TASK: Pen PhotoFit On paper On paper On your own, with no talking, write down some ideas of how you would expect Jesus to look e.g. colour of On your own, with no talking, write down some ideas of how you would expect Jesus to look e.g. colour of hair, eyes, height hair, eyes, height

Class sharing So, what do you think Jesus looks like?

Aim of Today’s Lesson To explain what Jesus probably looked like To reflect on why artists have produced inaccurate pictures of Jesus

One of the oldest pictures of Jesus that we have managed to find was painted about 200 years after Jesus was executed. It was found in Italy and was probably painted by Roman Christians. It was painted on the walls of the underground caves where Christians used to meet. The picture is called the good shepherd which is one of the ways Jesus talked about himself.

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

In 2004, Jesus was voted greatest black icon of all time by the New Nation newspaper, which prompted a debate about Jesus' skin colour. "Despite the common depictions in Western cultures of Jesus as a blond, blue-eyed hippy looking man, all reasonable evidence points to the fact that Jesus could not have been of Scandinavian extraction and certainly was a brotha of colour," said the paper. The debate is not new. Throughout the 20th century, black theologians argued that showing Jesus as a white-skinned European is not only historically inaccurate, but profoundly alienating for non-Europeans. Some 20 million Africans were taken as slaves to the New World by Europeans between the 16th and 19th centuries, and images of a white Jesus reinforce the idea that Christianity is a "white man's religion".

The Shroud of Turin The Shroud of Turin

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

TASK: Look at sheets. In your book: Cut out each picture and then write what you think each artist is saying about Jesus. Is there a connection between the artists country and their picture?

Plenary …. Why do you think people want Jesus to look like them? Why is it dangerous to think of Jesus only as white, fair haired and blue-eyed?

Aim of Today’s Lesson Met? To explain what Jesus probably looked like To reflect on why artists have produced 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