all the towns until he reached Caesarea.

Reflection

I think this is a beautiful story that brilliantly illustrates the missional way of life. Philip, in his openness to the Spirit, bypasses Jerusalem and its Temple. On the road he meets a foreigner, whom he listens to, and asks questions of. Having proven himself approachable he is invited to share his insights into the teachings of the ancients, whereupon he shares the good news about Jesus and initiates the seeker into the mysteries of the God of gods. Nothing is forced; he just follows the leadings of the Spirit and the flow of the conversation. Have you ever experienced Christianity this way?

Illustration

The above image is Saint Philip Baptizing the Eunuch of the Queen of Ethiopia, 1854 (?) by Théodore Chassériau (French, 1819–1856) Oil, gouache, black chalk on paper glued to canvas

Christian Art - Latest Find

I just found an enormous archieve of Christian art at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

There is Christian art from Africa, Europe, Mexico, you name it, from all sorts of different eras. Looks like there are hundreds, even thousands of unique Christian artworks.

This image is a page from an Illuminated Gospel, late 14th–early 15th century Ethiopia, Amhara region. If you look close you will see it features a revelation of the risen Christ and the four living creatures.

You will find an explaination of the book's history here.

Let me know if you find any favourites.