Imaging Christ
o
Moravians
claim that they’re the oldest Protestant sect (older than Martin Luther):
Switzerland, Jan Hus
o
Remember
the cookies from class- simplicity and uniformity
o
Moravian
Love Feast
§
Agape: love
o
This
picture is Jesus as imaged by scientists and archeologists.
o
How
do people identify personally with images, and what does that say about this
type of image?
o
There
are images of Jesus that have become culturally dominant.
o
Images
shift depending on what people think he should do and the context of the time.
o
For
example, no facial hair = young; halo/non-halo
o
Oftentimes,
people would need to know the Christian stories behind the artwork in order to
determine if it’s Jesus
§
I.e.,
Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead with a staff (linking Jesus to Moses)
§
In
ancient art, size is an indication of status
o
A
culture can hold multiple images of Jesus at once
o
Myths
about the Imaging of Christ in America
o
People
simply imagine Christ in their own image? Why is this a myth?
§
1st
Image: William Blake painted imagery from Revelation
·
Blake
is typically anti-establishment and anti-Christianity
·
God
is portrayed in a very typical way (white, long beard, etc.)
§
2nd
Image: Ethiopian Manuscript
·
A
very traditional image, but different than Blake’s
·
Segmented
scene is a traditional image® reflect Ethiopian context still
o
Artist
depicted God/Christ in a way that is in the artist’s own image, yet a typically
European depiction of Revelation that it is not subversive
§
3rd
Image: Myrtice West’s painting (Revelation 19)
·
She
was constantly writing
·
She
claimed that she was a bride of Christ
·
The
painting was done in crayon
o
Depictions
of Christ and God are differing
o
Jesus
has a bowtie and little goatee
o
Christ
is not racialized as black here. This points as to why imagining Christ in
one’s own image can be seen as a myth.
o
People
in the Americas simply replicated European art and iconography.
§
A
lot of early Americans (particularly Protestants) did not image Christ.
§
Assumes
Americans are not creative.
o
Liberation
ways of thinking about and imagining Christ only began in the 1960s.
§
Even
before the term was used, people were imagining and imaging Christ as a
liberator.
o
The
United States was always and is a Christian/Jesus-centered nation.
§
If
you look at the language about Jesus and Christ and the imaging of Christ in
our history, he is not always at the forefront.
§
Does
not mean that there are not Christians, just means the country is not
Jesus-centric.
o
Imaging
Christ in the 17th Century Americans: Two Impulses
o
French
and Spanish Jesuits and Franciscans
§
Jesus
came to be imaged as warrior, chief, Master of the Hunt because they are trying
to construct images that relate to the indigenous culture
§
Rosaries,
crosses, other forms of material Christianity: the belief that God can
communicate to humans through things
o
English
Puritans
§
They
are iconoclasts (anti-image)
§
They
see themselves as opposite to the Catholic orders
·
Non-material
culture vs. Material culture
·
No
paintings, no stained glass
·
Diametrically
opposed to Catholicism
§
Jesus
as fire and blinding light
·
They
are more interested in imaging the anti-Christ
o
Imaging
Christ in the 18th Century
o
First
Great Awakening, 1730-40s
§
England
and the colonies
§
Revival
Movement, outpouring of the Holy Spirit
·
Tent
and camp meetings
·
Groups
are getting together to hear preachings and having ecstatic spiritual
experiences
§
Jonathan
Edwards
·
“Sinners
in the Hands of an Angry God” 1741 (“Fire and Brimstone” speech)
o
Excerpt:
“The God that holds you over the pit of hill, much as one holds a spider, or
some loathsome insect, over the fire, abhors you, and is dreadfully provoked;
his wrath towards you burns like fire”
o
Reminds
us that the New Testament is complex and does not necessarily only preach love
o
Second
Great Awakening, late 18th – mid-19th century
§
Religious
enthusiasm, rejection of Deism, appeals to the supernatural
·
You
interact with God
§
“Burned
Over District” of New York
·
It
has purified and also “set people on fire”
·
Influence
on women, African-Americans, slaves
o
Roots
of Abolitionist Movement, Suffragists emerges during this time period
o
These
are the movements that are the context for what we read in Chapter 2
o
Indian
Great Awakening
§
Moravians
(and other sects) are particularly prevalent in proselyting Native Americans
§
Samuel
Occom, 1723-1792
·
An
indigenous American who missionized and converts
·
Writers
and a fundraiser for a school that was supposed to be school for Indians, and
then became a school for “anyone” (Dartmouth)
o
However,
did not turn against Christianity. Instead, he became more Christians.
o
Wrote
many hymns (see handout): one of the 1st Christian hymnbooks
·
Hymn
exercise
o
Jesus
as…
§
King/Royalty
§
Life
giver
§
Controller
of life’s death
§
Healer
§
Purchaser
§
Sacrifice
§
High-up
§
Dove
§
Liberator
§
Host
§
Highest
Good/Chief
o
Christology-
the study of Christ, statements about Christ, and his message to humanity, how
he is imaged
o
Theology-
study of God
o
Pneumatology-
study of the Holy Spirit
o
At
this time period, they are not associated with race
o
Hymn 1: Sufferings of Christ
§
Image
of blood
o
Moravians
o
They
are about simplicity, happiness, but also blood
§
Really
focused on the wounds of Christ, particularly the side wounds
§
In
some depictions, there are portrayals of people within the wound, with a wound
for a head
·
Symbolism?
Becoming a wound? Looking out a from wound?
·
Images
of a womb?
o
What
is the significance of a womb opening?
§
New
Life!
§
Blood
becomes associated with a life-giving force
§
Christ
as having masculine and feminine characteristics
·
Does
he transcend gender?
o
Christ
is also red for the Native Americans
o
Highlight
the practice of the Penitentes
§
Carry
the cross and self-flagellating
§
Brown
and red Christ
§
Identification
with the suffering, dying Christ
o
Why
image Christ and why study it?
§
Not
an image of the bloody Christ
o
Black
o
Powerful
and it becomes charged.
o
It
is implicated in national ideals
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